Topic: Weight Limits
How strict usually are the judges about the cars weight limit? If it’s 30 pounds over the limit from the factory are they likely to let that slide?
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How strict usually are the judges about the cars weight limit? If it’s 30 pounds over the limit from the factory are they likely to let that slide?
Are you asking about the overall upper limit or the weight that dictates your roll cage tubing size?
If it's roll cage tubing and you think you'll be near the cutoff, just use the bigger stuff and never worry about it.
If it's the upper weight limit, email HQ and talk to them about it. Better to discuss now rather then at tech on Friday.
If it is close to the limit, you need to email HQ for a waiver, just to be sure. It would suck to build the car, come to a race, and have the tech inspector reject you.
For clarity, the tech inspectors decide if you can race with the car. The judges decide which class and how many laps you are awarded. Judges can be influenced, tech inspectors can not.
Nobody weighs your car at the track. Think of it more as an eyeball test. If you bring some huge boat that looks like a huge boat, you may or may not be told you are not allowed to race it out of concerns for participant safety.
If you have a Kevin James type of car, don't worry about it too much. (Especially if you do a Clerks theme or if at least everyone on the team wears hockey jersey's through tech)
The organizers and most of the judges are true "Car People". They generally will know if your car is close to running afoul of the weight guidelines when they see it.
And of course as the others have suggested, it's always best to ask ahead of time before you invest a bunch of time and money into prepping something that is borderline to the letter of the rules as they are written. And to "thumbs up" what TheEngineer has said about roll cage tubing size: Just put the bigger stuff in. You wouldn't want to find yourself in a situation where you are regretting having used undersized cage tubing.
How strict usually are the judges about the cars weight limit? If it’s 30 pounds over the limit from the factory are they likely to let that slide?
?? you should be able to take at least 3-500lbs off any factory car.
?? you should be able to take at least 3-500lbs off any factory car.
That doesn't eliminate the need for a waiver for anything that is originally overweight:
2.1: Vehicle Eligibility... The vehicle’s original, manufacturer-stated curb weight may not exceed 4200 pounds.
As Spank noted, the cars aren't weighed at the track. If there's a serious question about a vehicle, you'll be in a far better position if you've already gotten a waiver and can demonstrate that you've removed a lot of weight. The weight reduction alone may or may not satisfy tech, so why risk it? Besides, while discussing a waiver with HQ you're likely to get some specific pointers about what counts as "good" weight reduction as opposed to "bad" (such as cutting out parts of the crush structure), which is another example of a conversation not to have for the first time while already in line for tech inspection. HQ would much rather deal with all of these issues well in advance, so by all means ask for the waiver and for advice on what to do to make them happy with the vehicle.
Besides, if they just flat say "no" to something, as they did once to me, it's better to learn that as early as possible. In my case it was before I went back to buy it, so that worked out quite well compared to other possible outcomes.
what kind of car are we talking about here? Everybody knows there is a Rolls Royce in the series right? There is also a big old Caddy that races a lot.
To the OP: Shoot an email to Jay (Jay@24hoursoflemons.com) and John Pagel (Pagel@24hoursoflemons.com) asking about your specific car. cc me (eric@24hoursoflemons.com) on it, too, just because I want to know what it is.
what kind of car are we talking about here? Everybody knows there is a Rolls Royce in the series right? There is also a big old Caddy that races a lot.
The Rollers both had weight waivers.The twin-engined Eldo had a weight waiver.
The Lemontarians' mid-1980s Fleetwood is actually (well) under the weight limit and so too is the '59 Bonneville that ran at Buttonwillow. Almost all passenger cars outside of the weight limit would fall either into a bloated period of luxury and full-size cars from 1955-1979 or into the supremely overbuilt very-late-model stuff (Think Dodge Charger, which is near the weight limit). Full-size trucks and SUVs would also potentially be problematic.
Please lets talk more about cutting out crash structures
To the OP: Shoot an email to Jay (Jay@24hoursoflemons.com) and John Pagel (Pagel@24hoursoflemons.com) asking about your specific car. cc me (eric@24hoursoflemons.com) on it, too, just because I want to know what it is.
Mr.Yuck wrote:what kind of car are we talking about here? Everybody knows there is a Rolls Royce in the series right? There is also a big old Caddy that races a lot.
The Rollers both had weight waivers.The twin-engined Eldo had a weight waiver.
The Lemontarians' mid-1980s Fleetwood is actually (well) under the weight limit and so too is the '59 Bonneville that ran at Buttonwillow. Almost all passenger cars outside of the weight limit would fall either into a bloated period of luxury and full-size cars from 1955-1979 or into the supremely overbuilt very-late-model stuff (Think Dodge Charger, which is near the weight limit). Full-size trucks and SUVs would also potentially be problematic.
no kidding on the Charger, the Challenger is a wide load too. A cool build would be a 2 door 2wd 4.0l jeep cheeorkee w/ a 5 speed.
My guess is the original post was more a question if a car was coming in right at 3000 lbs. or just over (e.g. 3030 lbs.) would they get busted if they went with a cage that is 1.50″ x .120″ or 1.75″ x .095″ as cars weighing over 3K lbs. must use a minimum tubing size of 1.75″ x.120″ vs the aforementioned <3K cage requirements.
My guess is the original post was more a question if a car was coming in right at 3000 lbs. or just over (e.g. 3030 lbs.) would they get busted if they went with a cage that is 1.50″ x .120″ or 1.75″ x .095″ as cars weighing over 3K lbs. must use a minimum tubing size of 1.75″ x.120″ vs the aforementioned <3K cage requirements.
We use 1.75" x .120" in every build, no matter the vehicle weight. I've never found myself on track wishing I'd used lighter cage material...
JimHugger wrote:My guess is the original post was more a question if a car was coming in right at 3000 lbs. or just over (e.g. 3030 lbs.) would they get busted if they went with a cage that is 1.50″ x .120″ or 1.75″ x .095″ as cars weighing over 3K lbs. must use a minimum tubing size of 1.75″ x.120″ vs the aforementioned <3K cage requirements.
We use 1.75" x .120" in every build, no matter the vehicle weight. I've never found myself on track wishing I'd used lighter cage material...
yuuup...
therood wrote:To the OP: Shoot an email to Jay (Jay@24hoursoflemons.com) and John Pagel (Pagel@24hoursoflemons.com) asking about your specific car. cc me (eric@24hoursoflemons.com) on it, too, just because I want to know what it is.
Mr.Yuck wrote:what kind of car are we talking about here? Everybody knows there is a Rolls Royce in the series right? There is also a big old Caddy that races a lot.
The Rollers both had weight waivers.The twin-engined Eldo had a weight waiver.
The Lemontarians' mid-1980s Fleetwood is actually (well) under the weight limit and so too is the '59 Bonneville that ran at Buttonwillow. Almost all passenger cars outside of the weight limit would fall either into a bloated period of luxury and full-size cars from 1955-1979 or into the supremely overbuilt very-late-model stuff (Think Dodge Charger, which is near the weight limit). Full-size trucks and SUVs would also potentially be problematic.
no kidding on the Charger, the Challenger is a wide load too. A cool build would be a 2 door 2wd 4.0l jeep cheeorkee w/ a 5 speed.
The facelifted Chargers (2011 to present, I think) are 4,500 pounds curb weight with a V8. Just insane. Earlier generation that has started to show up in Lemons is about 30 pounds shy of the weight limit fully optioned with the Hemi.
Our first Lemons car was an '83 Rabbit but we went big on the cage material as well (1.75" x 1.20) due to relatively minimal cost difference and also in part to the weight of the competition as we were about 1/2 the weight of some of cars out there.
Our first Lemons car was an '83 Rabbit but we went big on the cage material as well (1.75" x 1.20) due to relatively minimal cost difference and also in part to the weight of the competition as we were about 1/2 the weight of some of cars out there.
For us it is as simple as consistency. We have done...6 cages now (4 for us) and once you are set up for 1.75" x .120, you can do any car and "spare" tube can be used to modify any car. Same bender die, same holesaw for notching, etc. Ad to that minor conveniece in welding to spreader plates with the same thickness and there really was no question for us.
'... we went big on the cage material as well
(1.75" x 1.20) ...'
That's (^) impossible.
Mixing units, maybe they mean 45mm dia x 1.2mm wall, but Charleston is quite far from Canada.
No: "1.2 millimeters = 0.0472 inch" - which would _never_ have passed tech.
I believe he has a slipped desc (- imal point).
[edit] btw: OP currently has only the one post above.
No: "1.2 millimeters = 0.0472 inch" - which would _never_ have passed tech.
I believe he has a slipped desc (- imal point).[edit] btw: OP currently has only the one post above.
lol, that makes more sense, 1/8th inch is 3.2mm.
OK, I fixed it boys...settle down now.
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