boom61
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Posts: 1,666
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Post by boom61 on Feb 26, 2015 20:28:03 GMT -5
If you are running a stock seat belt make sure it still works after every run. Last fall before my cars final run (had been in a handful of heats)the line of cars start moving to go out on the track. I go to put my seat belt on and it was frozen. After a couple minutes of pulling the crap out of it and debating to not run or go without a seat belt I grabbed my knife out of my pocket, tied it up and made a lap belt out of it.
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tude8
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Posts: 101
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Post by tude8 on Feb 26, 2015 20:42:55 GMT -5
thanks, one more for you, im assuming when you start using the ass end and everything starts rolling in it changes pinion angle ? i thought when i set this rearend underneath the car should i make the pinion slightly up to compensate ? Correct, point it up. Also when you drive in reverse it will pull out of the trans, and when you drive forward it will push into the trans..... This will make a huge difference in knowing what way to drive and to match how you build the driveshaft
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tude8
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Posts: 101
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Post by tude8 on Feb 26, 2015 20:56:07 GMT -5
ok gotta ask stock driveshafts, i know its all in how much you use the front and back. but when do you know to start using the front, and vice versa I have allways had a slight problem with only going forward. As I've been quoted "reverse is for getting off the trailer" but anyways. After each hit, make a quick glance at your floor pans in that area, when they bend that means the frame is too. When it points down, that means the frame went down, the frame can't go up and the body down at the same time. Also have a friend on the sidelines somewhere if you can who can give a sign language that you can understand to "talk to you about it" such as he fans his face means it's getting hot, points at his nose and up means the nose is going up......
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B12 Racing
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Earn your reputation - don't write it.
Posts: 754
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Post by B12 Racing on Mar 26, 2015 9:20:54 GMT -5
Since I only run GM products, I get the ass-slap and finger pointing down sign a lot...lol
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Post by tunnelvisionracing on Apr 20, 2015 13:41:19 GMT -5
ok gotta ask stock driveshafts, i know its all in how much you use the front and back. but when do you know to start using the front, and vice versa I have allways had a slight problem with only going forward. As I've been quoted "reverse is for getting off the trailer" but anyways. After each hit, make a quick glance at your floor pans in that area, when they bend that means the frame is too. When it points down, that means the frame went down, the frame can't go up and the body down at the same time. Also have a friend on the sidelines somewhere if you can who can give a sign language that you can understand to "talk to you about it" such as he fans his face means it's getting hot, points at his nose and up means the nose is going up...... best tip so far in this whole thread is at the end of this post people......
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rooty
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Posts: 1
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Post by rooty on May 9, 2015 20:46:32 GMT -5
Hey everyone I'm new to derby I'm building a 2002 Chevy Malibu and I'm looking for any advice, tips I can get thanks in advance
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Post by Ed Becker on May 9, 2015 21:03:06 GMT -5
Hey everyone I'm new to derby I'm building a 2002 Chevy Malibu and I'm looking for any advice, tips I can get thanks in advance Scroll down and hit the compacts section for tips on your car. Most of all, have fun with it and enjoy your new addiction!
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Post by saskbanger on May 11, 2015 22:24:29 GMT -5
My two cents to rookies. Wiring- make sure you wiring is top rate. Ground everything. Use good switches, I use push-pull instead of toggles because they are harder to break. Make sure all connections are totally 100% secure. A common cause of failure is bad wiring. Make sure your wiring is protected from pinching as the car gets bent. Fuel- use new gas line and make sure of routing so it can't be pinched. Tires- tubes go along way. Safety- over build and use lots of padding. Make sure nothing sharp or hard can make contact with your body. Remember you are going into a derby ring where you are going to get into the equivalent of a bunch of violent car wrecks. Have fun- have your car ready in plenty of time. Have lots of tools, farmers wire, duct tape wd40, food, lots of fluids and lots of help. Take lots of photos and have some one video tape the whole thing. Derbying is one of the great things in life.
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B12 Racing
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Posts: 754
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Post by B12 Racing on May 14, 2015 2:53:06 GMT -5
^^ Nailed it.
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Post by bowtiebill on Sept 8, 2015 23:08:49 GMT -5
If you are not running until next year, find a good builder/driver to do volunteer work for. Hell, even if you have a year or two under your belt I would still do the same. Make a check list with every last thing you can think of on it and make some copies for the next cars. One thing I see a lot is people not bringing extra steering parts, tie rods and what not.
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Post by lynagh12 on Sept 9, 2015 22:08:54 GMT -5
I know practically nothing about anything under the hood of the car, my stepdad has been working on derby cars for about 20ish years and I just watch whatever he does and try to learn as much as I can.
Ran 1 derby in 2014 at age 16 (compact), won and gave the car to a friend and he rebuilt it and ran a few more times with sucess.
Ran 3 derbys in 2015 so far. 1st car: 1st place, no real problems, drove it off the track and on the trailer then welded struts and new radiator then ran it again. 2nd derby: front end pushed in and broke off the starter and cut the belt to the altinator(spelling?) Don't really know what I could do to avoid that? The bumper stayed on but split in the middle. 3rd: New car, placed 5th but both front tires popped. Can't double them or use tractor tires (not supposed to anyway) so don't know what I can do to avoid that.
So having mainly stock cars going up against non-stock cars the only real way I can compete is by smart driving.
Avoiding big hits, and watching where the built up cars are, hitting them is pointless, let them goof up.
Stay away from the logs or barriers, no point in being close.
Might get hate for this, but sandbag. Hide behind cars that are already taken out, and act like your car stalled out.
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Post by bowtiebill on Sept 11, 2015 0:05:27 GMT -5
I love it when sand baggers hide behind dead cars. It makes it so easy to simply push the dead car over and pin them in, takes them out with no damage to my car.
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Post by taterjuice on Sept 15, 2015 13:26:53 GMT -5
I know practically nothing about anything under the hood of the car, my stepdad has been working on derby cars for about 20ish years and I just watch whatever he does and try to learn as much as I can. Ran 1 derby in 2014 at age 16 (compact), won and gave the car to a friend and he rebuilt it and ran a few more times with sucess. Ran 3 derbys in 2015 so far. 1st car: 1st place, no real problems, drove it off the track and on the trailer then welded struts and new radiator then ran it again. 2nd derby: front end pushed in and broke off the starter and cut the belt to the altinator(spelling?) Don't really know what I could do to avoid that? The bumper stayed on but split in the middle. 3rd: New car, placed 5th but both front tires popped. Can't double them or use tractor tires (not supposed to anyway) so don't know what I can do to avoid that. So having mainly stock cars going up against non-stock cars the only real way I can compete is by smart driving. Avoiding big hits, and watching where the built up cars are, hitting them is pointless, let them goof up. Stay away from the logs or barriers, no point in being close. Might get hate for this, but sandbag. Hide behind cars that are already taken out, and act like your car stalled out. Avoid big hits ? Your freaking serious right now ? Thank god not everyone does like you. Here's a lil building advice, rules are NOT important, what rules they actually enforce are. If rules say DOT tires only but half the field is running doubled mini skids with tubes, why the hell would you run street tires ? I hope I get the opportunity to show you on the track how bagging can f/;k you over too. Everyone bags some but don't make it your primary strategy. Only reason I've bagged so far was my car didn't run for crap, and still got the maddog. Still hit hard just not as many as I would've liked to make. My m o usually is to drive fast, stay on the move and junk everyone else before they can get at me.
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Post by saskbanger on Sept 15, 2015 23:15:29 GMT -5
I agree with taterjuice.
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Post by metalman187x on Nov 15, 2015 18:01:27 GMT -5
I know practically nothing about anything under the hood of the car, my stepdad has been working on derby cars for about 20ish years and I just watch whatever he does and try to learn as much as I can. Ran 1 derby in 2014 at age 16 (compact), won and gave the car to a friend and he rebuilt it and ran a few more times with sucess. Ran 3 derbys in 2015 so far. 1st car: 1st place, no real problems, drove it off the track and on the trailer then welded struts and new radiator then ran it again. 2nd derby: front end pushed in and broke off the starter and cut the belt to the altinator(spelling?) Don't really know what I could do to avoid that? The bumper stayed on but split in the middle. 3rd: New car, placed 5th but both front tires popped. Can't double them or use tractor tires (not supposed to anyway) so don't know what I can do to avoid that. So having mainly stock cars going up against non-stock cars the only real way I can compete is by smart driving. Avoiding big hits, and watching where the built up cars are, hitting them is pointless, let them goof up. Stay away from the logs or barriers, no point in being close. Might get hate for this, but sandbag. Hide behind cars that are already taken out, and act like your car stalled out. WOW! and people wonder why this sport is dying...... this is a prime example! people don't want to keep paying money to come see that ^ they come to see cars bend, broken parts and maybe if they are lucky a rollover or a fire. they don't care how much you have in your ride or don't and if they don't pay the promoters don't promote.... period. some might agree with you but I personally think its a dick move to give "advice" like that that will do nothing but get rookie drivers singled out with underbuilt cars by the guys that take it seriously and don't sandbag or tolerate others bagging either. I go after baggers the hardest and there is at least one guy in every derby who does too. driving in a way that makes people mad at you is just begging to get hurt when derbying is risky enough already especially if you don't have any previous seat time and a first or second build car. I hope people don't take you seriously. build your cars to the rules and then you don't have to run and hide! rant over
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