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Calling all Challenge competitors


Lewis

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Myself and a friend have entered Round 2 of the AWDC Challenge Trophy at Kirton on the 15th, it will be our first time competing ever, our first time offroading together and my first time as a winch monkey/co-driver, so basically we havent a clue what we are doing :rolleyes:

Its barely 3 weeks away and I'm starting to get concerned so what I really need is your help, advice and encouragement

On the Kit list we have the following

4x Shackles

1x Tow Rope

2x Tree strops

1x Spade type ground anchor

2x Snatch Blocks

2x pairs gloves

1x Warning triangle (AWDC regs)

1x pair of Waffles

A Kirton regular also recommended a plate and pin type ground anchor but I dont have one yet - do we need both anchors?

No jack because we have no spare wheel/tyre (and cant get one) - is this foolish?

No means of driver/co-driver communication aside from shouting

No CB, but I can fit one if neccessary

On the spares list we have

CV's

Front shafts

Rear shafts

Winch Motor

Tape, cable ties, bale string, bits of wire etc

Ridulous quantities of WD40 in case it rains :D

I'm also planning on taking a basic tool kit and electrical set

So the things I really need to know are

1) Am I packing too much kit/too little kit - i.e what do you carry when competing, what do you leave at the truck/trailer?

2) What do you all carry in the way of spares? We have cadbury's finest axles, lockers and a V8 so we expect breakages of shafts

3 ) Can someone please give me a detailed low down on the co-drivers duties, I know that i need to look at the pictures and determine the route to the punches but what else? :unsure:

Yours, very gratefully

Lewis :)

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Guest WALFY

Lewis

I'm by no means an experienced competitor but on top of your list I'd carry.

Winch sail

Oil & Lubes (broken shafts will lose some oil at change)

New Gaskets for hub. Or good quality mastic as temp measure.

Spare wheel.

Depending on how big the comp area is and how close you can leave your trailer I'd leave the bulk of spares there and carry bare min. I always tend to take to much, after my first event I broke a front shaft after an hour an with no spare it was game over. Will never make that mistake again.

I'm sure someone grown up will be along shortly to give you some proper advice. Most importantly take a sense of humour and enjoy the day. It will be a steep learning curve.

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Cheers Walfy, lube and seals I can do, winch sail should be on the list too, just forgot ;)

e-mail JST and ask him if he is doing an "intro to winch comp" days any time soon

Unless he's doing one in the next two and a half weeks, its in my field, someone wants to lend me a car and also work on getting the 110 ready, and its free to enter, then I cant make it. Thanks for the recomendation though Jim, i'll remember it for another time :)

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Myself and a friend have entered Round 2 of the AWDC Challenge Trophy at Kirton on the 15th, it will be our first time competing ever, our first time offroading together and my first time as a winch monkey/co-driver, so basically we havent a clue what we are doing :rolleyes:

Its barely 3 weeks away and I'm starting to get concerned so what I really need is your help, advice and encouragement

On the Kit list we have the following

4x Shackles

1x Tow Rope

2x Tree strops

1x Spade type ground anchor

2x Snatch Blocks

2x pairs gloves

1x Warning triangle (AWDC regs)

1x pair of Waffles

A Kirton regular also recommended a plate and pin type ground anchor but I dont have one yet - do we need both anchors?

No jack because we have no spare wheel/tyre (and cant get one) - is this foolish?

No means of driver/co-driver communication aside from shouting

No CB, but I can fit one if neccessary

On the spares list we have

CV's

Front shafts

Rear shafts

Winch Motor

Tape, cable ties, bale string, bits of wire etc

Ridulous quantities of WD40 in case it rains :D

I'm also planning on taking a basic tool kit and electrical set

So the things I really need to know are

1) Am I packing too much kit/too little kit - i.e what do you carry when competing, what do you leave at the truck/trailer?

2) What do you all carry in the way of spares? We have cadbury's finest axles, lockers and a V8 so we expect breakages of shafts

3 ) Can someone please give me a detailed low down on the co-drivers duties, I know that i need to look at the pictures and determine the route to the punches but what else? :unsure:

Yours, very gratefully

Lewis :)

Lewis,

First things first, if it's your first time out just go to have have fun. The learning curve will be steep, trust me. My first event was the first round of the 2005 series. It was a bit like not be able to swim very well and jumping in the deep end of the pool.

Most of the other competitors will have been in your shoes at some point. It's a quite freindly series and the other guys (including me) will help you out of sticky situations if the need arises.

Your equipment list looks fine, I think I'd put in a spare winch rope/extension though. A ground sheet is also required in the regs for carrying out repairs on. Personally I'd think again about not having a spare wheel/ tyre to use, if its a lack of jack that's deciding this, you could just take a bottle jack. I haven't found the need for a pin and eye recovery point on this site so won't be taking one.

Your spares list looks OK too although I never carry a spare winch motor and I put in a small bottle of EP90.

With regards to tools, have a think about the repairs you may need to carry out. A blown CV will meen you need a hub nut spanner and possibly some circlips.

If your co-driving your general duties involve running around all day, getting shouted at and general getting covered in mud :lol:

I'll be around on the day(cheque going in the post today Neil) if you want to come and say hello. Thats provided I sought my damned over fuelling problems :angry:

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Hi Lewis

kit list is fine. Hi-lift is also useful not just for tyre changes. Take a permenant marker to cross off punches as you get them as it is quite easy to forget (not sure how it works with this new electronic system!). On one day-one site event we would tend to leave all spares back at base other than a few cables ties :D . Less weight the better. If you can get hold of some double hooks they make life so much easier. Don't worry about comms but do sort out a few basic hand signals for winch out, stop, and winch in.

Make sure you have second throttle return spring and engine AND winch cut outs as these are common scrutineering fails.

But most important have fun, you never know you might just surprise a few folks (it can be done :lol: )

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Lewis, the list doesn't look too bad. However, I'd leave the tow rope (not much point IMHO) and add another strop of a differnat length the the ones you've already got. A second pair of waffles can be useful for some events too especially when you're single handed meaning you can't double up. Kirton's quite rocky isn't it? A winch extension is also a good move as is a winch sail (for visability).

As far as tools go, pack an X-shaft and tools to help splice plasma. I personally never carried spare gaskets - of water gets into the tool box they're gone. A tube of instant gasket is a good solution as it'll get you to the end of the day and any field repair I've done gets striped and done again once the vehicle's cleaned up. A small bottle of EP90, some engine oil and ATF are also a good move. Oh, and pack baby wipes so you can clean your hands.

One last thing - a first aid kit and make sure its got decent plasters.

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dump the lot at the start and save carrying all the weight.

we carry just the recovery strops/winch sail and high lift

the rest gets left at the start.

you'll get by easily with your list of gear.

get more/bespoke stuff as you need it rather than spending out all up front.

do you have the correct fire extinguisher?

co-driving =

shouting watching the wings get mashed

getting vv muddy

and rejoicing in the fact it isn't your vehicle and you don't have to clean/fix it afterwards. (well thats what mine do anyways)

just start off steady and don't go trying things without looking/watching others firstly.

Can't you make it down to watch James event on Saturday?

you'll get a lot of insight into events if you can.

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I'd say that carrying a jack is a must on any event. Especially if you are carrying spares like CVs........I haven't worked out a way to change a CV without having to jack the axle to take the wheel off!!

Just a simple view, but if you are going to the effort of carrying the spares, you might as well carry the kit to be able to fit it if it does break!!

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Lewis,

Most of the other competitors will have been in your shoes at some point. It's a quite freindly series and the other guys (including me) will help you out of sticky situations if the need arises.

Well! we will after some pi$$ taking ;):lol:

If your co-driving your general duties involve running around all day, getting shouted at and general getting covered in mud :lol:

Plus! getting shouted at some more when all go's wrong!!! As a driver! we don't get anything wrong! :lol:

I'll be around on the day(cheque going in the post today Neil) if you want to come and say hello. Thats provided I sought my damned over fuelling problems :angry:

I'm saying now't ;):ph34r:

Hi Lewis

Make sure you have second throttle return spring and engine AND winch cut outs as these are common scrutineering fails.

But most important have fun, you never know you might just surprise a few folks (it can be done :lol: )

Jam'i git's ;):lol: Thank's for the board's :i-m_so_happy:

I'll be there.... hiding from Divster, when it all go's wrong!!!! ''ello matey''

Just go through the awdc list, the scrutineer's were hard sod's at the first round, just ask Saley! But most of all enjoy yourself....... and ask if you get stuck!

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Hi Lewis

Adrian is right have a laugh and enjoy yourselves everybody will help if you get it wrong after they stop laughing :hysterical::hysterical:

and if you forget somthing sombody will have one you can borrow / replace

see you there ;):D

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Hi Lewis,

can't find any pics or anyone selling them but a double hook (probably called something completely different is like 2 winch hooks back to back joined with a swivel joint. Much quicker than a shackle to deply and useful for slight rope deviations on single line pulls.

Something not mentioned yet and easily overlooked is a good supply of energy drinks and easy to eat food.

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double hook is a good idea about £20 to get one made up, swivel joint /component connector to join them, can get a pic of mine later if you like.

i would get another strop if you have front and rear winches, that way front and rear lines attached and ability to add a change of direction with a snatch block if you have 3 strops.

Unless he's doing one in the next two and a half weeks, its in my field, someone wants to lend me a car and also work on getting the 110 ready, and its free to enter, then I cant make it. Thanks for the recomendation though Jim, i'll remember it for another time smile.gif

sorry cant fulfill all those requirements other than doing it in the next 2.5 weeks!!!

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Thanks for all the input guys, and I hope to some of you there :)

Most of the kit list is made up from the AWDC regs, with a few additions

We have the required AFFF fire extinguisher to throw at the flames, and a Halon one hidden away to put them out ;)

I very much like the idea of those double-hooks - if anyone knows of a good supplier then please let me know

All your suggestions have been taken on board and the kit list has been trimmed accordingly

Thanks muchly

Lewis

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