by admin | Jun 17, 2012 | Press Releases, Top Stories |
Written by Moore Good Ink Falun, Sweden: Initially designed for the fast and affordable installation of steel main caps, designer, Hank Nordstrom, attributes the success of Turnited’s Blockliner to its robustness and to its fine adjustment capabilities. Instead of selecting a smaller diameter bar in the hope of align-boring the main journals and caps and the camshaft tunnel, he elected to use a 2-inch diameter hardened, precision-ground bar that is dedicated solely to the task of align-boring the mains. Now a new upgrade for align-boring the cam tunnel, which is referenced from the main saddles has appeared. “I was committed to building a high quality rigid machine,” says Nordstrom, “with adjustable spherical bearing and mill-mounted to conserve floor space and not be encumbered by bridge supports or steady rests.” The Blockliner, which can be used on all V8 engine blocks of US origin, also features a unique micro-feed tool holder and adjustable reference plates attached to each end of the block. For US interest: call MWA Machine Company’s Marvin Wood at (800) 877-2393 or reach him at Marvin@MWAmachine.com to find out more about Turnited’s Blockliner For Australian interest: contact Hank Nordstrom direct at: +46 (232) 3011 or reach him by e-mail at info@Blockliner.com (Dealer enquiries...
by admin | Jun 8, 2012 | News, Press Releases |
Written by Moore Good Ink • Billet steel flywheels are stronger than cast iron and safer at high rpm • They also function better than cast iron when used with modern friction materials • Billet aluminum flywheels are light: they accelerate and decelerate faster • Blanchard-ground flywheels are free of clutch snatch, chatter, and run-out • Blanchard grinding ensures the flywheel is mounted parallel to the crank flange • Billet aluminum flywheels with robust 1/4in steel inserts avoid distortion Columbia, SC: Ram has introduced a new range of billet aluminum and billet steel flywheels for V6 Mustangs from 1997 to 2004. The advantage of the billet steel over the original cast iron unit is that, though they weigh the same, around 32lbs, the billet steel unit is significantly stronger. Crucially, it remains free of stress cracks and, therefore, safe at high engine speeds and higher clutch clamping forces. In addition billet steel flywheels operate more effectively with modern high-performance clutch friction materials than do their cast-iron counterparts. In comparison, the aluminum flywheel has the decisive advantage of carrying minimal weight. In this case it rids itself of half its mass—tipping the scales at 16lbs. Lower mass means a lower moment of inertia, which translates to faster response—faster acceleration and deceleration as well as less wheel spin. Constructed from 6061-T6, Ram’s aluminum flywheels use 1/4in thick steel inserts to avoid distortion. To maintain their flatness the inserts, which mate with the clutch disc friction surfaces, are fastened to the flywheels by 18 rivets. To overcome clutch snatch or chatter and provide minimal run-out, these new flywheels are Blanchard-ground, contributing a...
by admin | Jun 5, 2012 | Tech How-To |
By Sam Logan How to get instant effect by shedding 15lb surplus for your rotating assembly Download hi-res images and text here The chief advantage of an aluminum high performance flywheel is weight saving. In weight saving, aluminum is the most potent medium we have available in flywheel manufacture. Using aluminum sheds 10-15lb from the rotating assembly of a conventional steel flywheel, but it is the effect the weight loss has on the moment of inertia—the measure of an object’s resistance to changes to its rotation—that contributes the real gains. The lower moment of inertia in the aluminum flywheel provokes an instant response, delivering not only faster acceleration and faster deceleration but also suppressing wheel spin. In addition the component is not very expensive and the installation process not very laborious. Ram Clutches, a competition clutch and flywheel manufacturer since the early 1970s, designs their aluminum flywheels as re-buildable units. Moreover they feature a thick ¼-inch mild steel friction insert to dissipate heat faster, maintain a flat friction surface, and reduce the likelihood of distortion. Thinner, un-ground inserts have a tendency to buckle under the severe heat of hard clutch duty. Though replacement inserts can be renewed by the factory, rarely do the flywheels require them. Typically they are resurfaced on a Blanchard grinder when wear exceeds 0.015in, and this resurfacing process could be applied several times over if necessary.“You may not think there is much difference between a 3/16in thick steel insert and a 1/4in thick insert, but the difference is huge,” insists Ram’s technical director Pat Norcia. “The 1/4in thick material with 33 percent more metal to...
by admin | Jun 5, 2012 | Clutches, Tech How-To |
Text by Sam Logan: When we first take an interest in drag racing we soon realize that nothing in its mechanical history is more absorbing than the racing clutch and its operation. Multi-disc drag racing clutches are constructed in four or five different diameters. They range mainly from 6.25in (500cu-in Pro Stock) to 10in (Mountain Motor Pro Stock). Comp Eliminator and sport compact classes often run 7in twin-disc clutches while other engine sizes use 8 inches. Mountain Motor clutches comprise two discs while Pro Mod and Pro Nitrous use three. Obviously the object of these clutches is to transmit formidable engine power to the manual gearboxes and to the rear wheels, but also they must provide predictability and adjustability. Modern billet drag racing clutches feature five principal adjustment mechanisms. These include provisions to address the following: clutch disc wear; static or base spring pressure; centrifugal pressure generated by counter weights, which are positioned on the clutch levers; throw-out bearing distance from the clutch levers; and the air gap, which is the distance that the cover assembly separates itself from the clutch plates. Of course launch RPM could also be considered an adjustment mechanism. Clutch disc wear causes the clutch levers (the fingers) to move from their optimum operating position toward the release bearing. Adjustment is made by inserting a pin punch in the small holes and rotating the upper barrels of the titanium stands. This adjustment, which is made each time the clutch is installed in the car and sometimes between runs, returns the clutch levers to their proper operating position. Static or base pressure is altered by increasing...
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