What material for track border?
12-12-2014, 02:05 PM
#1
What material for track border?
We are getting a weekly winter on road racing session going, we have access to Fast track carpet, but I was wonder what works well for the track border (barrier) whatever the official term is. Something that can be taken apart easily and stored easily as we will have to tear down the track after we are done each time. Found this picture, was curious as to what you guys think will work well in our situation.
12-12-2014, 02:17 PM
#2
I have been to a track where they used semi-flexible black tubing of some sort (drainage or similar) and they bolted these down to the ground. It proved to be very popular as the tubing is a lot more forgiving compared to timber/steel and even hard crashes didn't result in any damage.
12-12-2014, 02:52 PM
#5
some of the tracks here use round plastic pipe. heated to make curves etc. bolt together. one track uses heavy metal weights and fire hose rolled up to hold the track in place. this is on a parking lot. another uses go kart tires filled with concrete and a chain to pick them up with. works well.
12-12-2014, 03:28 PM
#6
One way is to use aluminum rain-gutter drain pipe, which is roughly rectangular, loaded with something weighty, like 2x4's, and put the hook side of Velcro on the bottom of it, and put sand bags on top of the crucial corners. You can screw the whole thing together with self-tapping screws and good thing about this material is it gives in a wreck, and won't break cars as much as true immovable corners.
12-12-2014, 07:31 PM
#7
I like the white plastic Rain Gutter "Down Spout" that is about 3" x 3" square by 10 foot.
I bought about 40 of these for doing portable races , and found some that was just a little smaller, and cut those into 12 inch pieces, slid 1/2 way in to one end of each 10 footer for a joining tongue.
These look really similar to the CRC Click Track stuff and worked great for several years, and I believe they were less than $10 per 10 ft section.
I bought about 40 of these for doing portable races , and found some that was just a little smaller, and cut those into 12 inch pieces, slid 1/2 way in to one end of each 10 footer for a joining tongue.
These look really similar to the CRC Click Track stuff and worked great for several years, and I believe they were less than $10 per 10 ft section.
12-13-2014, 07:26 AM
#8
1.5" Sch 40 PVC. You can create connectors using 1.25" Sch 40 PVC. Put a flat head screw a few inches in from the ends of your track pieces, making sure to orient them always in the same position.
On the connectors, mark and cut a corresponding slot and L to make a locking connection. Make sure to alternate the direction of the L on each end.
For corners you can purchase all sorts of curved PVC pieces. Online they are less than $1 per. On these pieces it's important that the locking screw is, for a lack of a better term, always on top.
I helped a friend build a whole track with this method. Think he said it cost him about $100 in parts. Yes it was a little time consuming to make the parts and you have to be careful when building the track because you rotate the track parts to lock, not the connector. But the sides and top are smooth, so you are less likely to break catching something. And it's a toolless set up and break down.
On the connectors, mark and cut a corresponding slot and L to make a locking connection. Make sure to alternate the direction of the L on each end.
For corners you can purchase all sorts of curved PVC pieces. Online they are less than $1 per. On these pieces it's important that the locking screw is, for a lack of a better term, always on top.
I helped a friend build a whole track with this method. Think he said it cost him about $100 in parts. Yes it was a little time consuming to make the parts and you have to be careful when building the track because you rotate the track parts to lock, not the connector. But the sides and top are smooth, so you are less likely to break catching something. And it's a toolless set up and break down.
12-13-2014, 12:00 PM
#9
I've done the PVC Pipe route too, You can get PVC Pipe in 20 foot lengths and as mentioned all kinds of curves are available - I like the downspout better because it's square vs. round, and it's lighter and easier to handle. (we have a 20+ ft trailer - so either way worked...) We also used regular PVC Rain Gutter - over lapped and screwed together. It works good for inner track pieces, but I still prefer the square downspout for the outer barrier.
12-14-2014, 11:11 AM
#11
Tech Master
Square plastic down spout with a strip of hook velcro stuck on it will prevent it from moving on carpet.
For hairpin corners get a block of wood that matches the down pipe and screw a strip of 1/8" ABS on it so it forms a loop. This flapper means if a car hits the apex it will be bounced off rather than end up stuck on the racing line.
For more sweeping corners get two blocks of wood and screw different length strips of the ABS to it to make whatever curve you want.
For hairpin corners get a block of wood that matches the down pipe and screw a strip of 1/8" ABS on it so it forms a loop. This flapper means if a car hits the apex it will be bounced off rather than end up stuck on the racing line.
For more sweeping corners get two blocks of wood and screw different length strips of the ABS to it to make whatever curve you want.
12-14-2014, 12:55 PM
#12
I am investigating the same things as I try to come up with something cost effective for a temporary car park track (or basketball court track in my case).
Main issue I am have is that pvc pipe seems much more expensive here with a 3 meter length somewhere between $20 and $30 depending where I look
Main issue I am have is that pvc pipe seems much more expensive here with a 3 meter length somewhere between $20 and $30 depending where I look
12-14-2014, 04:32 PM
#13
Tech Master
Cheapest way getting hold of the pipe is through a local builders merchant, especially if you know a builder who can order it for you. If you are ordering 50 or 100 metres of it you are going to get a much better deal through the trade.
12-14-2014, 05:49 PM
#14
We are getting a weekly winter on road racing session going, we have access to Fast track carpet, but I was wonder what works well for the track border (barrier) whatever the official term is. Something that can be taken apart easily and stored easily as we will have to tear down the track after we are done each time. Found this picture, was curious as to what you guys think will work well in our situation.
For corners I made some plywood corners that were adjustable so that when we change layouts we wont need to make anything new. For sweeping corners I took some thin plywood and cut 2"x8' strips. made a form at the radius I wanted and glued and stapled 4 strips together to slip inside the PVC that I'd made relief cuts in. Once the plywood is inside the PVC I screwed into the plywood with some screws and it held the shape of the plywood.
Our track is 96'x40'
As a bonus this was all paid for by local businesses sponsoring our onroad series. Huge thanks to them. Total cost was about $900 in materials.