what spare parts on the racer?

[chupakabras]

one of the main subjects of our recent meetings was what spare parts to bring on the racer during a race, you never know what will brake or faill during the race, you wish to have every kind of spare parts on your racer when something like that happens, we always carrie at least, one spare tire, and the rear driveshaft;, how about an alternator, shock absorber, extra battery, electronics (ecu,pcm power module etc) air filter, so..

what really is neccesary and with what spare parts you can survive without them untill you see your chase crew.,,

so, what do you think about it, what's your experience?

[straightaxle]

I have seen spare parts bolted to race trucks include everything up to a complete spare transmission! In the BITD series, you aren't allowed chase vehicles anywhere except specific pit locations.

If you look at our truck, you will see just about anything we have ever broken bolted on as a spare, including spring hangers, brake lines, bushings, drive plates, and tie rod adjuster. We usually carry a complete set of tie rod and drag link, even though we have never broken them, they are just so vulnerable and exposed out in front of our axle. Unless you have a manual transmission, I would add a starter to your parts list. Also include a spare of any odd ball sized bolts found anywhere on the truck. There are a several 7/16 and 9/16 sizes on ours that you just won't find on the trail. Found a couple of guys in a 4 wheel drive Ranger that were stuck one year at the bottom of a hill between Mikes and San Quintin because they lost one of the big nuts for the stock radius arms. They had been there all night. You go home and safety pin that stuff after seeing that.

I would include a complete set of all the electronics you mentioned. I was suprised to hear you have had trouble with those. I think you are the only one, except for the FJ that are using electronics and fuel injection. Watch that show, "Two Roads to Baja" and watch the Millen team have 5 hours of down time. That sends shivers down my spine! We just switched from a point distributor a couple of years ago!

If you have to carry a spare air cleaner, you might want to rethink the type you are using. We could probably go all season without touching ours, but it gets replaced each race. Think farm equipment.

[chupakabras]

i agree with you; our racer is fuel injection, we never had trouble before, this time i think had to do with the fact that we install a jet chip that was not for this application, believe it or not, we boughth it from some one who told us that it was for this application, now i found out that it was for a 2001 ford ranger, we remove the jet chip the day before the race, and it work well, for some miles only, we didn't reset te ecu completely, now it's working like it's supose to do, we already replace all the sensors with new oem sensors, and replace the ecu, now we have a spare ecu already on the racer.

i think we will try to have all posible spares on the truck, you never know, right? , we have almost everything but on our chasers, this time we didn't brought the welder, and that's what we need it, so next time we will bring it again, ..

i saw the show two roads to baja, and yes, some how we laugh about it, the electronics on our racer are pretty simple, i rip off all the wiring, and only left the neccesary ones, all those wires that goes to a sensor or actuator, so it's easy to reach any one, but well, will try to be carefull with any of those,will bring spares for that..

talking about air filter, ours is the same of o couple of years, you just wash it and like new again, but, in the race the filter gets clogged with a lot of dust and the performance of our engine gets down pretty easy, so, we just switch to a clean one, or clean it at every pit stop, not every, just when need it.

the list of spare parts keeps on growing.:)

[RelentlessPursuitRacing]

If you have to carry a spare air cleaner, you might want to rethink the type you are using. We could probably go all season without touching ours, but it gets replaced each race. Think farm equipment.

Good list of spares, Don. I have been thinking about the same as that list. I would add electrical wire, 2 sets of belts, radiator hoses, complete ignition system, an altenator, power steering pump and maybe even a steering box. Yes, on some type of a welder, Chupa. I will also be running 2 spares. Yes, I know all these extra parts can add up to a few hundred pounds, but it could make the difference of being able to start fixing it immediately or waiting up to a few hours for the right chase truck to get there with the correct parts. When you break something the chasers can start heading your way, AND, if you have the parts with you, you may have it fixed before they ever get there. If not, they can help, or take over on the repair.

Don, can you give specifics and more info on the Farm Equipment Air Filter? Thanks. Jerry

[BajaBronco13]

I thought duct tape fixes everything? Damn, back to the drawing board. :D

[fj40]

Hay Baling Wire, Rules!!!

[straightaxle]

Don, can you give specifics and more info on the Farm Equipment Air Filter? Thanks. Jerry

UMP makes a zooty aluminum version, or go down to your local heavy truck parts dealer and pick up a Donaldson catalog. They have the engineering in there to size it. These type are a paper type that seperate out the heavier dirt with centrifugal force.

[Scott]

We carried the following spares/parts with us on our racer this year;

Rear Drive Shaft
Leaf Spring
PS Pump
Alternator
Distributor (built in coil)
Serpentine belt
Tires - 2
Fuel filter
Radiator hose
Motor Oil
Transfer case gear oil
Transmission fluid
Differential gear oil
1 gallon water
1 gallon anti-freeze/coolant
CO2 tank
HEIMS
Misc. Nuts/Bolts
PS Fluid
Brake Fluid
Fuses/Relays

I probably missed a few things -- we also run dual batteries and fuel pumps. I don't have enough experience to know if it's the "right stuff" or not -- We used the PS pump/Fluid in our first race..

[chupakabras]

We carried the following spares/parts with us on our racer this year;

Rear Drive Shaft
Leaf Spring
PS Pump
Alternator
Distributor (built in coil)
Serpentine belt
Tires - 2
Fuel filter
Radiator hose
Motor Oil
Transfer case gear oil
Transmission fluid
Differential gear oil
1 gallon water
1 gallon anti-freeze/coolant
CO2 tank
HEIMS
Misc. Nuts/Bolts
PS Fluid
Brake Fluid
Fuses/Relays

I probably missed a few things -- we also run dual batteries and fuel pumps. I don't have enough experience to know if it's the "right stuff" or not -- We used the PS pump/Fluid in our first race..

i think is the right stuff, i just will add a spare transmission, brake lines, wheel hubs, shock absorber, ... we have had problems before with all those items, some of them can make your day became a nightmare.. so, keep the list growing..

[Blanco]

we now we have a spare ecu already on the racer.



This maybe a silly queston, But.......
How do you know when you need to replace the ECU before going through everything else?

Or would you replace it first then start with everything else it might be?

& do you carry a code reader with you as well & plug it in & see what it tells you your issues might be?
Might really be an advantage, simply pluging a good code reader & geting the info so you know what to work on... http://www.thewebwheeler.com/forums/images/smilies/humm_smilie.gif

According to what I saw in a Terrible Herbst TT interview they check the stats on a laptop 1st before even lifting the hood.

[chupakabras]

i have seen others fixing their problems by changing the ecu, that's why, but it's rare that the ecu fails, we have a scanner, but, didn't brought it to the last race, we dont't have the CHECK ENGINE LIGHT on our dashboard, so we don't know when the ecu it's detecting a problem, mmm:rolleyes: so better have the check engine light, ok, it's kind of easy to detect what's failing, that if you know what does every sensor and actuator, right?, ..

.. i saw the herbs't video too, and yeah , that's awsome, they have a sophisticated system on board, that's why they can do that, for our system, well, you can send it to JETCHIP and they will reprogram to your needs, or just buy the jet chip module for your application, that's what we did at last race, but, we bought it on line, used, they said that it was for any 4.0, but, i didn't check that, it end up to be for a 2001 ford ranger, ours is a 92 expl. , soo, that chip reprograms the ecu, to a higher values, every year, every engine size has different specs, so , that's why we had problems at the 250, i will buy the right one this time, ..

[BajaBronco13]

i think is the right stuff, i just will add a spare transmission......
Thank God we are running SUVs because that's some serious gear to cart around. I guess they can no longer be called grocery getters, lol. :D

CP

[Blanco]

we dont't have the CHECK ENGINE LIGHT on our dashboard, so we don't know when the ecu it's detecting a problem, mmm:rolleyes: so better have the check engine light

Thank you for that comment!

Being I'm gonna build my own custom dash I'll keep a check engine light in mind! :cool:

[chupakabras]

Thank you for that comment!

Being I'm gonna build my own custom dash I'll keep a check engine light in mind! :cool:

thks back to you, that's something i want it to do for a long time and totally forgot about it, so, better look for the wiring diagram, mmm:rolleyes:

[Scott]

i think is the right stuff, i just will add a spare transmission, brake lines, wheel hubs, shock absorber, ... we have had problems before with all those items, some of them can make your day became a nightmare.. so, keep the list growing..

We have a spare tranny on our chase truck (along with a bunch of other junk), but I'd have to haul a trailer behind the racer to get anymore stuff on our little bronco -- :) We have a ready welder, and intended to carry it on the racer but just couldn't find the room.

[chupakabras]

We have a spare tranny on our chase truck (along with a bunch of other junk), but I'd have to haul a trailer behind the racer to get anymore stuff on our little bronco -- :) We have a ready welder, and intended to carry it on the racer but just couldn't find the room.

since we broke a tranny a year ago, we carry one too, and last year we brougth a welder, and last race we forgot the welder, and that's why we didn't finish the race :( ...

[Blanco]

I'd have to haul a trailer behind the racer to get anymore stuff on our little bronco -- :)

http://www.thewebwheeler.com/forums/images/smilies/20.gif


You mean like these guys...
http://www.bajabronco.com/Pictures/Jackson3.jpg
http://www.bajabronco.com/Pictures/Jackson5.jpg

[BajaBronco13]

They had a great write up on this Bronco in Bronco Driver Magazine a few months back. The most recent owner of this Bronco thought he had a run down early Bronco with an ugly tow hitch. He started to doing some investigating and it turns out, it was the very Bronco that was raced in Baja towing a trailer. What a great find and what a nice piece of off road history to own.

CP

[Blanco]

Our own Toddz69 wrote this.
http://www.bajabronco.com/Jackson.shtml

[Scott]

Our own Toddz69 wrote this.
http://www.bajabronco.com/Jackson.shtml

LOL!! I don't know how I missed this!! It's AWESOME!

[Yellowcard]

Don't for get front wheel bearings. I have lost a few of those for different reasons. And a good selections of had tools but that is a given.

[AngerIssues]

wow.

here is about all i can think of that we carry:

starter (crucial for a/t)
plug wires
fuel filters
caps
rotors
rear drive shaft
tie-rods - both sides, pre-adjusted, ready to go with the RIGHT wrench (see disastrous laughlin finish 05 - ha ha. I finally passed moss, but needing to make up a bunch of time
electronic ignition
stator (or electronic pickup inside the oem distrib)
bars leak
all kinds of fluids
plugs
all kinds of hoses
a rear axle - complete with new bearing and studs and lugs

gosh, I'm sure there are more, but better safe than sorry!!!

ken

[Blanco]

a rear axle - complete with new bearing and studs and lugs

How many of you have the same length on both sides of your rear axle? :rolleyes:

So how would you decide on what side to take?

I personally when getting my Currie 9" built had it centered so I can carry a single rear axle shaft & it will fit right & left! http://www.thewebwheeler.com/forums/images/smilies/awesome_dude.gif

[AngerIssues]

by the way.. are you guys serious about that bronco towing a trailer in (from what I gather) the 1971 baja 500?????

NO F'ING WAY. I'm speechless.

[AngerIssues]

we have the same length... but OEM (sadly)

file this under "don't tell anyone" ha ha

[BajaBronco13]

Ken it really happen. It's a pretty amazing story.

[Blanco]

we have the same length... but OEM (sadly)

file this under "don't tell anyone" ha ha

I was lead to believe that factory was close but not the same from left to right? :confused:

[BajaBronco13]

Hey Chupa or Ken from Anger Issues, have you guys ever taken motion sickness pills for a race? I heard that some racers take that before a long race.

CP

[chupakabras]

Hey Chupa or Ken from Anger Issues, have you guys ever taken motion sickness pills for a race? I heard that some racers take that before a long race.

CP

i always forgot to do that, it may help a little bit..:D

[Blanco]

Hey Chupa or Ken from Anger Issues, have you guys ever taken motion sickness pills for a race? I heard that some racers take that before a long race.

CP

I would imagine thats only helpful for the Co-Dawg http://www.thewebwheeler.com/forums/images/smilies/shrug.gif

[fj40]

As a co-dawg i can only say.... it depends who the driver is, Jajajaja.
Not really, we just take a couple of aspirins before the start, any brand that wont upset your stomach, it will help you relax your muscles and wont feel to much pain after.