There are parts that we commonly know, are prone to fail. Like driveshafts 🙂 , rod bearings or whole engines…
But how the hell can a power steering belt fail…?
This is what we found after one morning of high rpm grip racing in the S13’s engine bay. It looks like the belt has flipped over somehow and half of it dispersed. Thanks to an attentive spectator in the paddock, who reported the issue while looking at our engine bays, nothing serious happened to the engine.
We decided to cut the belt and continue boostin‘ into the afternoon. Not try’n to be a complete wimp, but drifting in a PWS car without PWS is nearly impossible. So I decided to go all-in with grip racing, although the steering felt like in a go-kart, but with a 200kg engine on the front axle.
Suprisingly, it didn’t work out that bad. Actually the steering feel was improved. But I struggled hard when the car oversteered, because you just can’t react that fast, when the amount of effort needed, is that high!
Now whatever was the cause of this failure, it looks as if a PWS belt can be a weak link on an RB25…
Maybe it was over-tensioned or loose. Over-revin‘ can be ruled out, because there is no extensive stress on that belt.
The good thing is, you are actually able to continue racing. And the part is dirt cheap. It cost me CHF 9.- to replace. Now I always have a spare one in the trunk. Along with some other „prone-to-break parts“ 😛
Despite this small incident, the rest of the Speed-Industries trackday in Anneau du Rhin was just awesome. The little fucker belt had to suffer the rest of the afternoon, tied to the back of the S13… har har har
-ChrisThere are parts that we commonly know, are prone to fail. Like driveshafts 🙂 , rod bearings or whole engines…
But how the hell can a power steering belt fail…?
This is what we found after one morning of high rpm grip racing in the S13’s engine bay. It looks like the belt has flipped over somehow and half of it dispersed. Thanks to an attentive spectator in the paddock, who reported the issue while looking at our engine bays, nothing serious happened to the engine.
We decided to cut the belt and continue boostin‘ into the afternoon. Not try’n to be a complete wimp, but drifting in a PWS car without PWS is nearly impossible. So I decided to go all-in with grip racing, although the steering felt like in a go-kart, but with a 200kg engine on the front axle.
Suprisingly, it didn’t work out that bad. Actually the steering feel was improved. But I struggled hard when the car oversteered, because you just can’t react that fast, when the amount of effort needed, is that high!
Now whatever was the cause of this failure, it looks as if a PWS belt can be a weak link on an RB25…
Maybe it was over-tensioned or loose. Over-revin‘ can be ruled out, because there is no extensive stress on that belt.
The good thing is, you are actually able to continue racing. And the part is dirt cheap. It cost me CHF 9.- to replace. Now I always have a spare one in the trunk. Along with some other „prone-to-break parts“ 😛
Despite this small incident, the rest of the Speed-Industries trackday in Anneau du Rhin was just awesome. The little fucker belt had to suffer the rest of the afternoon, tied to the back of the S13… har har har
-Chris