Der Gasser- Letter to Editor

[catchacab]

I think that drivers should be able to self tech their cars if.....

 

...they are sufficiently educated and have the abilities to do so.  Just like our instructors are certified we have regional tech inspectors.  We should have more educational tech events, and have an organized tech inspector program.  This would benefit the club by having more in region tech inspectors, and would help the membership by teaching them how to evaluate and repair their cars.  It would also help by standardizing the criteria for tech.

[emayer]

That's an excellent suggestion and an interesting topic for many.  It may make for a good discussion at DE classroom sessions.  It will increase overall safety, and be cost saving also as I just experienced having to replace rear rotors from excessive pad wear.  Once I learned what to look for and how to handle pad changes this shouldn't happen again.

[catchacab]

It is much more than classroom instruction, it needs to be hands on experience.  Part of the program could be an apprenticeship.

[dmano]

It takes a lot more to check a car for safety items than just learning how to change rotors and pads. My mother can change rotors and pads. Do you know how to check for ball joint play, look for any sign of frame damage, alignment issues and so on. It takes many years of training to see these things. I will never be on the track again with a club that lets a driver that "can change his own pads and rotors" do his own tech inspection. That is asking for a lot of accidents.  I like my life and my car.

[dmano]

I enjoy tech'ing cars for the club. All cars should have to pass tech inspection by a tech inspector. I tech Barry's car for him when needed. Barry could not turn a wrench when I first met him 25 years ago. Since then he has become a very good mechanic/fabricator for his own cars but he still needs help now and then.

[dmano]

Sorry guys don't mean to rant and rave but tech inspection is a very sticky topic for me. You can't tech a car enough in my view. Remember what we are doing out there on the track. It's not a Sunday drive.

[emayer]

Perhaps I didn't state things clearly enough, but I'm not trying to downplay the importance of tech and the fact that this takes extensive experience to become comfortable with.  I do not think the use of dedicated and certified techs can be replaced.

What I am trying to indicate is that basic mechanical issues can be taught in a DE environment which would only make the event safer, alleviate participant cost, and reduce the number of issues the inspectors come across.  Not a bad idea to have this taught trackside.  One could argue this is an important part of Driver Education just as learning the appropriate line, track awareness, flags etc.

[dmano]

Whenever I tech a car I like the owner there to participate in the inspection, so I can show them what I am looking at and looking for. I try to teach them while looking at the car, but sometimes time is a factor or the driver is not interested.  I  think it would be great to teach new and old drivers that don't tech thier cars the basics of the mechanics of thier car. Most drivers don't have the tools or eqiupment to work on their own cars either.

[ninjabones]

emayer wrote:

Perhaps I didn't state things clearly enough, but I'm not trying to downplay the importance of tech and the fact that this takes extensive experience to become comfortable with. I do not think the use of dedicated and certified techs can be replaced.

What I am trying to indicate is that basic mechanical issues can be taught in a DE environment which would only make the event safer, alleviate participant cost, and reduce the number of issues the inspectors come across. Not a bad idea to have this taught trackside. One could argue this is an important part of Driver Education just as learning the appropriate line, track awareness, flags etc.

The club does currently offer several venues to learn more about servicing and maintaining our cars. Paul Walsack and Steve Meenan run an apprenticeship program at our Saturday tech sessions. Individuals with the experience and interest can serve under a preceptor for a designated number of tech sessions (or until they feel you are ready) in order to recieve tech inspector status.

Additionally, "clinics" have been held periodically by Larry Herman and others, which have covered a variety of topics.

DEs also provide a great opportunity to learn about maintenance and tech-related issues. If you have time, come on over and grab a torque-wrench and help out the tech crew at the next DE. You can learn a lot about a wide variety of cars just by being part of the tech crew and seeing how issues and problems are uncovered. Also, during the events, you'll always find someone under their car working on something. For the most part, the the guys in the club are very receptive to questions and explaining what they're doing, especially if you're willing to hold a caliper up,, hand them a wrench, pump on a brake pedal, or hold a flashlight.

[AMoore]

I think lack of attendance boils down to economics.  This leaves me with two questions:

1. What would the tracks do if we played hardball on the amount we pay for an event.  There is more competition now.

2. How much of the cost of DE actually goes to support DE?  Whether the overage is justified or not, I think the membership should know the answer to this question.