The Fingertight Racing Sidecar Project

[racer40]

Had great fun out with the sidecars today, so good to see 6 there, wont be long till we see more i think after the specticle the guys & girls put on today. special thanks to Wildman ( warren ) who even though he didnt have his rig there, was helping all the other crews stay mobile

[wildman]

Was cool watching the sidecars running today, you guys and girls put on a good show.Good to see Pumba there with his rig [ what was the beer telly for your swinger] and is there a beer rule for doing doughnuts on the track during a race? [twice in the same place Gazzza] Des had a few strange expressions on his face when his rig wouldn't go left at the end of the straight and credit to your swinger, she might be small in stature but she hung in there. Looks like the class is going to be dominated by diesel engines and who needs an fxr engine when you have a mighty LONCIN. And for out right bravery [or stupidity] Brian and partner your rig aint pretty and it aint the fastest but you entertained everyone the most AWSOME. well back off to my cave have to get the two stroker going for next time and fly the flag against the diesels

[Pumba]

What a day. For its first outing I can only conclude that today was a success; however there is still plenty of development (read fixing shit) to be done.

Personally I don't have a lot more to say at this stage as I am just waiting for some action pictures from out on the track

Big thanks the Cameil for jumping on the side (I think our spannering style fits well together) and to Rick for puncture repair kit (yea turns out 10 year old + tubes didn't appreciate my riding), and of course Henk for actually making the kit work.

[Henk]

I guess I will start the bets on how reliable this one is:

You will turn up on saturday with just a couple of things left to cable tie up proclaiming that it ran great up the driveway when you tried it.

It will start and run for a few minutes but half way into your first lap it will start missing and you won't have a fucking clue why.

Then you realise that a jet has fallen out and your choke is not the sidecar model and the fuel pump is pumping backwards and you will fix all of those things.

It will start running rough again 3 laps in and you really have no clue now so Henk and Rick come over and help. After 2 hours of dicking around you trace it back to a fucked CDI and Henk grabs one out of the van and throws it in and it is running again.

Next run things are going good until the 5th lap when one of the wheels falls off.

You carry it to pits and refit the wheel, suit up and sit on it and your swinger realises the engine mounts are all cracked.

You go home defeated and saddened.

Repeat for every bucket meet until the end of time.

Race one six starters six finishers
Race two five starters five finishers.

Your track record as an oracle has just taken a hit. One flat tyre was the only real issue of the day, of course it could just have easily gone horribly wrong all over the place. I do think we are asking a bit much of these little engines at times.

[seymour14]

Sounds like you all had plenty of fun, jealous big time!!!

Maybe this year will be the year of the rigs? Sure hope so.

[Pumba]

Come on VIDEOS & PHOTOS!! Who has them

[Moooools]

Race one six starters six finishers
Race two five starters five finishers.

Your track record as an oracle has just taken a hit. One flat tyre was the only real issue of the day, of course it could just have easily gone horribly wrong all over the place. I do think we are asking a bit much of these little engines at times.

Well shit. And I had such a good track record too.

I am impressed with the turnout and finishing rate. Sounds like good racing.

[Gazzza]

Well an excellent weekend, great racing considering the weather. Great to see three new rigs out there. Well done young Brian and Mel for showing how much fun can be had by just welding on a third wheel. I want to add my thanks to Warren also for all the pit work, and Chris for geeing us all up, to put on a show. I'm sure Carl and Des will able to take the run on Sunday and come out strong next outing, all of the rigs take a few races to fettle in. One thing that did surprise me was how the rain made it more fun, slicks or no slicks...
Hope to see every one next round plus the welcome return of Wazzas rig

[Pumba]

Jebus still no photos from the weekend. DISAPPOINTING!!!

Anyway finally got back out in the shed tonight to have a look as the chair and undertake a damage assessment from the weekend.

Knowing that rear tube had a hole, I but the frame up on blocks and pulled all the wheels off. Turns out I may have not put the front end together properly as there had been some rubbing on the brake carrier.



So I need to figure out what I did wrong there. Bearing don't look or feel to bad, but I might change them anyway. Might look at bracing the front forks as well, as it may get rid of the "LITTLE" wobble I was experiencing.

When I bulled the tire off the rear I found a hole in the tube pretty fast. Pretty sure there was on old patch on the hole that had turned to paper. Wasn't all that big and we probably could have pumped it up for the last race and gotten away with it. Oh well.

I would love to hear anyone's opinions on what size tyres I could squeeze onto the rims. It currently has 145/R10 front and rear on the RV90 rims. Through my research I think the RV standard had 6.7x10 tires, which equates to about a 165 or 170 width tyre. Does this sound right? As I think all my options for some sticky rubber are in the range of 150 - 165. I can get some new 145 rubber, but they are designed for small car trailers, cant imagine grip is a priority there.

The side wheel is, well not a major but could really do with some attention. Fist off the rim is steel and HEAVY. Not a major issue but I might see what I can do about that. Secondly the tire that is on is OLD. I mean really old. Anyone remember when Dunlop stopped making tires here in NZ? Because this one has mad in NZ proudly stamped all over it. A Dunlop Motorway in size 5.20-10.

Oh and need to sort out my chain. I had a look at the block I cable tied on after the first practise and yes there was definitely some contact.

[Kickaha]

I would love to hear anyone's opinions on what size tyres I could squeeze onto the rims. It currently has 145/R10 front and rear on the RV90 rims. Through my research I think the RV standard had 6.7x10 tires, which equates to about a 165 or 170 width tyre. Does this sound right? As I think all my options for some sticky rubber are in the range of 150 - 165. I can get some new 145 rubber, but they are designed for small car trailers, cant imagine grip is a priority there.

145R10 is stock Mini size and available but not in anything sticky, Yokohama 165/70/10 A032R is available for about $150each

The side wheel is, well not a major but could really do with some attention. Fist off the rim is steel and HEAVY. Not a major issue but I might see what I can do about that. Secondly the tire that is on is OLD. I mean really old. Anyone remember when Dunlop stopped making tires here in NZ? Because this one has mad in NZ proudly stamped all over it. A Dunlop Motorway in size 5.20-10.

Cross ply production stopped around 20 years ago

[wildman]

I would love to hear anyone's opinions on what size tyres I could squeeze onto the rims. It currently has 145/R10 front and rear on the RV90 rims. Through my research I think the RV standard had 6.7x10 tires, which equates to about a 165 or 170 width tyre. Does this sound right? As I think all my options for some sticky rubber are in the range of 150 - 165. I can get some new 145 rubber, but they are designed for small car trailers, cant imagine grip is a priority there.

Hey Pumba my one runs 145 x 70 front and side and 165 x70 rear [ crossplys ] Front one still is hardly worn but rear is nearly a slick. Speedpro said they tried all types of tyres on mine including slicks but the crossplys worked best. You could try a mini slick on the rear which is what Des had on his although it didn't seem to be of much use. I think Kickaha was right with the Yokohama as that's what i will put on the rear of mine next. Should be back out with mine for August, working on a water-cooled head for the tf motor but not sure if it will be ready by then, might still be running the aircooled motor and hopefully don't destroy another p[iston and barrel.

[Kickaha]

Hey Pumba my one runs 145 x 70 front and side and 165 x70 rear [ crossplys ]

With those marking they shouldn't be cross plys

You could try a mini slick on the rear which is what Des had on his although it didn't seem to be of much use.

The mini slick should be on a 6 inch wide rim if you want the optimum rim size, 5 inch minimum

[Moooools]

I would love to hear anyone's opinions on what size tyres I could squeeze onto the rims. It currently has 145/R10 front and rear on the RV90 rims. Through my research I think the RV standard had 6.7x10 tires, which equates to about a 165 or 170 width tyre. Does this sound right? As I think all my options for some sticky rubber are in the range of 150 - 165. I can get some new 145 rubber, but they are designed for small car trailers, cant imagine grip is a priority there.

Hey Pumba my one runs 145 x 70 front and side and 165 x70 rear [ crossplys ] Front one still is hardly worn but rear is nearly a slick. Speedpro said they tried all types of tyres on mine including slicks but the crossplys worked best. You could try a mini slick on the rear which is what Des had on his although it didn't seem to be of much use. I think Kickaha was right with the Yokohama as that's what i will put on the rear of mine next. Should be back out with mine for August, working on a water-cooled head for the tf motor but not sure if it will be ready by then, might still be running the aircooled motor and hopefully don't destroy another p[iston and barrel.

Hoosier R25B 6x10" sounds like it should get on there. Come in an 18"OD or a 19.5" OD. They are a damn good tyre and designed to be run at low speeds as they are a Formula SAE tyre. Quite a low cornering stiffness so easy to control and good will love some sideways action. You can get them through Cardwells Racing supplies. They also do a 7.5" wide which would probably be better for the sidecars due to the weight of the rigs when fully laden. But that depends on how wide your rims are really. It is better to have your rim an inch wider than the tyre than an inch narrower with these tyres.

http://www.hoosiertire.com/rrtire.htm

[Gazzza]

I have a RV 90 rolling frame I had hopes of turning into another rig, when I was looking at tires a cheap option was a Duro multi purpose one, it won't be in the same league as the ones mentioned above but maybe a cheaper option and better than what you have now, there was also an AMS sand tire which was virtually smooth and a soft compound. I'm trying a few things with the blue rig at the moment, made up a leading link front end that I might try at the next race day. If we manage to get in some fine weather and have the same sort of turn out as last time should be another great day of chair action.

[Pumba]

145R10 is stock Mini size and available but not in anything sticky, Yokohama 165/70/10 A032R is available for about $150each

The mini slick should be on a 6 inch wide rim if you want the optimum rim size, 5 inch minimum

Hoosier R25B 6x10" sounds like it should get on there..........

.....there was also an AMS sand tire which was virtually smooth and a soft compound.......

Cheers all sort of confirmed what I was already thinking. I was already looking at the Yokohama as a new tire option. Mooools interesting info on the Hoosier slick. I am a bit afraid to ask what the cost may be based on the price list I found on the US site. Gazzza I also found the info on the AMS tire and agree it looked like an option. Didnt look that hard at where one cold get one though.

Cross ply production stopped around 20 years ago

Not surprised at all. I would imagine this tire was old when that happened. I found a part number on the rim that dates it back to the 1960's or 70's.

What are peoples thoughts on the side wheel? My feeling is for what we are doing it is not going to make a huge difference if there is a 25 year old cross ply, or something more modern. Side wheel is stock mini 3.5x10, so my option will be real limited anyway.

Also found a spacer for my left overs container that seems to fit the front wheel nicely, so after cleaning up all the burred metal faces, and giving the disk a tickle up with the flapper disks on the grinder and then giving it some treatment on the concrete drive, as well as the pads (first dirty marks on the new drive, strangely satisfying that was), I think I have solved that issue and probably made the front end a bit stifffer as well.