Ballast

George Klass · 08-17-1999, 12:47 AM

I noticed on another messageboard that a Street Renegade racer was DQ'd at Bristol for a ballast installation infraction. The reason that this happened was that this racer had too much ballast in one location.
FFW's ballast installation rules permit weight to be bolted to the floor with at least two 1/2" Grade 8 bolts per 100 lbs. This racer did have the required number of bolts, however, he had between 200 and 300 lbs. of ballast, all bolted through the floor in the spare tire well area. This is just too much weight in a fairly small area. The floor is just not strong enough. NHRA ballast installation rules demand a frame or "crossmember" to be used rather than the floor. Since Mustang chassis don't really have any crossmembers, we have permitted the weight to be attached to the floor, providing large flat washers top and bottom and the above mentioned bolts. Once you get much above 100 lbs., better weld some kind of crossmember between the rear sub frames. I hope that this clears up the problem.

08-17-1999, 12:47 AM	#1
George Klass Registered Member Join Date: Dec 1998 Location: Torrance, California, USA Posts: 104	Ballast I noticed on another messageboard that a Street Renegade racer was DQ'd at Bristol for a ballast installation infraction. The reason that this happened was that this racer had too much ballast in one location. FFW's ballast installation rules permit weight to be bolted to the floor with at least two 1/2" Grade 8 bolts per 100 lbs. This racer did have the required number of bolts, however, he had between 200 and 300 lbs. of ballast, all bolted through the floor in the spare tire well area. This is just too much weight in a fairly small area. The floor is just not strong enough. NHRA ballast installation rules demand a frame or "crossmember" to be used rather than the floor. Since Mustang chassis don't really have any crossmembers, we have permitted the weight to be attached to the floor, providing large flat washers top and bottom and the above mentioned bolts. Once you get much above 100 lbs., better weld some kind of crossmember between the rear sub frames. I hope that this clears up the problem.