Ballast Material

[husker boxster]

Tom & other racers:

Does PCA allow depleted uranium as ballast? I saw this in a NASA email.
Note to self - don't stand next to a NASA car, esp if it glows.


15.20 Ballast
All ballast shall be solid metal such as steel, lead, or depleted uranium, and consist of a minimum of five (5) pounds per piece. Each piece shall be bolted in place with through-bolts, fender washers, and a locking-nut / system (e.g. jam-nuts, Nylock, etc.). All ballast shall be secured sufficiently, and all bolts shall be of grade five (5). Nylock nuts or metal crimping lock nuts should not be reused.

[Racer Boy]

Where would you get depleted uranium? The army-navy surplus store?

[maytag]

Was that someone with a sense of humor? Or do you suppose that's a thing?

Sent from my SM-G970U using Tapatalk

[Starter986]

Originally Posted by Racer Boy

Where would you get depleted uranium? The army-navy surplus store?

10 grams = $395

You can do the math.

https://luciteria.com/elements-for-sale/buy-uranium

[Lemming]

50 lbs of lead fits in the large USPS box, "if it fits, it ships" ($17.60). Of course your mailman will hate you.

[JFP in PA]

Order a quantity of depleted uranium online, and you can expect a visit from guys in cheap suits but with good shoes...……………..

[husker boxster]

Originally Posted by Starter986

10 grams = $395

You can do the math.

To meet the 5lb min, that's roughly $90K

[MaxD]

Originally Posted by maytag

Was that someone with a sense of humor? Or do you suppose that's a thing?

Originally Posted by husker boxster

To meet the 5lb min, that's roughly $90K

Energy Solutions is just dumping it into the west desert here in Utah.

[MaxD]

If you are a true baller you can get what they use in F1

https://www.tungsten.com/products/tungsten-alloy-race-car-weight/

[thstone]

Haha!

PCA does not specify the exact materials allowed as ballast.

When I was younger, I worked in the missile industry designing guidance systems, and we always used tungsten to balance the missile airframe.

Other more dense materials all have major drawbacks: Platinum is much more expensive, Iridium is fairly rare, and Osmium is poisonous when exposed to air.

A 4" cube of tungsten weighs 41lbs!