I recently had my car corner-weighted and my overall weight is about 30 pounds lighter then the minimum weight for my class (ITA). I also removed the rest of the abs and A/C from under the dash which was ~15-20 lbs.

I want to mount ballast in the front passenger area, per GCR, but I can't seem to find places that sell kits. I suppose I could make my own somehow, Ive even heard of people using free weights as ballast. Any suggestions on how/where to find ballast and mount it legally for IT? Thanks in advance!!

-Mark

PS- My car was weighed with a person in it who is my weight (145lbs).

 

K mart/walmart...

45lbs plate from the Gym sections the norm... Then you venture to Home depot and buy a good tick bacling plate for each side so it doesnt get ripped through and finish with the biggest bolt you can find!

 

I went to an auto shop and they gave me a big bucket of wheel weights. Bought a cheap electric burner, cheap small pot, slotted spoon and like a bread pan. Stood two 1-2" pieces of small diameter steel pipe up in the bread pan. (Those are for the huge bolts used to mount the lead.) Then chunked wheel weights in the pot, fished out the steel with the spoon and poured the molten lead into the bread pan. Lead is heavy as hell so don't melt too much at a time. Repeat this ad naseum until you have enough weight. Just make sure you do this outside. Obviously you want to minimize breathing lead fumes. I wore thick rubber gloves and a paint respirator since I had access to one. I have also heard that you can buy large chunks of lead but it is nearly impossible to drill into lead since it melts around the bit so I don't know how you would mount it. There is probably an easier way but that is what I did. Mounted with ridiculously huge bolts and washers according to the NASA CCR.

Chris

P.S. I had to ballast over 70 lbs so I went with lead.

 

Check the 2004 GCR to be sure but I believe it is stipulated that balast must be in segments no larger than 25 or 50lbs., may not exceed 100lbs. total, must be bolted by TWO (2) Grade 5 (or better) 1/2" inch bolts and per some rulings at the ARRC, must be in the passenger footwell between the seat and the firewall. I did think someone said recently that either you can now or will be able to use any size under the max but for the life of me, I don't recall if I read that or heard it or what (but it might be in the GCR so I'd check).

I think the 2 bolts part makes the free weights - although a practical solution - a bit of a tough one to make work per the rules.

 

I use free weights in my Prepared Category autocross Civic. Two stacks, with big-*** nut/bolt/fenderwasher sets holding them to the floorpan.

If that ARRC ruling is for real, another option, not as big-box retail convenient, would be to cut 1/4" steel plate into 18" x 24" (or whatever would fit in the footwell); use as many as needed stacked, and bolt similarly. I've got what was a 3' square piece of 1/4" that I've had for years, and even with chunks cut out of it for various things, it still weighs a f'ing ton. Easily 75 pounds.

 

The ARRC comment is tounge in cheek - errr sorta. Shoulda put a smiley in. It is stated in the GCR where the weight must be put and irrespective of what a tech inspector might say on the contrary, it must go where the GCR states (see the Fastrack updates on this for 2003 - assume it is specified in the 04 GCR).

 

I bought weight machine weights from a used sporting goods store (play it again sports). They are rectangular shaped and have three holes in them making mounting them easy.

 

Try and locate a Circle Track Supply house near you... they sell lead that you can weigh and cut down to what you need. They come in 4" x 12" blocks (approx) then just run a bolt through them.