REALLY, Letter to tech.

[CycloneFE]

I do know of the headaches of the 12 bolts and the Danas, BUT I was at St Louis at a National and witnessed David Rampy break a ring and pinion in his stock Camaro. He and one other fellow had it changed and were qualified a couple of hours later. It was all done right there in the pits, no shop, no fancy stuff, just hard work and a procedure that had obviously been used before.

I guess I am saying there are ways around everything, look and you will find it.

By the way any header suggestions for an FE would be greatly appreciated, PM me.

[MikeFicacci]

This seems to boil down to a problem with the rulebook. We all have opinions on what should and should not be allowed but at the end of the day, something as simple as the center-section issue should be written in black and white in the rulebook. What if Kenny couldn't find a center-section in time? We all know he is one of the most stout supporters of NHRA even when they make stupid decisions. Imagine driving 35 hours round trip with diesel at $4.30 per gallon assuming that your car is 100% legal and getting told to go home, and not because you didn't follow the rulebook to a tee. I agree that his car and others should not have an aluminum center section but the rulebook says nothing about it so I would race it also. I believe that in 2011 with all the technology we have Corvettes should no longer be allowed to put 12-bolts in the cars but that's a different issue.

Plain and simple, NHRA has been tweaking the Engine Blueprints on the new cars more often than not over the last few months. Just go look at the updates on the website. Is it really that hard to clarify something like centersections? It would take someone in Glendora 15 minutes to post a "Racer Update" saying that no one can run aluminum center sections except the new cars and at least the issue would be put to rest.

[X-TECH MAN]

Originally Posted by CycloneFE

I do know of the headaches of the 12 bolts and the Danas, BUT I was at St Louis at a National and witnessed David Rampy break a ring and pinion in his stock Camaro. He and one other fellow had it changed and were qualified a couple of hours later. It was all done right there in the pits, no shop, no fancy stuff, just hard work and a procedure that had obviously been used before.

I guess I am saying there are ways around everything, look and you will find it.

By the way any header suggestions for an FE would be greatly appreciated, PM me.

A lot of guys who run Danas or 12 bolts have a spare ring and pinion already set up to the housing with the correct shims. Carry an inch pound wrench to set the bearing drag and some seals, gaskets and your ready to go. Its a simple deal then to just clean out the broken mess and swap in the new parts. Ive set up rears over the years ahead of time and have done just this same thing. Beats trying to do it in the dirt. Not everyone has a stacker trailer with a lift or a friend who has one. As in Kens case I would have had a spare (Iron) third member in the trailer already to go in case of breakage or crap like happened to him in tech. It would have saved a lot of grief and shipping charges. Probably enough to cover the cost of another carrier.
I agree that the rule book isnt clear BUT if it dosent say you can do something then you should not.

[Stewart Way]

No measuring and checking if you do your homework. Set the spare gear up at the shop. Keep the shims with it in the trailer. On a Dana you can spread the case or cool the ring gear, spool and bearings in a cooler of ice, slide it in after the pre setup pinion is installed, blow dry and your good to go. Been a long tine but I think we used to use .004 tight on the carrier bearings and with ice the shrinkage was just enough, Sure you might have to be under the car, but not much longer than with a chunk.

[gmonde]

Originally Posted by Stewart Way

No measuring and checking if you do your homework. Set the spare gear up at the shop. Keep the shims with it in the trailer. On a Dana you can spread the case or cool the ring gear, spool and bearings in a cooler of ice, slide it in after the pre setup pinion is installed, blow dry and your good to go. Been a long tine but I think we used to use .004 tight on the carrier bearings and with ice the shrinkage was just enough, Sure you might have to be under the car, but not much longer than with a chunk.

to add if they are replacing the same ratio that broke,its not a big deal as long as the pinion depth numbers marked on the pinion are the same or a 1 or 2 thousands off they can use the same shims ,dial indicate the back lash and your good ,if your picky hone your pinion bearing just so it slides on the pinion ,i use a solid pinion spacer this will allow the bearings to be tight it is some work but ,if planned its not bad gmonde

[Tony Janes]

The roller rockers is actually under consideration by NHRA

[X-TECH MAN]

Originally Posted by Tony Janes

The roller rockers is actually under consideration by NHRA

Thats good....as much as the hard core guys would hate this it makes since. It would cost less than buying a few dozen rockers from a dealer or TRW/Seal Power/etc. and then having to send them out to be treated/coated/frozen and then you still have a bunch of rockers that might break and the ratio is off somewhat. Ive seen dyno pulls that showed no increase in HP by using them over OEM type rockers. It just might save someone an engine down the road with the loads they endure today. OK....Flame away.

[Alan Roehrich]

Originally Posted by X-TECH MAN

Thats good....as much as the hard core guys would hate this it makes since. It would cost less than buying a few dozen rockers from a dealer or TRW/Seal Power/etc. and then having to send them out to be treated/coated/frozen and then you still have a bunch of rockers that might break and the ratio is off somewhat. Ive seen dyno pulls that showed no increase in HP by using them over OEM type rockers. It just might save someone an engine down the road with the loads they endure today. OK....Flame away.

I don't think it makes that much sense. All it will do is change where the weak link is located. The next thing will be another few hundred RPM, and something else that breaks. Then something else to be "enhanced" for more money. The escalation just keeps on, without end. Super Stock has already been "enhanced" well over 1/2 way to where Modified was, and Stock is already 1/2 way to where Super Stock was. Where should it stop? When Super Stock reaches where Comp is, and Stock reaches where Super Stock is?

[X-TECH MAN]

Originally Posted by Alan Roehrich

I don't think it makes that much sense. All it will do is change where the weak link is located. The next thing will be another few hundred RPM, and something else that breaks. Then something else to be "enhanced" for more money. The escalation just keeps on, without end. Super Stock has already been "enhanced" well over 1/2 way to where Modified was, and Stock is already 1/2 way to where Super Stock was. Where should it stop? When Super Stock reaches where Comp is, and Stock reaches where Super Stock is?

Im beginning to think that NHRA is planning to combine stock with S/S some time in the future and replace stock with the "Unleashed" index classes as the so called entry level classes..