Interesting new Rule coming in 2014
 

“2013 NHRA Rule Amendments SECTION 20: General Regulations, Engine: 1,1.3 Exhaust (Page 3) last update 2/4/2013. Effective Jan 1, 2014, removable multi-piece exhaust collectors/stacks must be securely fastened with an NHRA accepted header tether, such as Lokar’s 1400009 or 1401009 to prevent loss of collector/stacks during competition.”

Re: Interesting new Rule coming in 2014
 

And with a SFI tag.....................expires every 2 years, but you can recert it for a fee.

Re: Interesting new Rule coming in 2014
 

I'll just weld mine on.

Re: Interesting new Rule coming in 2014
 

Another money grab?

I tend to agree with Ed. Easy solution.

FJ

Re: Interesting new Rule coming in 2014
 

So how much will this cost us..

Re: Interesting new Rule coming in 2014
 

rediculous... Is there that many guys, who cant keep their collectors from coming off, to warrant something like this? My collectors have 2 tabs, per collector, with bolts, that will keep them from coming off... never had a problem... Jam nuts will cure this problem, not some costly device....

Re: Interesting new Rule coming in 2014
 

I had a collector come off at Phoenix. Both tabs were still bolted together and on the tubes. The collector material gave out and the tab just ripped out. I look at the car every race,but missed the cracks. This might not be a bad rule.

Re: Interesting new Rule coming in 2014
 

I had a collector come off a few years ago, banged it up and took a nick out of the slick.
The CURIOUS thing about this rule is as soon as it was published somebody immedeately had an approved apparatus to fix the "problem"!
Hate to do it to the fresh NITROPLATE but I will weld the collectors on also!

Re: Interesting new Rule coming in 2014
 

I had one come off at Indy a few years ago, but the breather tube kept it from flying off. Does that count as a tether??? LOL.

Re: Interesting new Rule coming in 2014
 

A couple yeas back, I was running a Modified car in Time Trials at the US Nationals and his collector came off in the traps. I was 133 mph,he was 150 plus. He was 6-8 car lengths ahead of me and his collector spit out from under his drivers door area. It was spiraling and coming strait at me. I was just hoping it did not start going end for end and go through my windshield. I ran over it with both right side tires and after the run I looked under the car. It had put huge dent in the frame, and right beside the dent,was the braided fuel lines.Missed them by less than a 1/2 inch.He spent all day at a local muffler shop trying to repair the flatted and twisted collector so he could continue to race.

Re: Interesting new Rule coming in 2014
 

I hope NHRA is not talking about the old style bolt on collector extensions that use the 3-bolt flange. I would think three 3/8" bolts with a 1/4" thick flange would be sufficient.

Re: Interesting new Rule coming in 2014
 

My collectors end at my transmission cross member, so I drilled a hole through the cross member and the collector, installed a grade 8 bolt double nutted. I check my nuts before each run (hum that doesn't sound right!). I wonder if that will pass tech next year.

Glenn

Re: Interesting new Rule coming in 2014
 

Shouldn't be a problem,, just make sure you tell the tech person, that you check
your nuts before every run! I know,,, I just had to do it!
Danny Durham

Re: Interesting new Rule coming in 2014
 

We have Mark's slip on collectors on all 4 of our cars, thousands of runs between them,never lost a collector yet.
Grade 8 1/4 20 Allen bolts lock washers and nyloc nuts do the job just fine at a cost of less than $5 per car.
JUST WHO OWNS SFI ANYWAY?

Istill have a major hard on for Lokar after stiffing us on a $50 contingency payment for a trans dipstick and tube so we won't be using or selling any of their stuff anytime soon no matter what!

Re: Interesting new Rule coming in 2014
 

YES I just missed a set coming off a car at Cecil County Dragway last November and in the traps.

In fact one earlier in the year but did not have to take drastic action like the Cecil incident.

D

Re: Interesting new Rule coming in 2014
 

If anybody was at Atco a few years ago and saw the end result of a collector coming off a T/S car doing a burnout you'de understand the reasoning for having a collector retainer.Maybe not the crap that NHRA is going to implement though.

Re: Interesting new Rule coming in 2014
 

Originally Posted by Myron Piatek
So this "tether" will keep any loose exhaust tubing "contained" under your car, potentially bouncing around and beating on your fuel/trans lines, oil/trans pan and/or the driveshaft?

I also wonder if this has any affect on cars using full exhaust systems, with or without mufflers.

__________________

Re: Interesting new Rule coming in 2014
 

What about an exposed brake line, or if you get really lucky and it hits/bangs your shifter linkage say maybe into reverse @ 130 MPH, Then what??? Mark A56 has the best idea, don't even get yourself in this situation, any of the above mentioned and have your STUFF correctly install/mounted in the first place, [NIP IT IN A BUD]

Re: Interesting new Rule coming in 2014
 

not totally familiar with what NASCAR uses but they use adjustable headers and the "spring type" retainer set up they use seems to solve their problem -- never have seen a collector come off and they run em 600 miles at 195 MPH for close to 5 hours ----may be a way to solve any potential problem

Re: Interesting new Rule coming in 2014
 

I fully agree, Alex just loves installing the headers now, we would have to lift the engine way up if we welded them on. That would be a nice added feature in teardown.

I was at Indy several years ago when a '68 S/S Cobra Jet lost a collecter in the waterbox, he powered over the collector and sent it into a bystander to the right of the water. It was not a pretty experience.....

Like Mark said, it could save someone from getting hurt, but, there are several avenues to end up with the same result.

Wade

Re: Interesting new Rule coming in 2014
 

NASCAR's exhaust systems are bolted in at least 3 places from header to exit at side of car. Tab on collector and pipes have spring with washer and nut to allow for vibration. This was the way I did it a few years back and passed tech many times.

Re: Interesting new Rule coming in 2014
 

When was the last time a techman actually got down and looked under your car?

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In NASCAR you put the car on jack stands and provide them with a creeper.

Re: Interesting new Rule coming in 2014
 

Mark --go get em--will be following your results---by the way is this EVERY car in EVERY class that does not have fully welded headers/collectors???- eventually NHRA will have tethers on most anything if ya let em get away with it--FED387

Re: Interesting new Rule coming in 2014
 

The staging lanes just need a nut checker like the golfers have a ball washer.

Re: Interesting new Rule coming in 2014
 

The spring system and the long bolt are currently use in NASCAR.

Here are options:

http://www.spdexhaust.com/pdfs/AccPDFs/Retainers.pdf

Re: Interesting new Rule coming in 2014
 

Are you volunteering?

...or wear a protection cup like baseball and martial arts fighters do... :)

Re: Interesting new Rule coming in 2014
 

I am not shy and have no problem with that. Just be aware that I sanitize my hands by soaking them in the cooler. :eek:

Re: Interesting new Rule coming in 2014
 

From a technical perspective, due to the amount of the tab area that is welded to both the collector and header, wing style tab and the spring style tab would be the strongest.

Re: Interesting new Rule coming in 2014
 

I'm no techie but what do you think of the possibility of all the welds/bolts/springs/tabs/wing nuts in Mark's design failing ? REMOTE comes to mind !!!! The tether system as it appears totally eliminates "any" possibility of the exhaust system coming loose when installed & maintained properly and falling on the track that is the argument NHRA is probably gonna use whereas any one or all of Marks fastening devices "could" fail ( highly unlike that ALL would) and let the exhaust loose on the track--FED387

Re: Interesting new Rule coming in 2014
 

Mark, what about using the wing tab, with a longer bolt, with a spring on the bolt, then washer, then a crimped lock nut. Secure it to some preload and let it go. Heck, double nut it. That way its not "loose" but its not so tight that vibration or tire shake would cause it to break

Re: Interesting new Rule coming in 2014
 

Mark,

If the wing tab uses the same hardware show in the link; with the AN363 nut and the AN3 bolt, the assembly will not become loose. It just needs to be tighten snug, without bending the tabs. Leaving it loose, with the harmonics on the exhaust, the bolt will start to wear the hole in the tab.

The AN363 nut is a high temperature, all-metal lock-nut. It does not contain any plastic locking media prone to melting like the stuff you get at the parts or hardware store in commercial lock-nuts.

For redundancy, you can either use two wing tabs for each header, or use one wing tab and one spring tab.

The additional area being welded between the tab and the header should provide more than enough reliability.

If you need more specific technical data on the fasteners or springs, do not hesitate to let me know.

Re: Interesting new Rule coming in 2014
 

After seeing all the Nitro Funny Car bodies being blown off those cars these past number of years...

and now this latest one of Robert Hight's (charlotte 4-wide) landing in the spectator seats, I'd think all Nitro Funny Cars should be required to have a Body Tether System before the next race

Re: Interesting new Rule coming in 2014
 

Larry, that's all part of the circus act.....watch the funny cars blow their $100k bodies into the air, like the man getting shot out of the cannon!

Re: Interesting new Rule coming in 2014
 

Sean, you're right...

We've all seen how NHRA main advertising tool is drama; explosions; fires; mayhem ... and then they re-run those incidents over and over and over.

It all has gotten pretty stupid... and very boring.

Re: Interesting new Rule coming in 2014
 

I had a collector come off at Indy a few years ago, but my braided breather hose kept it from flying away! This should be considered a "legal" tether!

Re: Interesting new Rule coming in 2014
 

I saw the video from that incident and was thinking the same thing.

Re: Interesting new Rule coming in 2014
 

What ever happened to the tether system for the fuel car rear tires and wheels after Phoenix a couple of years ago?

Jeff

Re: Interesting new Rule coming in 2014
 

Drag Racing actually made the local news here in Chicago this morning showing the video.

How else would drag racing be shown on the news?

http://www.usatoday.com/story/sports...tands/2099955/