OilCover failure

[MattR]

BUMP.... I'm convinced RFR should be condemned. It appears I blew the seal on my Right Front Coilover today, it has very little dampening, and there's tacky fluid all over the inside of the wheel, brakes and wheel-well. It happened during my qualifying session, so I didn't even get to race. I'm going to take it apart tomorrow to find out exactly.

Anyway, we were running the new H -CT config, which has you make a hard left instead of right to go to the horseshoe, the problem is, it is so fast and off camber that way, and it forces you over bumps that are like ski jumps. I know right when it let go, the car started bouncing right away.

Well, it's clear they are no longer keeping that place in any sort of useful condition...I doubt it will reopen for the 2009 season...

Hopefully the car can run auto-x next weekend, between Dean and I we may not have running cars.
Hopefully one of them is auto-x able so we can finish out the season.

[cody]

Gah, that sucks Matt.

[Dean]

Originally Posted by MattR

BUMP.... I'm convinced RFR should be condemned.
[...]
Anyway, we were running the new H -CT config, which has you make a hard left instead of right to go to the horseshoe, the problem is, it is so fast and off camber that way, and it forces you over bumps that are like ski jumps. I know right when it let go, the car started bouncing right away.
[...]
Hopefully the car can run auto-x next weekend, between Dean and I we may not have running cars.
Hopefully one of them is auto-x able so we can finish out the season.

Matt, please let Dave know your opinion of H-CT. I am not sure if the bumps were as bad just running H, but Dave needs to know you don't think the course is acceptable.

I hope to have my engine back in this week, so crossing my fingers should have a car for next weekend...

Wait, if you get two more zeros... J/K I don't want to win that way even if it is possible which I doubt it is.

[MattR]

Originally Posted by Dean

Matt, please let Dave know your opinion of H-CT. I am not sure if the bumps were as bad just running H, but Dave needs to know you don't think the course is acceptable.

It just puts an exceptional load on the right side suspension running that way. Then add the bumps and kablamo!

[Kevin M]

Matt, I just pulled my RCE T3s off the red wagon if you want to borrow the fronts. Not a very ideal solution for a GD probably, but better than no damping.

[MattR]

I left you a VM Kev...

I just pulled the strut off...totally blown, no fluid left in it at all..It will not work for Auto-x. Time to call KW to get them serviced.

[MPREZIV]

I read the title, and got WAY worried... "OilCover" made me think you had some kind of Sperry style engine lubrication failure and fucked your motor!

Still blows about the coil overs tho. At least it didn't fail massively and make the car all wacky and unsafe at a high speed. That kinda stuff scares the crap outta me...

[MattR]

Yeah, you can move the shaft freely, so it wasn't much more than a spring on the drive home. The car looks sad up on jack stands.

[sperry]

That sucks Matt.

RFR is really punishing. Gren Benson noticed on my car while it was on the lift that all four of my coilovers are leaking... and they've got all of 10 weekends on them... not to mention the whole LCA splitting in two. RFR needs to be completely ground up and a new foundation needs to be laid down. But like you said... with the economy taking a dump, it'll be interesting to see if RFR can stay in business.

Matt, you should just run Carrie's car for the last autocross weekend.

[Dean]

Shaft seals should not fail that quickly and dampers should take that kind of loading IMHO.

That said, coilovers do require maintenance especially if they have exposed shafts without "dust boots". They also fail, just like OEM or "normal" struts.

RFRs surface is not great, but banging off rumble strips lap after lap at any track can easily cause way more wear and tear on any suspension parts than uneven surfaces.

I am not saying Matt's or Scotts struts should have failed or should be leaking, but also saying it should not be entirely unexpected. I am not really surprised that one of my group-N mounts has failed or that my original DMSs had partially failed when I traded them for the STI ones...

Race cars wear stuff more than street cars. It is the price we pay to race...

[Tahoe C5]

RFR does pound on the car and the H config is not my favorite either, either way though I think your coilover should have stood up to the course. BTW I broke the panhard bar mount on my RX7 because I got too agressive in 1A and dropped the right rear wheel into the hole at the end of the rumble strip. I've dropped wheels into other holes at different tracks but 1A at RFR is very fast and I slammed it really hard. The whole venue at RFR is looking pretty shakey, I guess I just want it to make it so badly that I overlook it's shortcomings. Hope you get going for next weekend.

[MattR]

Originally Posted by Dean

I am not saying Matt's or Scotts struts should have failed or should be leaking, but also saying it should not be entirely unexpected. I am not really surprised that one of my group-N mounts has failed or that my original DMSs had partially failed when I traded them for the STI ones...

Race cars wear stuff more than street cars. It is the price we pay to race...

You're absolutely right...That's why I'm not pissed, I know this stuff happens when you put equipment through it's paces. I personally liked the configuration of Course H-CT, but I will not run it again due to the extremely poor surface.

As far as RFR...Hopefully they can weather the storm, and it's current condition is just a temporary thing.. it would be a big loss for our area if the track were to go away.


Anyway, I think I'll just run Carrie's car Saturday and Sunday. I won't do too well in PAX, but I should be able to at least score some points and hang on for the class win.

I'll be calling KW when they open today and sending the Coils out as soon as possible.

[Dewey]

Ahhh, I'm sorry, so that is why you had to co-drive Dean's car. Hopefully its not a pricey fix.

[A1337STI]

Crappy. Hopefully you can get a good price on a rebuild.

[MattR]

warranty is a good price

KW > *

[cody]

Nice. Do they have a lifetime warranty or something? Are they going to rebuild all 4 under warranty?

[Dean]

Good Question... Matt, did you send in all 4 for maintenance, or just the blown one or the front pair?

[MattR]

Just the front Pair.

[MattR]

Okay, not that there was ever a doubt, but KW is the best. Not only did they replace all the seals and fluid in the front shocks under warranty, they gave me new bump stops and dust shields and polished the shock bodies. AND they shipped them back on their dime. WOW!

I finished installing them, bled the brakes and took the car for a drive, it feels fantastic.

[Dean]

Originally Posted by MattR

Okay, not that there was ever a doubt, but KW is the best. Not only did they replace all the seals and fluid in the front shocks under warranty, they gave me new bump stops and dust shields and polished the shock bodies. AND they shipped them back on their dime. WOW!

I finished installing them, bled the brakes and took the car for a drive, it feels fantastic.

great news...

Might make sense to get the rears serviced during the off-season as well. At least take them out, clean them up and make sure they dampers feel OK.

[MattR]

Done and Done.