[Fot] SCCA Road America & HProd Spitfire Excitement

[robertten1 at aol.com]

Well,

Seems steering knuckles are failing on our Spits all of a sudden.  At my last
autocross a week ago I noticed a bit of play in my steering wheel ??  So
yesterday while checking over my Spit I remembered my steering wheel play.
Turns out my steering knuckle is about to fail thought it looks if I remove
the broken safety wires I will be able to tighten the 4 screws holding the
assembly together all will be good.  But, I think I should dig out one of the
three I have in my spares and compare as to which is best.

Is this a coincidence problem for our Spits at this time ?

Cheers,
Bob T


-----Original Message-----
From: Rocky Entriken <rocky at spitfire4.com>
To: chris crisenbery <spitracer1296 at yahoo.com>; FoT Triumph
<fot at autox.team.net>
Sent: Sat, Aug 3, 2013 3:21 pm
Subject: Re: [Fot] SCCA Road America & HProd Spitfire Excitement


Wow! As a dedicated regional-race Spitfire backmarker, I'll sympathize.
I've never had the shaft fail like that -- been driving mine (street, then
ace & autox) since 1966, race-prepped in '71 -- but I've had that knuckle
hat connects the shaft to the rack & pinion fail a couple of times, and it
as loose again when I was prepping for my one foray into National racing
nd the 2011 Runoffs. So there's a nice shiny new (2 years old now) one in
here now.
Most interesting failure was on an airport circuit at Hutchinson, Ks., where
t failed early on the 2nd lap of the race and I found by steering really
ently I might nurse it back to the pits. I'd started 3rd and had quickly
ropped to 7th. Well on that nurse-it-back lap I found if I didn't jerk the
heel I could make it turn -- what is it they tell novices about smooth hand
ovements? -- so I tried another lap. Then another. And began picking up
ositions. The only corner I really had to give up was the second half of a
uick left-right chicane. Last lap I was up to 4th coming into the final
urn and the car in 3rd had gone off and was doing his airport loop to come
ack on. "Car, you WILL make this turn!" I said, and it did, and I got my
rd place back. In the paddock the car would turn no more. Had to put a jack
nder it to line it up with my trailer so I could push it on.
I classify it now as one of those incredibly stupid things we do when we
queeze our brain with a helmet. But still fun.
My one visit to RA was fun too, start DFL, finish 11th in the wet, and an
xperience that let me relate more to (and enjoy) your description. I know
ou'll do better than that in September and raise the Triumph flag high.
ood luck.
--Rocky Entriken
----- Original Message -----
rom: "chris crisenbery" <spitracer1296 at yahoo.com>
o: "FoT Triumph" <fot at autox.team.net>
ent: Wednesday, July 31, 2013 4:32 PM
ubject: [Fot] SCCA Road America & HProd Spitfire Excitement

 Hey everyone,