Sam's build thread

[sambb]

Yeah what happened with him. Did he think he was so far out after his second that he backed off and just test ran cos he didn't go quicker and we were all catching him up? I know he had a bit of an off on one of his runs. Thats why towards the end I didnt know if it was worth going after him cause I figured he could just put in quick ones at will, but seems he started to actually struggle. He did that at last years state too. He was quick early but then couldn't improve and got swallowed up. It could be that because he is there literally every day and knows the track so well that his quick times will come immediately whereas we all need to build into it a bit. not sure. Dont worry, we'll get him.

[sambb]

Found the source of my ongoing lgear linkage issues. My first problem at Wakefield in Jan was because OE 'across the gates' slider was jumping out of the short shifter channel due to age/freeplay/heat and the design of the short shifter that let the slider run to the limits of the channel.
But then once I ordered some parts to 'fix' this slider I still had ongoing dramas. The 3rd to 4th plane was tight, required a good pull, at South circuit in August it became so tight it was actually difficult to get gears when there was cockpit action and on the street I noticed that it started out fine but got tighter and tighter the longer I drove. Figuring that it was most likely heat, I swapped different bits I have around until I pin pointed the drama.

Sam's build thread.

It turns out the problem is the Diesel Geek replacement slider. Its tolerances are spot on when parts are cold but once hot, the slider must be expanding to the point where it jams in the shifter channel. I removed the whole lot once it felt like it was tight (and hot) and the slider was binding badly. So the answer is going to be to chuck it on the mill and take a slice off it and give it a bit more free play when its cold so that it functions aok on the track.
This kind of stuff gets a bit old but thankfully its not the box - was starting to think I may have damaged a fork, and is the typical $2 component causing big dramas type of issue.

[metalhead]

Good to hear you got that worked out! What a painful issue. I've been fighting the f250 today, I bought an aftermarket power steering pump bracket to replace the previously bodged in horror that has caused me no end of issues over the past few weeks. Had to modify the bracket to get it to fit the engine (fouled on the water pump pulley), and then find it won't bolt up to my power steering pump either... Just caved in and ordered an aftermarket pump to suit, though no doubt it will still require some modification. Why is it that aftermarket car parts are so universally terrible?

How are you looking for possibly heading to Wakefield on Wed 5th September?

[sambb]

Sounds like we both have had our dramas. Got my linkage back in tonight so I'll run around on that for a while so that I'm confident in it next time I do a track day. I ended up just doing circle work on emery paper to get it down to size. The fitters at work said that lots of lubricant when combined with a bit of heat can make nylon/teflon expand pretty badly and suggested to just wipe evrything clean and run the slider like that, so i'll give that a go too.
Lost my diary that has my roster written out for the rest of the year in it. I'll track that down and let you know. Graham (CRX) was trying to steer us towards South circuit in August instead but I'd prefer a bit more time to get a few things sorted and do Wakefield. I'll let you know when I'm able to lock it in.

[sambb]

Gary I was hoping you might be able to give me an idea of the Dunlop Direzza DZ03G compounds. Previously you'd said:

"In Dunlops they have 4 compounds - S (wet for very light cars), M (wet) , R (sprint races & light cars) and H (long distance races & heavy cars). I think the 205/50/15 D03G in the R compound would suite your car very well, they are similar to Medium compound in the A050's"

I've also seen their compounds written as S=soft, M= medium, R= medium to hard and H = hard.

I spoke to Gary's Motrsport tyres and they agreed with you that R2 was the compound that best matches Yoko A050 medium. Their 215/50/15 is $340 which plays $367 for the Yokos so I'm happy to give them a go.
I inquired about softs in the same size for the hillclimbs too (as Levens don't do the Yokos in soft at that size and the DZ03G s the same $ for 205's a for 215's) and they said S compound = yoko soft.
What then is their M compound. Is it not an in between compound but a dedicated wet tread/compound tyre? If it is an in between compound thugh (between soft and medium), would it not be a better one tyre does all than having R2 and S?

[Sydneykid]

I was thinking of the R compound as a compromise for track days (15 minutes sessions) and hillclimbs. For just hillclimbs then the S compound would be my choice, but you would burn them up in a 5 minute session at a track day. I'm trying to recall using the M compound and I only seem to have data from a wet 1 hour race at Eastern Creek on the Evo. They ran the whole 1 hour, no tyre change, it was a full wet race, raining all throughout, no drying line. So if we had used the S's they wouldn't have lasted. Maybe that's the answer, the S is for qualifying and short length wet races. The M is for longer wet races. The R is for dry races with a tyre change if necessary. Then H is for long distances races with long sessions between stops.

How that relates to your usage pattern is hard to say for sure, but logically the M might well be the "3 bears choice" (just right, in the middle). M's on the front and S's on the rear for hillclimbs would work. Then there is the budget to consider, R's will last a long time, especially if you swap them front to rear. With S's on the front you might only get a couple of hillclimb outings from them.

FWIW I'm down at Wakefield for the NSW State Championship round this weekend, so I'll check and see if there are any decent used tyres in your sizes.

Cheers
Gary

[sambb]

Ok looks like Dunlop 'S' is going to be too focused for hillclimbs. Whether I go 'M' or 'R2' they are a fair bit wider than the 195 softs or 205 mediums I'm running now and new out of the box would have to give more grip. And $340 new for the Dunlops I can live with if I have to - $370 for yokos in the same size is getting bit ridiculous. Yep it'd be whats left of the softs on the back for hillclimbs, and whats left of the mediums on the back for the circuit until I can raise more funds. But yeah if anything pops up this weekend, that'd be brilliant. Even just 205/50/15's would get me out of trouble! Thanks.

[Sydneykid]

Sorry Sam, no joy on the weekend, only a couple (as in 2) A050's in 15's and they were baaaaaaald.

Cheers
Gary

[sambb]

ha ha no worries Gary thanks for keeping am eye out.

[sambb]

Gary, do you know much about circuit Italia, the one thats being built up next door to Ringwood. Fences are up, they've turned a lot of soil , trees cleared etc and one part of its layout has been laid. I was surprised to see how much they'd done in the last year after it had being stalled for so long.