The 24 Hours of Lemons Forums → Our Crappy Race → New Hampshire Hooptiefest Questions
The Hooptiefest will be our first Lemons race and I wanted to know if there are certain services at the race.
Tire machine - we have spare tires but not rims (yet)
Hydraulic press - if we need to change wheel bearings after day 1
- The other option is to build spare uprights (not done yet)
Thanks!
John
No and No
The town of Loudon is only a few miles away and there are multiple tire places if you need it, Rims are budget exempt so get an extra rim or two and pre-mount the spare tires.
You may find someone crazy enough to haul a press to the track, but don't count on it. If you think a bearing is suspect either change it before, or bring a fully prepped spare upright ready to go. No one will care that you brought spares, bring all the spares you want.
You may find someone crazy enough to haul a press to the track, but don't count on it. If you think a bearing is suspect either change it before, or bring a fully prepped spare upright ready to go. No one will care that you brought spares, bring all the spares you want.
We pressed two Saturn wheel bearings w/o a press. it's not fun but it can be done. The tongue jack on a trailer can also be used in a pinch.
I'v done a neon at the track with a big hammer a few sockets and a big vice.
We were back on track in 2 hours, and that included the trip to the local parts store to get the bearings.
Pro Tip: If your car is relatively common, score a full set of hubs and load them up with good bearings. It's probably $50 a corner to pre-load them*, but if you've got a couple hundred bucks and the time do it before the race weekend, the math checks out on the time/money it'll save.
I say this like I was smart enough to do it when I raced. I wasn't, but we did carry spare half-shafts and could swap them out in ~10 minutes. A hub swap should be probably about the same? Front-wheel-drive cars (I assume that's what you have if you're asking about presses) straight-up murder wheel bearings and half-shafts in Lemons.
*That's a first-time cost. You'll have the hubs already for a second race, so it's just the cost of fresh bearings after that.
Trailer jack or hydraulic jack between trailer or truck is a DIY bead-breaker or press. Usually the bearing can even be removed and installed with a hammer in a pinch. Don't forget about the splines between the axle and hub, sometimes those can seize and a BFH doesn't get them apart and you'll need a shop press.
I've spooned on tires at tracks with a couple tire irons... but you'll be at it for hours if you don't have the technique down.
If you aren't trying to be super competitive and don't mind losing seat time fixing things, just look for the closest shop that can press apart a hub and look for the closest tire shop with long hours, save their info, and hope for the best and plan for the worst.
Thanks, The car has new bearings in the front, I had just read that they are a common failure point with some added heat.
I will source a spare set of knuckles and have new bearings in them.
Rims for this car are a little hard to find for a decent price, I will keep looking
Thanks
John
If possible pack the bearings with Red Line CV-2 Grease. We went from swapping our bearings after each day to maybe once a year. Even the Chinese ones are holding up.
The Hooptiefest will be our first Lemons race and I wanted to know if there are certain services at the race.
Tire machine - we have spare tires but not rims (yet)
Hydraulic press - if we need to change wheel bearings after day 1
- The other option is to build spare uprights (not done yet)Thanks!
John
There is a dude that does tires just up the road from NHMS, call them to see that they open. Sydow's Auto Service Center think the name of the place.
for press, get an arbor press from HF if you really need it.
The 24 Hours of Lemons Forums → Our Crappy Race → New Hampshire Hooptiefest Questions