Norwest Club class winch challenge

[monstr]

Spent the weekend up at the Extreme park with another 4 trucks ranging from full on comp trucks to a terrano on 31" simexes open diffed,All the tracks are now mapped out and have been driven we will do some final tweaking closer to the date but you will have to expect the tracks a lot longer than last year ,there will bo no compusary winches but will have a couple of controlled hazards,every day stage has at least one winch with a couple of them having multiple short winches,be prepared to winch on at least one of the night stages,i have spoken to our web site admin and the entry forms will be up on the Norwest web site by next weekend .if you are looking at entering please check the web site next weekend and get your entrys in asap as we will be limiting numbers to 20 trucks..cheers.steve

We also are in need of Marshalls to do any or all days either class even if you have no experence we will find a place for you ,as there will be limited access to the site why not marshall one day and get access for the other days. if you can help out in any way please drop me a PM cheers

[wopass]

i think i can
i think i can
i think i can....

can i get the truck finished and bugs ironed out before then ?.....




i hope i can!!!

save a spot for me please steve... but only in pencil

[danger mouse racing]

count me in!!! will look out for entry forms on norwest site but will be there!!!
on another matter justens mum past away this morning sad but was quick in the end
cheers gene

[DieselBoy]

Whats the address for the Norwest website??

[gimmemud]

http://www.norwestohv.co.nz/winch_challenge.htm

[DieselBoy]

Churrrrrr


Have you guys set a date for the event yet??

[monstr]

Hi The club class will be on the 14 th /15th March ..Cheers

[DieselBoy]

Hi The club class will be on the 14 th /15th March ..Cheers

Thanks, its good to have a date to work towards

[wopass]

Hi The club class will be on the 14 th /15th March ..Cheers

Thanks, its good to have a date to work towards

true that!!

must get truck finished and tested before then...

[DieselBoy]

Bugger, this event clashes with the Nrth shore round of the Laurie Sanson Series

[Satalite]

Bugger, this event clashes with the Nrth shore round of the Laurie Sanson Series

What to do.......

[monstr]

Just a quick note to let you all know ,The entry forms are now up on the Norwest web site,Cheers,Steve

[Madaz]

Hi Steve, was just wondering, do you need to be a member of 4x4 challenges to race in the challenge class?

Cheers

[monstr]

Hi Mate at our last meeting it was decided not to require it for this year so the answer No you wont have to be a member of 4x4 challenges but you will have to be a member of NZ4WDA ,Cheers Steve

[Madaz]

And you navi has to be affiliated as well?

[DieselBoy]

Have you got any suplimentary rules for the club class??

Or is it the same as the Manukau event Club Class rules???

2008 Manukau
Winch Challenge
Supplementary Rules
2008 4x4 “Challenges inc” version 7 rules apply unless otherwise stated, were a conflict
between 4x4 challenges and event rules occurs, the event committee will make a final
ruling.
Only one class “Club Class” this is an entry level event, you will need to comply with 4x4
challenges rules except for:
1: Roll over protection is not required unless a soft top vehicle, in this case it will need to
comply with club rules: minimum rear roll hoop and back stays
2: WOF not required, but must be up to WOF standard of mechanical integrity
3: Will need at least two (2) forward facing head lights and one (1) rear marker light (night
stages)
4: Wire ropes allowed, but will be checked at scrutineering, any visible sprags or kinks will
mean it cannot be used.
5: When using a wire rope, the dampener must always be in the centre third of the rope.
Further: during scrutineering a decal will be placed on the windscreen W (wire) P (plasma)
to aid marshal’s
6: Vehicles with independent wheel brakes allowed, but the wheel brakes must be disabled
for the duration of the event
7: The vehicle must not have competed in open class competition in 2007 or 2008
8: In the event of a roll over, it will be up to the competing team to decide whether or not
to finish the stage, but before it travels to the next stage, it must first be re-scrutineered.
9: A team can protest a call, but cannot discuss or argue the call with the official, all
discussions will take place in the presences of the event committee. Further: The use of
Video footage or Photographs to challenge the decision of any official will be deemed
“outside assistance” and the appropriate penalty will apply
Recommendation: that safety glasses be worn during the night stages

Cheers,
Pete.

[jeremy]

Hi The club class will be on the 14 th /15th March ..Cheers

Is it no-longer on the same weekend as the "challenge" class, or have both events changed weekend? I thought it was going to be on the 7th/8th.

[DieselBoy]

Hi The club class will be on the 14 th /15th March ..Cheers

Is it no-longer on the same weekend as the "challenge" class, or have both events changed weekend? I thought it was going to be on the 7th/8th.

We were hoping for the 7th and 8th as it didn't clash with any other events

Still, would take two days of winch comp over just about any other event

[monstr]

Have you got any suplimentary rules for the club class??

Or is it the same as the Manukau event Club Class rules???
We are running the same rules,
Hi Jeremy we always had the dates as the 14th/15th for the club class ,and the comp class ar doing 13th/14th/15th .,
if anyone has any questions re vehical specs or any other matters they can either ask here or pm me .Cheers,Steve

[DieselBoy]

Ummmm, this is going to sound stooooopid, but i don't quite fit the rules with regard to doors. The truck doesn't have any, and it never did, it's based on a MB Jeep.

That should be ok though i guess???

[jeremy]

Hi Jeremy we always had the dates as the 14th/15th for the club class ,and the comp class ar doing 13th/14th/15th

Ah ok, thanks - I obviously got the dates mixed up when putting it in my calendar

[monstr]

Ummmm, this is going to sound stooooopid, but i don't quite fit the rules with regard to doors. The truck doesn't have any, and it never did, it's based on a MB Jeep.

That should be ok though i guess???

Hi Dieselboy i have just been reading these old posts again and missed this last time ,As we are running 4x4 challenges rules your lack of doors may be a problem as per rule 5.10 which says all trucks must have a min of a half door ,I will check with the powers that be and get back to you ,..Steve

[DieselBoy]

Ummmm, this is going to sound stooooopid, but i don't quite fit the rules with regard to doors. The truck doesn't have any, and it never did, it's based on a MB Jeep.

That should be ok though i guess???

Hi Dieselboy i have just been reading these old posts again and missed this last time ,As we are running 4x4 challenges rules your lack of doors may be a problem as per rule 5.10 which says all trucks must have a min of a half door ,I will check with the powers that be and get back to you ,..Steve

Well, technically it does have half doors, they just don't open. Its the design of the truck, as per factory standard design, and were road legal in this mannor.

My argument is that if they didn't come with opening doors as we have come to expect them on todays vehicles, why and how should i be expected to have doors??


All Jeeps of this model were/are the same.

But i am asking the question so that i don't get caught out at scruitineering, and we hopefully find a solution for a potential issue

[darinz]

Hi DB
That is a tough one and one I know you won't like the answer to.
There are 2 things a can see wrong with your truck.
What spec is the rollcage built to? To me it appears that it has no diagonal bracing in the main hoop and the back stays are virtually useless. The back stays need to be 60* and should be straight. Yours don't do either.

As for the doors. Yes it is factory spec but this is a safety rule. It is about rolling onto a stump or stick etc and having some protection for your torso area. In general WC's are in quite rough terrain and the risk of something coming in the door is pretty high. So i would say in this case the design of the truck isn't safe for a WC. Nor-West in particular as there a lot of big ti-tree around that could spear you.

It can be made safe but it looks like you'd be better off sitting in someone elses passenger seat for the time being.

I know this isn't what you want to hear but safety is something we will not compromise on. If you want then give me a call and we can talk about it. 09 436 1992 home 0275 330637 mobile.

PS Wopass, you can pay at Nor-West for providing you with a coey!!!

[monstr]

Hi As the event director for the Club Class at Norwest this year to be totally honest i would not let you compete in your truck in its present form for the following reasons
1 / No cargo barrier
2 / No diagonal or cross braces in roll cage
3 / the angle and bends in rear stays
4 / in the event of a roll over you have no protection from side intrushion (with no half doors)

I understand what you are saying re the lack of doors but these rules have been put in place to not only protect you and your co driver but the club holding the event ,while this may pass in a fun trials like the Laurie Sanson the stages set for a winch challenge are by there very nature a lot faster and we dont have rubber pegs or tree stumps etc ..Steve

[DieselBoy]

Thanks Darin and Steve, thats the kind of direct feed back i need.

She is an old truck that i am trying to bring up to spec for use on tiodays competitions

The cage is perfectly safe and has been proven by 20+ years of abuse and a multitude of roll overs, but the back stays are going in the next month or so, as like you say, they are useless, and are impossible to put diagonal bracing onto. Hell, it didn't even have a seat collapse bar when i brought it.

Those back stays are just out right UGLY

It has cross bracing via the seat colapse bar.

Best part is the whole cage is chassis mounted

Ben was alowed to enter his truck with out a cargo barrier and diagonal bracing. (I will have diagonal bracing after the stays are removed)

Based on your logic behind the need for doors, i could make some doors that would do that job in an hour. I had the plan in the back of my mind should you say i did need them

You say its for torso protection to stop the intrusion of branches etc. Thats much like the requirement for the roof over the top of the cage. If 2mm alloy is suitable for the roof, then the sheet of 3mm alloy plate i have should be suitable for the doors.

Run that by your guys and let me know if the material will be suitable. The doors will run across from the top line of the tub to the edge of the front hoop. Bare in mind in my truck you basically sit on the floor, alot lower than where you sit in the standard trucks.

Cheers,
Pete

[monstr]

Hi ,If you can make some temp doors out of the Ali you have that will be fine as it will prob be alot stronger than most of the Bog filled doors in use now ..Cheers.Steve

[DieselBoy]

well, i had been making kiddy drawings on Paint, incase i needed doors, plus playing with different ideas with the back stays so i don't have to change the rear end to much.

According to my rule book for the National trials, my diagonal can go anywhere from the top of one side of the main hoop to the oposite lower side of the main hoop , or anywhere between the oposite lower side of the main hoop and the footing of the opposite side rear back stay. (the stays may be positioned closer to the top of the main hoop if i can, and the diagonal will be as low down on the vertical part of the rear stay as i can get it, and will be bolt in)

BUT, i wasn't going to bother with a diagonal yet, as I don't need it, and its going to be a pain in the ass o do properly. Ben's cage didn't have a diagonal and was all body mounted, and he didn't have a cargo barrier, you going to be sweet with that this time round or do we need the diag brace and cargo barrier???

This is what i was going to do, will it also work for you guys??

(the diag brace may go on the main hoop with some creative pipe bending )

[wopass]

Thanks Darin and Steve, thats the kind of direct feed back i need.

Ben was alowed to enter his truck with out a cargo barrier and diagonal bracing.

that is true, i did have a horizontal brace which took the harnesses and was acceptable last year from memory,

as for the cargo barrier...if theres no cargo so to speak does it still need a barrier? bearing in muind its not an inclosed vehicle and...has no cargo.

the good thing about finding out now is theres heaps of time to get potential issues sorted before the event ...like i dont allready have enough to do

[DieselBoy]

Thanks Darin and Steve, thats the kind of direct feed back i need.

Ben was alowed to enter his truck with out a cargo barrier and diagonal bracing.

that is true, i did have a horizontal brace which took the harnesses and was acceptable last year from memory,

as for the cargo barrier...if theres no cargo so to speak does it still need a barrier? bearing in muind its not an inclosed vehicle and...has no cargo.

the good thing about finding out now is theres heaps of time to get potential issues sorted before the event ...like i dont allready have enough to do

Yeah man, the feed back is spot on so far guys, awesome stuff.

My truck is already in 100 pieces in the garage after the weekend. About to start cutting the back stays out now

The rules say a minium of a 4 point cage in soft top vehicles, so thats a hoop and back stays should technically suffice. A 6 point cage is above the requirement of the rules, and a 6 point with a diagonal brace is above and beyond again

But i will do what ever I'm told, after all it only makes the truck more versitile!!!! (bring on some off road racing like woodhill )