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  1. #1
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    Default Micro Polishing Bearings and Gears

    Has anyone had Formula Vee bearings or transmission gears micro polished? If so, what results did you get and can you recommend a company than can do it?

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    Classifieds Super License stonebridge20's Avatar
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    Default

    Be careful with how you have your parts "micropolished"

    All processes are not created equal.

    Give me a call if you would like to discuss further.

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    Quote Originally Posted by DMStowell View Post
    Has anyone had Formula Vee bearings or transmission gears micro polished? If so, what results did you get and can you recommend a company than can do it?
    While the transmission properties are common with most automotive applications, the air cooled Volkswagen engine is a unique technology. I would not touch any engine component without direct counsel from an experienced FV engine builder or ACVW expert, (of which most have retired or passed.) You also have to consider whether any treatment is a legal modification.
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    Quote Originally Posted by DMStowell View Post
    Can you recommend a company than can do it?
    Yup, sure can. (Below)

    Quote Originally Posted by stonebridge20 View Post
    Give me a call if you would like to discuss further.

    www.cryosciencetechnologies.com
    This guy.

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  9. #5
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    Default Polishing

    This subject was discussed ad nauseam by the "unofficial" ad hoc committee a few years ago. The question was whether polishing meant "removal of material" which is not a specified modification in the FV rules.
    We agreed at the time that it PROBABLY was being done, but never challenged.
    In OUR opinion ( unofficial committee) it was illegal.

    Just a heads up.

    Dietmar
    Quixote Racing

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  11. #6
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    Quote Originally Posted by Dietmar View Post
    This subject was discussed ad nauseam by the "unofficial" ad hoc committee a few years ago. The question was whether polishing meant "removal of material" which is not a specified modification in the FV rules.
    We agreed at the time that it PROBABLY was being done, but never challenged.
    In OUR opinion ( unofficial committee) it was illegal.

    Just a heads up.

    Dietmar
    Quixote Racing
    Obviously not an FV guy, but if you want it to be deemed illegal, just it make it illegal. If that minute, nearly immeasurable amount of material constitutes removal, then every gear is illegal after it is run because just the teeth's meshing together removes material as they wear or polish themselves. Are pitted, old gears illegal? "No REM, micropolishing, WPC, low friction additives, etc are not allowed."

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    Quote Originally Posted by Dietmar View Post
    This subject was discussed ad nauseam by the "unofficial" ad hoc committee a few years ago. The question was whether polishing meant "removal of material" which is not a specified modification in the FV rules.
    We agreed at the time that it PROBABLY was being done, but never challenged.
    In OUR opinion ( unofficial committee) it was illegal.

    Just a heads up.

    Dietmar
    Quixote Racing
    Dietmar, you know how I feel about "cheating" vs. "the grey areas".

    Curious how you and/or the "unofficial ad hoc committee" (thank you for your efforts by the way!) envisioned the drawing of said line between gears which have had areas of natural wear from more than a half of century of use, and ones that had been polished. Obviously the polished gears will have a different appearance and areas that have been polished which wouldn't normally be subjected to wear. However, normal use over an extended period of time will cause "removal of material".

    I'm guessing this is an "intent" and a we'll know it when we see it type thing.

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    Quote Originally Posted by Daryl DeArman View Post
    Obviously the polished gears will have a different appearance and areas that have been polished which wouldn't normally be subjected to wear.
    Not if an appropriate masking agent is used.

    Just curious, what is the purpose of polished teeth if they actually never make physical contact under normal operating conditions?

    Brian

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    Quote Originally Posted by Hardingfv32 View Post
    Just curious, what is the purpose of polished teeth if they actually never make physical contact under normal operating conditions?
    There are areas that don't make "contact" with each other during normal operating conditions, but they certainly make "contact" with your chosen lubricants.

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    Quote Originally Posted by Hardingfv32 View Post
    Not if an appropriate masking agent is used.

    Just curious, what is the purpose of polished teeth if they actually never make physical contact under normal operating conditions?

    Brian
    If they don't make contact with each other, then where does the wear come from?
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    Default

    Not sure what the context of your statement is.

    What I was getting at is that, when using the REM process you must keep non-wear surfaces free of polishing (stock appearing).

    Brian

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    Quote Originally Posted by Daryl DeArman View Post
    but they certainly make "contact" with your chosen lubricants.
    So the oil slides over the metal surfaces with less drag?

    Brian

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    Default Legal?

    Quote Originally Posted by DMStowell View Post
    Has anyone had Formula Vee bearings or transmission gears micro polished? If so, what results did you get and can you recommend a company than can do it?
    Why do you think micro polishing of transmission gears is permitted by the rules?

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    Quote Originally Posted by reidhazelton View Post
    Obviously not an FV guy, but if you want it to be deemed illegal, just it make it illegal.
    Thus the problem, (IMHO as a non-lawyer/non-law school student guy ) listing prohibited modifications/alterations in rules where it is also stated: "If it doesn't say you can, you can't", leads to the conclusion that there are things you can do even if not explicitly stated as allowed. Which I would argue there are numerous things you can legally do, despite the "if it doesn't say you can, you can't" clause.

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    Quote Originally Posted by TJSFVGUY View Post
    Why do you think micro polishing of transmission gears is permitted by the rules?
    Because normal use "micro-polishes" said transmission gears. It's a matter of how little/how much/how uniform and over how much time.

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    Quote Originally Posted by Daryl DeArman View Post
    Because normal use "micro-polishes" said transmission gears. It's a matter of how little/how much/how uniform and over how much time.
    Worn gears look nothing like "mirco-polished" i.e. REM.

  24. #17
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    Quote Originally Posted by Daryl DeArman View Post
    Thus the problem, (IMHO as a non-lawyer/non-law school student guy ) listing prohibited modifications/alterations in rules where it is also stated: "If it doesn't say you can, you can't", leads to the conclusion that there are things you can do even if not explicitly stated as allowed. Which I would argue there are numerous things you can legally do, despite the "if it doesn't say you can, you can't" clause.
    Except the rule book lists all sorts of things that are prohibited. There are prohibited things in every section throughout the rule book.

    If we are splitting hairs to the point of measuring material removed by polishing to rule a car illegal, then you can find a way to make any car illegal under the "if it doesn't say you can" clause. All that is, is a CYA clause for poorly written rules and creates a situation for a tech person to interject their opinion on something. Example; I saw a tech person hold three prod cars (with about 7 national championships between them) over night, into Monday morning because all three (and every prod car for that matter) had removed the louvered trim panel that goes over the cowl between the windshield wipers. That tech guy was locked down hard on that clause in the rule book.
    Last edited by reidhazelton; 10.26.20 at 10:08 PM.

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  26. #18
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    Default if no one ever cheated...

    you would all be driving FORMCARS lol

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    Quote Originally Posted by Hardingfv32 View Post
    So the oil slides over the metal surfaces with less drag?

    Brian
    Everything you ever wanted to know and probably a little more about REM-ISF

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    Quote Originally Posted by provamo View Post
    you would all be driving FORMCARS lol
    So.. is it CHEATING if the rules DON'T say you CAN DO IT. I'd say "yes" (qualified).. however, there are MANY places in the rules that DON'T say you can do it, but everyone DOES IT. Are we all "CHEATING".. I'd guess YES, but it can't be proven and shouldn't be challenged and usually isn't, but that doesn't mean it WON'T be challenged - even possibly by a CSA.
    I recall a situation from YEARS AND YEARS ago.. in Showroom stock when several cars were ruled illegal (at the Runoffs, no less) for rear view mirrors.. The rules said that rear view mirrors are FREE.. however it did NOT say that you could drill new holes in the bodywork to mount the 'free mirrors'. This is a typical example of 'tech specialty INTERPRETATION' of 'some rule' that 'caught their eye' (for unknown reasons). There is no good answer here .. and there never will be.

    It is practically and realistically IMPOSSIBLE to write a complete rules set that is in fact COMPLETE and CLEAR in ALL ASPECTS of EVERY POSSIBILITY that exists in the universe. I'd guess that NASCAR and F1 come closest to such rules, yet we continually see challenges in both.

    I think MOST of the drivers and MOST of the officials (including those that WRITE the rules) are doing the absolute BEST they can to WRITE .. and then INTERPRET the rules as they are written.

    Just something we have to live with .. or race in a class where there ARE no rules .. but I don't think there is such a class.
    (Makes me think of Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid when Butch was challenged for leadership of the 'hole in the wall' clan)

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    Quote Originally Posted by TJSFVGUY View Post
    Worn gears look nothing like "mirco-polished" i.e. REM.
    Yep. Which is why I said it's a "we'll know when we see it" type thing. Removal of material can't be the prohibitive test as normal use/wear removes material it's a matter of degree.

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    Quote Originally Posted by reidhazelton View Post
    Except the rule book lists all sorts of things that are prohibited. There are prohibited things in every section throughout the rule book.
    Exactly. That's the problem.


    . . .you can find a way to make any car illegal under the "if it doesn't say you can" clause. All that is, is a CYA clause for poorly written rules and creates a situation for a tech person to interject their opinion on something.
    Exactly. Right there with the "intent" and "if in doubt/don't" clauses.

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    Quote Originally Posted by provamo View Post
    If no one ever cheated you would all be driving FORMCARS lol
    Correction. If no one ever read the rules for what they actually said instead of what they thought they said, you would all be driving Formcars.

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    Just something we have to live with .. or race in a class where there ARE no rules .
    I disagree. It can be done so much better and it doesn't take 700 pages to do it.

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