Clip support

[igotmylegend]

http://www.uslegendcars.com/documents/clip_support4.pdf

[NJRacer510]

I saw a chassis with this update, I don't agree with it. I think USLC wastes to much time making updates that aren't needed and not enough time on the ones that are needed. This update is just going to create more damage in a front impact. Things are designed a way for a reason, like how normal cars have crush zones. This way the area's that are meant to collapse do and the other area's stay safe and unharmed. When you are in an impact the force will continue until it has somewhere to relieve itself. I know people hate replacing front clips but I would rather replace a front clip than a chassis. Adding that support will not only help reinforce the front clip but it will now send that stress somewhere else possibly bending one of the main rails or giving you more of a chance to diamond the main box.

This will have the same argument as if you should run a backside gusset on the front lollipops. Some say you definitely need them and others say they would rather have the lollipop bend compared to sheering off or sending the stress somewhere else. Here is an example, You hit the wall and slam the RF which rips the suspension clean off. The front clip and lollipop look ok but then when you remove the body you notice the lower part of the a-pillar has cracked. The stress from the impact had to go somewhere.

Instead of making this kind of update USLC should look into an update for our fuel cell safety. There is a video on legendsnation.com which will show you why.

[VMS Motorsports]

Simple economics.
It looks like an improvement, will stiffen up the chassis, so racers will run to make the change.
Then they will be buying a chassis instead of aclip after hard frontal impacts, and USLC raises their net income.
Nothing wrong with a business making money.
Just remember, it's not a mandatory change

[knoxracing]

USLC  is again trying to make the car a better car, this is an $8.00 kit, not a mandatory change.  These kick up supports will not cause cage damage on impact. The biggest reason for the supports is help reduce engine failure, yep that right!! Engine failures. Have you ever jacked a Legend up by the bumper and watched the clip flex? Do you know how much twist takes place in the front clip? Do you understand the engine is rigidly bolts to both frame rails and stuck in the middle of all tha twist. Not good at all. Yes this will add a little rigidity to the clip, but not enough to cause structual damage. These clips needed more support. If  you hit that hard you had serious issues anyway, thats for sure. They are trying to do affordable things to help the customer get more life and less failure from these motors. If you have the rubber engine mounts, the yamaha ones, put them in and take the aluminum ones out. Most all other cars have some sort of down bars to support the fron end, they looked at this option and decided it was to involved and costly to the racer and would be potential safety issue. $8.00 and simple to do.

[knoxracing]

Fuel safety is an excellent point!!!! I can tell you they are looking at an enclosure for the cells. New steel fuel cells are $600.00 plus.  They are looking at options to place a container around the cell, possibly something that goes over your existing fuel cell for far less than the cost of a metal cell. IT IS CERTAINLY A PROBLEM!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[NJRacer510]

I understand what you are saying about the engines, they should look into redesigning the engine mounts so on a hard front impact less chance of damaging the engine. Since this is not a mandatory update I will wait and see how things go until I jump on the band wagon. If it shows promise and everyone starts doing it then ill consider it but I do not want to weld things on my car then have them three months from now say to take it out because of a problem.

Like when they came out with those black boxes for the fuel pump during a flip, they mandated them until they realized it was burning out red boxes. Then they told people to take them out, i would rather wait until things are proven before i cause myself more headaches LOL.

Hey, I will give them the credit that they are trying things now instead of doing nothing like in years past. It's one step in the right direction.

[thunder938]

If it helps with not breaking a case in a crash  and a mild crash and in a big crash IF the damage is so bad that the energy of the impact was tranferred back to the main rail due to the new bars and damaged the frame, well I hope you walked away and be happy.

[knoxracing]

That made little sense to me. The clip supports do NOT help the cases in a crash, the supports help the front clip from twisting under acceleration and decelaration.  The clip has had alot of twist in the past, the motor is solidly bolted to both rails, when they twist(all the time) they are tristing on the engine. Secondly stiffening the clip with these supports will have little to no effect in a crash to the cage.  The front clip lacked support, these supports come from the bottom,  and are supports. Again, if you hit that hard you have issues. The best way to understand is to see these on a car.

[slack11]

This is exactly the type of information that needs to be posted and distributed by USLC.  I have to believe that there was engineering and testing done for this, why can't USLC post some of their reasoning for this, and exactly what it is intended to prevent (replacing clips or reduce flex in front clip).  Exactly how much flex is there now, and how much will this remove.  I have to believe this was all addressed before this bulletin was put out.  Without their input, everyone is making guesses as to what is the intent, when the manufacturer sits quiet.....

Not being even close to a chassis guru, I would think that the less the chassis flexes, and the more that is controlled by the shock and spring package, the better.  The springs can be adjusted, the flex in the car is kinda an unknown.  Am I right in thinking this way?

[knoxracing]

Yes you are correct, and yes there was alot of consultation involved. Yamaha has made several suggestions trying to help.  Going to rubber engine mounts will also help, the harmonics produced by this engine are really high at 10,500 rpm's and this effects the whole drivetrain when there are no mounts that can absorb the effects of the harmonics. This engine and its components were manufactured to turn 9500 rpm's and no more. USLC has done testing with a new cam and the standard 9500 box to see if  the same horse power  and torque can be achieved as we have now, this has gone from the dyno room to the track. This is all being done to help these engines last longer and be more reliable in the future. 

[thunder938]

well anything that help hold the clip from twisting  on the gas will do the same in a crash, help hold  in place. Do you not think that those bars stiffen the clip from the yoke back....aaa ya

[atlawson21]

Where can these rubber mounts be purchased?

[VMS Motorsports]

They can't be to the best of my knowledge, but I am not a dealer.
I'm sure Dennis will keep us up to date

[knoxracing]

The  left side are the original Yamaha rubber inserts (instead if the aluminum cylidrical type). The right side will be some type of rubber or other msterial tha will go between the L bracket and the chassis. I would think just changing to the rubber inserts would help alot.

[Legends57x]

In my experience with isolation mounting different things, rubber mounts will be required at ALL three mounting locations to effectively isolate any vibration coming from the engine.  Isolating just the left side of chasiss does litte as all vibration will then be transferred thru right side mount.   Rubber mounting of the engine may help prevent stressing the engine mounts, but is not necessarily a fix all as we say.  It may just transfer the bad vibration modes to a different frequency,  meaning speed and load.  The other issue with rubber mounts is that may harden and crack over time, loosing there effectiveness.   Also, back from my V-8 days, I remember seeing engines flying out of cars in bad crashes that had the original rubber mounting.  We don't want to have that happening either...