Offroad Track Build Thread
06-15-2007, 11:30 AM
#16
4man - When do I get to come run on that track? 
06-15-2007, 11:35 AM
#17
We usually run on Tuesdays, but any time that you want? I am trying to make the track more consistent. Right now, it's a little on the inconsistent side. You're more than welcome to come and run on it. There is no power, however theres power at the top of the hill behind my work.
I need 100' more feet of tubing and we'll be in biz.
I need 100' more feet of tubing and we'll be in biz.
06-15-2007, 11:36 AM
#18
RE: "The bigger it is, the more work it is!"
Its like having a house built. You can quibble over whether you want granite, ceramic, carpet, wood, etc. But the sure way to control things up front (cost and effort) is through square footage control.
Its like having a house built. You can quibble over whether you want granite, ceramic, carpet, wood, etc. But the sure way to control things up front (cost and effort) is through square footage control.
06-15-2007, 11:46 AM
#19
Yeah, I have a friend who built a huuuuuuuuuuge house and didn't take into account the property taxes (which are a ripoff, but thats another story). 
06-15-2007, 12:15 PM
#20
Tech Fanatic
iTrader: (8)
I always hear of different ways of getting the dirt to retain moisture.Calcium chloride is one way.There is also other ways to get traction and dust control.Sugar seems to be popular.So does soda.Anyone have experience with these in their construction and or maintenance?
06-15-2007, 12:44 PM
#22
Tech Master
iTrader: (4)
Water likes to lay on top of our track so we put a bunch of laundry detergent on it and soaked it in. It seemed to make the dirt a little stickier. Sugar tends to smell after a while and may attract bugs. Calcium chloride can make the cars rust some.
06-15-2007, 01:07 PM
#23
Tech Fanatic
iTrader: (8)
John - The track must be "sand boxed" so the good dirt stays in and the bad stuff (rocks) gets thrown out. 4x4 Posts every 6 feet connected with a double stack of 2x12's. Fill it with good top soil higher than ground level, and mix in Gypsum with a tiller attachment to the Bob Cat. 1 bag per 50 square feet. Have a "drive up" area for the Bob Cat to get into the track area. Belle may even have one he can loan you.
06-18-2007, 01:53 PM
#25
I agree that the sandboxing is best/ideal/ maybe almost necessary. But, I just created my track "in place" with existing dirt and no sandboxing. But I will not have too much elevation changes, so I think it is fine. It is just an option for the tiniest budgets.
06-19-2007, 06:30 PM
#26
Found a link to this on S-Grid, the two guys who share this have 25+ years of track building experience.
http://dcrcr.com/tips_and_tricks.htm
Wish I had see this before I build mine!!!!!!!
http://dcrcr.com/tips_and_tricks.htm
Wish I had see this before I build mine!!!!!!!
06-19-2007, 09:02 PM
#27
ok, there is alot to it for sure. as someone who over the last few years have put in alot of time, with alot of others putting in there time as well to build the track at SRS, i can tell what we have done there. the best all around peice of equipment for a track build is commonly called a Gannon tractor in the construction industry. also known as a landscape tractor. and a 24" wide steel drum roller like an Ingersol Rand dd-24. you will want to use the rippers of the Gannon to rip up the entire area to be built into your track. if you looking for soil additives, Type S lime in 50lbs bags from Home Depot or etc. at about 3 bucks a bag is the only way without a liscense to aquire try gypsum. this will do the very samething that gypsum does and is alot cheapier. for a track size of 60x115 you will need at least 100 bags for it to truly be effective, 150 to 200 would be even better.
as your ripping the surface up use ALOT of water during this process as well as when you spread the lime out over the area and then mix it again with the rippers VERY well using even more water. then start to grade the entire area flat with it pitched from the rear towards the front or the opening you have in your wall for drainage, use the largest dead area in your track design for all excess dirt this will generate and pile it up. while building that pile contain adding water to it. at start to lighten up on the overall area you are grading so that it can then be rolled with the roller and compacted. spend alot of time on this step. then using paint layout where your pipes will be and where you will want your jumps and begin build your obstacles. as you start to dump in an area for a jump soak that part of the area pretty well before you dump the dirt there so it will tack up and thus any added dirt there will bind together. will some practice or a skilled operator you should be able to shape your jumps to the point of needing to be racked out. then for the back side of the jump with the vibration turned off, use the roller to roll up almost to the top of the jump and repeat a few times. then make and final tuning in racking or whatever to the jump and then roll the front side. continue this process on all your obstacles. this is why you dont want to pipe your track until it is fully finished so that you have full acces to the whole track area witht the equipment. then you can pipe it afterwards.
one mistake that alot of people make is not using enough water during tear down and or first build of a track. as you rip up the area it will be very cloddy at first but as you continue to rip it and adding the water will begain to break them down to almost nothing. also the roller will break up really stubborn ones. also if you like you can also use a plate compactor for the jumps to compact them. this is another spot where people dont quite do enough either and their jumps begin to break down after just a month.
the lime will help it retain more moisture once your track is built, but if you only run it once or twice a week it will need alot of water to get your track prepped. but after a good intial soak it will come in very nicely. also if it rains it will help to soak up the water. this is another thing to think of as you build your track in that you want the first flat you do start your track is higher than the area around your track, and the dead areas in your track be slightly lower than the racing line so any water will drain into those areas.
here is pic of the type of tractor i was talking about, its the one on the right in the pic. and this is The Nitro Pit right before the nitro challenge in feb. and it rained all night sunday and most of monday and we were to start controlled practice wed morning at 9 am. well as you can see in these pics the track was done expect to be piped. well the areas where you see the standing water it was anywhere from 3 to 4 feet deep. so i stepped in to help out the Joey and the boys from the dirt along with some other helpers to get it rebuilt and ready and we started practice at 5 pm on wed.
i hope this will get you going and if you have any other ?'s just post em and help as much as i can from here.
the pic with the tractor i think is the last one of these, it is a john deere.
as your ripping the surface up use ALOT of water during this process as well as when you spread the lime out over the area and then mix it again with the rippers VERY well using even more water. then start to grade the entire area flat with it pitched from the rear towards the front or the opening you have in your wall for drainage, use the largest dead area in your track design for all excess dirt this will generate and pile it up. while building that pile contain adding water to it. at start to lighten up on the overall area you are grading so that it can then be rolled with the roller and compacted. spend alot of time on this step. then using paint layout where your pipes will be and where you will want your jumps and begin build your obstacles. as you start to dump in an area for a jump soak that part of the area pretty well before you dump the dirt there so it will tack up and thus any added dirt there will bind together. will some practice or a skilled operator you should be able to shape your jumps to the point of needing to be racked out. then for the back side of the jump with the vibration turned off, use the roller to roll up almost to the top of the jump and repeat a few times. then make and final tuning in racking or whatever to the jump and then roll the front side. continue this process on all your obstacles. this is why you dont want to pipe your track until it is fully finished so that you have full acces to the whole track area witht the equipment. then you can pipe it afterwards.
one mistake that alot of people make is not using enough water during tear down and or first build of a track. as you rip up the area it will be very cloddy at first but as you continue to rip it and adding the water will begain to break them down to almost nothing. also the roller will break up really stubborn ones. also if you like you can also use a plate compactor for the jumps to compact them. this is another spot where people dont quite do enough either and their jumps begin to break down after just a month.
the lime will help it retain more moisture once your track is built, but if you only run it once or twice a week it will need alot of water to get your track prepped. but after a good intial soak it will come in very nicely. also if it rains it will help to soak up the water. this is another thing to think of as you build your track in that you want the first flat you do start your track is higher than the area around your track, and the dead areas in your track be slightly lower than the racing line so any water will drain into those areas.
here is pic of the type of tractor i was talking about, its the one on the right in the pic. and this is The Nitro Pit right before the nitro challenge in feb. and it rained all night sunday and most of monday and we were to start controlled practice wed morning at 9 am. well as you can see in these pics the track was done expect to be piped. well the areas where you see the standing water it was anywhere from 3 to 4 feet deep. so i stepped in to help out the Joey and the boys from the dirt along with some other helpers to get it rebuilt and ready and we started practice at 5 pm on wed.
i hope this will get you going and if you have any other ?'s just post em and help as much as i can from here.
the pic with the tractor i think is the last one of these, it is a john deere.
06-19-2007, 09:58 PM
#29
no sorry i forgot that part. they dont use sugar or soda or anything like that. reason is that when you water your track it just gets super slick with those products on dirt. yes their dirt is pretty good, you do want some amount of rock in your soil as it helps it to compact and bind together. the lime will also help that out, as it basically turns your soil into a very low grade concrete. that will also help your jumps stay together as well. but also SRS is doing daily maintenance on their track, addressing any pot holes in the jumps especially and through the track in general.