Tech inspection tips

[Dug206]

I'm getting ready to start my safety wire phase of getting for WERA. Anyone have any tips, good ideas, shoulda woulda coulda's?

[TheWheel]

Buy lots of drill bits. I used a hose clamp on my radiator fill cap instead of drilling it.

[Scooter]

:D

Ditto the drill bits. And if you have a small punch to start the bit off with it works good. I have a spring loaded punch that I use where can tighten everything up on the bike as it sits and go around and mark all of the places I need to drill. Makes it a little quicker.

Oh, and as with anything- never ever rush things.

[mfbRSV]

A couple of center drills also don't hurt to make the job easier. Don't be heavy handed, let the drills do the work. I use a small 1/4" chuck angle drill for better feel of what the bit is doing.

[(diet)DrThunder]

Don't take all the stuff apart that you need to wire, intending to drill it all at once. If it's your first time wiring, doing this makes it easy to miss something/put stuff back together wrong/etc etc. Start at one end of the bike, pick the first thing, remove it, drill it, re-install it, and wire it. Then move on to the next thing.

Another advantage of doing this is that as you go, you learn quickly what works best on the various fasteners, and you get better as you go.

Don't forget: pinch bolts and brake pad retaining pins (see the rules). For some reason we n00bs tend to forget to do these...I did :)

Are you doing the riders school soon? I'll be at Road A for the 7/3-7/4 weekend doing the school and racing.

[Aprilia94]

don't buy all titanium bits, the ti ones dull quickly even though they cost double. buy all carbide-type bits. they are cheaper and work better. wear eye protection because you WILL be breaking some of these, not to mention the metal shavings you are drilling out. use tap and die lubricant or light oil or at least WD-40 on the bit while drilling. it will keep the temp down, the bits will stay sharp longer and it just plain works better. if you don't have safetywire pliers get some.

[(diet)DrThunder]

Hey what are you doing replying to the forum? DOn't you have numbers to make?



:banana: :D :banana:

[Dug206]

Thanks for the inputs. Where's a good place to put the catch can? From what I read, WERA still requires one even if the lower holds 5qts.

Diet,
Are you your refering to Road Atlanta or America? I grew up racing, started when I was 14 with CCS and WERA. Quit for around 8 years and then did a couple of races in 94. This will be my 2nd coming out of retirement. As far as school, I took the ART Limited school with TPM earlier this season. Because of work (active duty Navy) I'll be out of the country for the next couple of months so I'm looking to hit Summit Point in Sep when I return. I'm going there on July 3rd with TPM for the first time.

[(diet)DrThunder]

Oh, my apoloigies...you have more experience than I do! :)

I'm talking about Road Atlanta for the WERA weekend btw.

[TheWheel]

No catch can required, only a lower capable of holding liquids.

From WERA rule book:
"All machines are required to have a lower fairing capable of holding 5 quarts of liquid. Machines not equipped with a lower fairing from the manufacturer may have a custom piece fitted. Any machine which has a newer or OEM “race” model may use the newer models fairing to comply with this rule (i.e. the TL1000S may use the lowers from a TL1000R). All lowers must be OEM spec with any necessary holes filled in. Lowers must be attached in a manner approved by tech."

[(diet)DrThunder]

Also from the WERA rulebook:

"A catch can shall be fitted where required or at the direction of a Technical Inspector."

[Dug206]

Originally posted by (diet)DrThunder
Also from the WERA rulebook:

"A catch can shall be fitted where required or at the direction of a Technical Inspector."

That's the quote that gets me. I don't want to get there and have to last minute b.s. like that.

[(diet)DrThunder]

I installed botha rad overflow (of course) and a crankcase breather catch bottle on my bike, but I haven't yet gone through tech. I will know for sure 7/3 though! :)

[TheWheel]

I would think a catch can would be required only for older bikes that had no filter or anything for the crankcase breather. For what it's worth, I have no catch can on my 2001 Mille and it has passed WERA tech three times now.