mini-baja
[Top] [All Lists]

Re: 2005 Baja Top Issues

To: <mini-baja@autox.team.net>
Subject: Re: 2005 Baja Top Issues
From: John Radecki <jradecki@umich.edu>
Date: Thu, 09 Jun 2005 11:54:34 -0400
I suspect that the safety washer issue has more to do with ease of 
inspection and liability issues than it does with actually making the 
vehicles any safer.  The description of the safety washers in the 
chassis shop catalog and elsewhere clearly indicates that they are 
nothing more than cadmium plated mild steel so strength is definately 
not the issue.  By requiring "factory" safety washers, the safety judges 
are freed from the burden and risk associated with determining which 
home-made safety washers are the proper thickness and the proper 
diameter for the rod end with which they are installed.

 I had a rod end ball pop out of its race while driving on the practice 
track at midwest once.  The rod end was serving as a lower ball joint 
and it was in signle shear, but thanks to the safety washer, the lower 
a-arm did not seperate from the kingpin.  I think the rod end was a 
7/16" bore x 1/2" thread high misalignment aurora bearing piece.  Our 
suspension was shock limited and we were not exceeding the misalignment 
angle of the rod end within the travel of the suspension.  It may have 
been improperly crimped during manufacturing but whaterver the reason, I 
guess it goes to show that these failures are in fact possible

Perrin, James (J.M.) wrote:

>Anybody know the reasoning behind not allowing regular washers for single 
>shear applications as long as the washer is thick enough per the rules and 
>large enough diameter (last year it was as long as the washer is larger than 
>the diameter of the ball it was OK).  I've seen way more rod ends fail at the 
>shaft than a ball race failure where the washer would have helped keep things 
>together.  I heard that a judge took apart a studed rod end by hand once, but 
>I would really like to see that with a 5/8 rod end or even a 3/8.
>
>
>
>
>
>-----Original Message-----
>From: owner-mini-baja@autox.team.net
>[mailto:owner-mini-baja@autox.team.net]On Behalf Of Kaley Shellhammer
>Sent: Wednesday, June 08, 2005 12:42 PM
>To: mini-baja@autox.team.net
>Subject: 2005 Baja Top Issues
>
>
>I am sending the attached document around to this listing in hopes to
>reach most if not all of the participating student teams. This document
>is from our National Safety Inspectors. Please read!
>
>If you are not able to view the document attached you may also find it
>on the forums at
>http://forums.sae.org/access/dispatch.cgi/minibaja_pf/showFolder/100001/def/def/b571
>line item # 126
>
>-Kaley
>
>
>Kaley Shellhammer
>Collegiate Program Coordinator
>SAE International
>Education Relations Dept
>400 Commonwealth Drive
>Warrendale, PA 15096
>
>Telephone: 724-772-8533 
>Email: shellham@sae.org
>
>Visit the Collegiate Design Series Program on SAE website at
>www.sae.org/students/student.htm

///  unsubscribe/change address requests to majordomo@autox.team.net  or try
///  http://www.team.net/mailman/listinfo
///  Archives at http://www.team.net/archive/mini-baja


<Prev in Thread] Current Thread [Next in Thread>