MUST READ for those Attending DGRR 2008!!!

[Herblenny]

Alright guys..

We are now about just over two weeks away from DGRR 2008!

As most of you know, Deals Gap / Tail of the Dragon is a part of US129 and in order to get there, you'll be driving addition 20-30 miles or so from the lodging.

And also most of us will be driving to the area from various part of US of A.

Few things you must be aware before you get to DGRR 2008.

Make sure your car is in TIP TOP condition. This means, you need to be sure your car is in good working order. Make sure to check your brakes, change all fluids, no fluid is leaking, and its not over heating.

Tail of the dragon is 11 miles long, 318 turns, and some turns are very dangerous. One mistake and you could be going down a 100ft drop!! I'm not joking about this and you need to be award that this could easy happen to anyone. So, make sure your tires are in good condition and make sure you don't have any suspension damage.

On Sunday, we will cruise up thru skyway. Skyway is about 60-80 mile hike going from 600ft to 5000+ft elevation. In the past years, we had couple of cars overheat during this cruise. Make sure your cooling system is working properly. We will make few stops along this cruise but if something happens to your car, it will be very difficult to get help. Cell phone signals are weak and not all service providers work up there.

If you have two way radio, bring it with you!! Most of us will communicate thru 2 way radios. I will get couple of extra sets for some of the volunteers to use.

VERY IMPORTANT!!!!

Everyone attending this event should understand that NO ONE will be responsible for any accidents or mishaps. What ever happens up at DGRR 2008 is your responsibility.
Last year we had one fender bender... Could of avoided if people knew the limit of their car.. Don't try to PUSH the limit of your CAR!!!

Also understand that when your car is out of commission (due to accident or mechanical failure), someone would have to help you. This might cause problem for others who came to enjoy the event. SO, please double check your car and be careful up there. Tail of the Dragon is a PUBLIC road and any mis-conduct will have consequences.

Recommended Maintenance Checklist
For the Deals Gap Rotary Rally
1. Brakes
¨ Brake lines, hoses, and connectors, tight, no leaks or cracks,
(tighten connections or replace lines as necessary)
¨ Brake fluid, clean and clear (should be replaced every 30K miles)
¨ Brake Fluid Reservoir, should show full & no leaks
¨ Check and Replace brake pads as necessary
¨ Front, minimum thickness 2 mm, .08 in.
¨ Rear, minimum thickness 1 mm, .04 in.
¨ Check all rotors for wear and condition
¨ Front solid rotor, recommended min. thickness 20 mm or .79 in.
¨ Rear solid rotor, recommended min. thickness 8 mm or .31 in.
¨ Front vented rotor, recommended thickness same as solid rotor
¨ Rear vented rotor, recommended min. thickness, 18 mm or .71 in.

2. Tires
¨ Car has 4 tires mounted and one spare tire stored
¨ No Flat tires permitted, (yes, even if they are flat on only one side)
all tires properly inflated
¨ Tread depth, minimum 3/16” recommended and no wear bars showing
¨ All lug nuts tight and secure on all wheels

3. Clutch
¨ Clutch Pedal, in good working condition, pedal play =.02 to .12 in.
¨ Master Cylinder & Clutch Line Connections, no leaks, all connections tight
¨ Hydraulic Fluid, clean and changed within last 12 months
¨ MC Reservoir, no leaks and filled to proper level

4. Cooling System
¨ Radiator Cap, in place, tight with no leaks.
¨ Thermostat no leaks and installed
¨ Hoses and Overflow tank, no leaks and filled to maximum level
¨ Coolant, changed and system flushed within last 12 months

5. Engine
¨ Belts and Hoses, all drive belts inspected, and properly tensioned
(replace if cracked or worn)
¨ All hoses tight, not leaking or showing signs of wear
(replace if cracked, bulging or with other signs of wear and deterioration)
¨ Engine oil and Oil Filter, recently changed, less than 2K miles, oil at proper level
¨ Battery firmly secured in the engine bay

6. Windshield, windows, and wipers
¨ Wipers, at least one working speed and maintained in good working condition
¨ Glass, clean with no restrictions to good forward and rearward visibility

7. Exterior of your Rotary Wonder Car
¨ All running lights in good working order.
¨ No loose body parts that might cause problems for other cars if they fell off during drives

8. Drivers Compartment
¨ Lap belt and shoulder belt in proper working order, both worn during drives
¨ All items stored in the passenger cabin are properly secured or removed before drives



* all specifications, measurements, and service intervals cited in this checklist were taken from the Mazda Factory Service Manual for S5 RX7s, Section A, Scheduled Maintenance Services or from the Haynes Automotive Repair Manual, MAZDA RX-7, 1986 thru 1991, All models, publication # 61036 (1419).

[Terrh]

nice post. You just reminded me I need to get some decent brake fluid in the car.

[My5ABaby]

That reminds me, I need to change my clutch fluid and put on my front brakes (Hawk HPS ftw).

Just bled my brakes though (first time ever *hides*) and they feel a lot better.

[WE3RX7]

Yep. This is another reason I'll probably only take the 8 instead of the 5 letter. I've only driven the car 200+ miles or so since owning it and I'm not willing to ruin anybodys fun if the car should have a mishap!

I'm putting all new brake fluid in the 8 and flushing the coolant system before we make the trek down. My tires are good (less than 8k on them) NITTO 555Rs Good and sticky...

[My5ABaby]

Originally Posted by WE3RX7

My tires are good (less than 8k on them) NITTO 555Rs Good and sticky...

I love me my Wal-Mart specials.

All good though, I don't drive aggresively. I make sure that I'm at a low enough speed/brake early enough so if my brakes fail I can still get around the corner just fine. I realize my car is 22 years old (see strut thread) and things could fail at any time, hopefully others will realize the same things. I still go around the turns quickly so I still have all the fun I want. Braking is boring, going around turns is fun.

[sevensheaven]

I'm still catching my breath!

thanks Phil

[Pourman]

Well also remember , this is a RALLY , NOT a race , so aggressive driving can only lead to a mishap ... with all the cars / drivers coming this year , something is bound to happen ... let's just look out for the other guy , and as long as WE'RE safe , others around you will follow suit ... NORMALLY ... hate to sound like the Grandpa here , but I know I don't want MY car being rear-ended , or bumped into from someone driving like "DK" out there

[Herblenny]

Thanks for pointing that out...

ABSOLUTELY NO Drifting!!!

Anyone who drift will be asked to leave the event... and NO REFUND!!

[My5ABaby]

Originally Posted by Pourman

but I know I don't want MY car being rear-ended , or bumped into from someone driving like "DK" out there

You may not want to be rear ended, but... I do need new paint...

[SPiN Racing]

Yep THis weekend is the prep for me.

Changing all teh fluid in the dually, and the race car.

As its a race car (ITA) Im simply going to do my pre-race prep, and go through it front to back, and check everything.

We are on a street, and its a public road. HOWEVER. I am taking the race car for a couple reasons, one of them being.. IF I have to go off road, Id like to have an extra few levels of safety. I have seen plenty of video clips of people crossing the line and someone going in a ditch at simple drive through speeds.

SO yeah. Not a race. But Im prepping the car like Phil listed above.
Im treating it like a race or flight preperation wise. If something goes bad there, with steering or brakes, there are very few places for runoff. And the few there are have consequences. (Walls.. dropoffs etc)


See you all there.

And Phil. Thanks again for putting this on. Been waiting all year for this.

[WE3RX7]

You guys make it sound like this will be dangerous, lol - lets all just be civil and act like humans and we should be fine.

If we drive like they do here in DC (and I'm pointing fingers at the MD drivers!) we'll be screwed! I almost died twice today on the way to work. Stupid woman cell phone drivers in their big-assed suburbans and crazy little trust-fund kids in their M3s, lol.. In the Jeep - hit me all you want as you'll probably lose, in the 8 though - I lose.

[IH8DSM]

gees way to make me nervous haha, still cant wait im ready for a vacation see yall in 2 weeks

[Pourman]

Originally Posted by My5ABaby

You may not want to be rear ended, but... I do need new paint...

I JUST got my car painted

[csprx7]

Also watch out on the TN side of the Dragon. See Tail of the Dragon for more info.

[D4rw1n]

What 2way radio channel will you guys be using?