The
message I want to get across is "If it doesn't feel right, IT AIN'T!"
In my humble opinion, there are only two on-board systems that are CRITICAL.
They are the steering and the brakes. (Throttle return mechanisms
and the gizmos that hold the wheels on run third and fourth.)
EXAMPLE #1
The scene, the Sunday afternoon
race at the first race weekend at the Naval Airstation in Tustin California.
The practice sessions and the qualifying race had gone well. Now
we have 2 maybe 3 laps to go in the main race.
Like most small formula
cars, my steering wheel has a web shaped like a T. When the car is
running straight ahead, I can see the oil pressure gage and the tach between
the rim and the top of the T. Back to the race. In third I
exit the last turn on to the front straight. I look down at the tach
so I can shift exactly at 6 grand. Except I can't see the tach. The
web of the steering wheel is now blocking my view of the tach. Humm, why
has the "home" position of the steering wheel shifted 90 degrees?
I don't know and I don't want to find out at 100 mph. IF IT DOESN'T
FEEL RIGHT, IT AIN'T.
Hand in the air, slow down,
get off the track. Later I discover that the arm from the steering
box to the tie rod has cracked and started to split.
EXAMPLE #2
The scene, a practice session
at Phoenix International. Rocketing through the infield I hit a berm
on driver's left a little harder than I have in the past. As I set
up for the next right, the steering seems….I don't know….fuzzy is a good
word. The next left is fine. The next right is fuzzy again.
IF IT DOESN'T FEEL RIGHT, IT AIN'T. Slow down, come in. The
bolt holding the left tie rod to the left spindle had broken.
EXAMPLE #3
The scene, a practice session
at Sears Point. The car, someone else's Vee. "The steering
seems weird." He spends 2 hours going over the car. Next session,
"Seems OK…. No, it's still weird." Come in and check it out.
All OK so go back out. "Still seems weird, I'll slow down to 75%
and go in." Two turns before the pit entrance a U-joint in the steering
shaft snaps. The car goes straight off into a dirt bank. No
serious injuries but significant damage occurred. IF IT DOESN'T FEEL
RIGHT, IT AIN'T!!!!!!
Racing can be dangerous.
But we have a chance to make it as safe as possible. Always remember
IF IT DOESN'T FEEL RIGHT-----FIGURE OUT WHY. |
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