Just got back from Colerne in the wet.
Had a bit of a moment when the nut holding the track rod end to the upright decided to part company at c100 MPH.

It appears the thread was stripped as it left a swarf around the bolt of the ball joint.

First I noticed the car went a bit light and thought it was beginning to aquaplane, but as I slowed to c40 MPH and turned right into a tight hairpin, the car went dead ahead luckily on the main runway so bags of room.

I have no idea how this happened, all my suspension bolts have nail polish on them and are checked regularly as it was this morning before our first session.

No harm or damage done and all back on the road again, always the way that a 10p part fails. New track rod ends will be ordered on Monday morning.

[Edited on 30/6/07 by Pants On Fire]

Extra excitement for free eh?

Good to hear no damage done.

I just heard today another mate Andrew Parkinson, racing at Kirkistown (practise I believe) in the p*ssing rain managed to ding his Indy Blade. A few new bits of bodywork and wishbones will hopefully see him back in action.

I once had the bottom ball joint on my front suspension drop out - by pure luck I was doing 5mph - after about 4 hours of driving the coast road at 80! I am a lucky man!

A mate had a bottom wish bone crumple at the approach to colonial - the fastest part of Kirkistown, I was following him and all I saw was a huge cloud of blue smoke. He reckoned the car was more controllable than he had expected on 3 wheels!

Ah, sure it gives us something to talk about over a pint!!

Done up too tight?