Can I use sand bags for ballast?

rickseeman · 03-19-2013, 09:07 PM

I know it's not legal at a divisonal or national event but my car is 400 lbs heavier on the front than the back and its not hooking up. I also am the worlds worst at setting up a suspension. Can I throw some sandbags in the trunk spare tire well? I know it won't be ridgidly mounted, but will it serve the same purpose? Thanks for your help.

69ss/rs · 03-19-2013, 09:22 PM

No, whatever ballast you use must be secured in a weight box or bolted to the car. Just check in the rule book and it will tell you what will go and what won't.

Troy Pourciau · 03-19-2013, 09:30 PM

If the sandbag will fit in your weight box, You can use it. But like 69ss/rs said it must be secured.

Steve Williams · 03-19-2013, 10:44 PM

I don't what type of vehicle you have, but I know that I ran into an issue of where to put weight and what to use on a V-8 S-10 (iron head SBC). Got a piece of 4"X3" and a piece of 4"X2" steel bar stock (164lbs, 109 lbs) cut to length, drilled it on each end and attached to the rear frame rail behind shock mount with nylock nuts and grade 8 bolts. Could bolt in one, the other or both if I wanted to. If you are 400 lbs nose heavy, it may be better to go a little further back. I mounted from one frame rail to the other. Provided you make good steam, traction problems may give way to putting it on the bumper. Sand bags sound like trouble to me.

James L Miller · 03-19-2013, 10:52 PM

I had four 50# sandbags in the back of my 1989 Shelby Dakota when I slid off I-20 near Longview when the road iced over. I was doing about 60 MPH when I left the road. They put a big dent in the front of the bed. You probably don't want that hitting the back of your seat or helmet if you crash with loose ballast. Being that you might be doing twice what I was doing, one bag at 120 will be like all four at 60 MPH. The old, KE=1/2mV^2.

lstanford · 03-21-2013, 06:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rickseeman

I know it's not legal at a divisonal or national event but my car is 400 lbs heavier on the front than the back and its not hooking up. I also am the worlds worst at setting up a suspension. Can I throw some sandbags in the trunk spare tire well? I know it won't be ridgidly mounted, but will it serve the same purpose? Thanks for your help.

No, but they will work real good if there is a flood at the track.

Kegracing · 03-21-2013, 10:48 PM

This probably fits better in the "things you got bounced for" post, but I never got bounced for it. Was a bracket car, 15+ years ago too...
Had a 68 Nova with small tires. Hot NC summers and slick tracks, and I had two 50 lb bags of quickcrete in the trunk. Laid them back against the bumper inside the trunk, and after a couple of weeks, they were hard and molded to the shape of the floor and rear panel. Ran them for a couple of years, before someone said something about them, and I finally took them out.
Looking back at some of the things I did when younger and dumber... and smiling!

Ken

03-19-2013, 09:07 PM	#1
rickseeman Member Join Date: Sep 2011 Location: Stuttgart, AR Posts: 125 Likes: 0 Liked 2 Times in 2 Posts	Can I use sand bags for ballast? I know it's not legal at a divisonal or national event but my car is 400 lbs heavier on the front than the back and its not hooking up. I also am the worlds worst at setting up a suspension. Can I throw some sandbags in the trunk spare tire well? I know it won't be ridgidly mounted, but will it serve the same purpose? Thanks for your help. Last edited by rickseeman; 03-19-2013 at 09:17 PM.

03-19-2013, 09:22 PM	#2
69ss/rs Junior Member Join Date: Feb 2009 Posts: 82 Likes: 0 Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Re: Can I use sand bags for ballast? No, whatever ballast you use must be secured in a weight box or bolted to the car. Just check in the rule book and it will tell you what will go and what won't.

03-19-2013, 09:30 PM	#3
Troy Pourciau Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2010 Location: Baton Rouge, LA. Posts: 678 Likes: 0 Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Re: Can I use sand bags for ballast? If the sandbag will fit in your weight box, You can use it. But like 69ss/rs said it must be secured. __________________ Troy "City Dog" Pourciau

03-19-2013, 10:44 PM	#4
Steve Williams Member Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Detroit, Michigan Posts: 352 Likes: 0 Liked 1 Time in 1 Post	Re: Can I use sand bags for ballast? I don't what type of vehicle you have, but I know that I ran into an issue of where to put weight and what to use on a V-8 S-10 (iron head SBC). Got a piece of 4"X3" and a piece of 4"X2" steel bar stock (164lbs, 109 lbs) cut to length, drilled it on each end and attached to the rear frame rail behind shock mount with nylock nuts and grade 8 bolts. Could bolt in one, the other or both if I wanted to. If you are 400 lbs nose heavy, it may be better to go a little further back. I mounted from one frame rail to the other. Provided you make good steam, traction problems may give way to putting it on the bumper. Sand bags sound like trouble to me.

03-19-2013, 10:52 PM	#5
James L Miller Member Join Date: Apr 2005 Posts: 494 Likes: 6 Liked 25 Times in 16 Posts	Re: Can I use sand bags for ballast? I had four 50# sandbags in the back of my 1989 Shelby Dakota when I slid off I-20 near Longview when the road iced over. I was doing about 60 MPH when I left the road. They put a big dent in the front of the bed. You probably don't want that hitting the back of your seat or helmet if you crash with loose ballast. Being that you might be doing twice what I was doing, one bag at 120 will be like all four at 60 MPH. The old, KE=1/2mV^2. __________________ Mopar 2 Ya!

03-21-2013, 10:48 PM	#7
Kegracing Member Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: Red Oak, TX Posts: 441 Likes: 0 Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Re: Can I use sand bags for ballast? This probably fits better in the "things you got bounced for" post, but I never got bounced for it. Was a bracket car, 15+ years ago too... Had a 68 Nova with small tires. Hot NC summers and slick tracks, and I had two 50 lb bags of quickcrete in the trunk. Laid them back against the bumper inside the trunk, and after a couple of weeks, they were hard and molded to the shape of the floor and rear panel. Ran them for a couple of years, before someone said something about them, and I finally took them out. Looking back at some of the things I did when younger and dumber... and smiling! Ken