So what is involved in setting up a ring-slot chute for a dragster. I'm ***uming a different pack and pilot chute. I picked up a 15' extraction chute off of Ebay yesterday.
Hi Frank. I'm still waiting to get it. The pic from the auction shows little of the business end. Here's an excerpt from the part definition 15 FT. CARGO EXTRACTION ***EMBLY PAGE 2 OF 4 P/N 11-1-2583 UPDATED 5/17/04 TECHNICAL DATA Mills Manufacturing Corporation P.O. Box 8100 Asheville, NC 28814 Telephone: 828-645-3061 Fax: 828-645-3065 Website: www.millsmanufacturing.com Email: info@millsmanufacturing.com 1. 15 Ft. Canopy, P/N 57J6032: Shape: Ring Slot Diameter: 15 Ft. Number of Gores 16 Number of Rings Per Gore 5 Number of Suspension Lines 16 Number of Suspension Lines 15’ Ring Panel Material: Nylon Cloth, PIA-C-7350, Type I, Camouflage Green #483, 85# tensile strength warp and fill; 90-140 CFM air permeability Suspension Line and Nylon Cord, PIA-C-7515, Type IV, Camouflage Green #483, Vent Line Material: 1000# tensile strength Vent and Skirt Reinforcements: Nylon Webbing, PIA-W-4088, 1”, Type II, Cl*** 2A, Camouflage Green #483, 600# tensile strength Ring Reinforcements: Nylon Webbing, PIA-W-4088, 9/16”, Type I, Cl*** 2A, Camouflage Green #483, Natural, 525# tensile strength Radial Tapes; Pocket Bands: Nylon Webbing, PIA-W-4088, 1”, Type II, Camouflage Green #483, Cl*** 2A, 600# tensile strength Bridle Loop: Nylon Webbing, PIA-W-27265, Type VIII, 1-23/32”, Cl*** 2A, Camouflage Green #483, 4000# tensile strength Suspension Line Links: PS 70118-2, 3000# proof load Canopy S***ching: Nylon Thread, V-T-295, Type I/II, Cl*** A, Size E, 3-C, Camouflage Green #483
I'd think,that an appropriate sized pack,plus a spring loaded pilot chute(make sure it's sprung enough to yank that big chute out),and a release cable would be all you need. Making the pack mount to a plate,that is removable from the car,makes packing the chute "much easier". Also,making chute anchor point a quick release,so you can easily dismount to hang it up when not being used is good too. That chute is like this one,isn't it?
Yep, that's it! I figure I'll find a store bought Pilot chute but the pack will probably be an odd size. Wonder if I could make it myself. You mentioned a quick pack release. How is this usually done?
Kerry there's really not alot to the chute pack - the biggest thing is the twin eyelets on the one flap - to aid in packing the chute with the "shoelace". So long as you could intall the eyelets - I don't see why you couldn't make one. As for the quick release - I'm not exactly sure how it's "normally" done, but I'd guess it is similar to what I did on mine. I don't plan on removing mine to pack the chute, but I left the possibility.
That's pretty simple. Thanks for the pic. Any chance you have any pics of an empty chute pack? I need to get my act together and start building the rail to put it on.
I helped Four-thirteen pack the chute on their digger a couple years back at the drags. He prob has pics for ya.
what kind of car and speed are you planing on running a15ft chute is huge the faster the car the smaller the the chute you might want to call simpson for correct size chute
Shawn and I did a photoshoot on how to pack a shoot a few years ago, but we lost the pictures... The pack on that car was way too small, it was just a ***** to stuff in there. A 15foot chute will put your face into the steering wheel for sure.... make sure you are strapped in tight. But I'm not seeing the size as a problem. Depending on the cl*** and rules, quick release mounting may not be legal. Its also a good idea to mount the pack in such a way that if the lines get caught it rips off easy without much damage to the car or otherwise. Personally, I think its far easier to pack the chute on the car than on the ground, it can't go anywhere when its attached to the car. Its kinda weird, you'd think things like parachutes and brakes and that sort of thing would have tight regulations on them, but no. You could make your own pilot chute pretty easy if you could find a big spring. Its really just 4 short pieces of web and nylon wrapped around a spring. The cord is about 7-8ft long and just pulls out on the center of the big chute. I can't think of any modifications for the chute itself, beyond durablilty mods. The chute is basically dragged on the pavement for a half mile every p*** you make and they really take a beating. They get caught on guardrails, run over and dragged in the dirt. As far as I know cargo chutes are intended for one use only so it might wear a bit quickly(other chutes don't last forever either). Likely it will be fine but maybe some more durable lines might be needed. David
Excellent info Dave, thanks! Next time I'm in Wichita I'll hit the Yard store. I think they might just have the spring I need to make the pilot chute. As an extraction chute this thing is over engineered anyway... just what I want. Not sure I'll be able to make a quick release for the pack where I'm thinking of putting it. Time will tell. From what I've read, the ring slot doesn't hit as hard as a crossform. Again, we'll just have to see. Mudflap, the idea is not to use the latest greatest "right" part. The idea is to make it feel like the early sixties. Can't think of a better chute to do that with than a ring slot. 15 foot is what they used back in the day. Here's a pic of a Dragmaster Dart with a 15' ring slot.
The spring is about a foot long and cone shaped so it can be squeezed flat without coilbind. If you find a spring that works, I want to know about it. I think its pretty cool you are doing this. If it works for you without too much effort I'd like to use one on my new car and leave the stroud in the trailer for a backup.
Kerry, here's a shot of the inside of an old simpson - there's nothing to theirs. I think it was the Diest chute packs that had a row of rubber bands down each side that you used to hold the tether lines in place while packing. I don't think any of the other chute manufacturers do that except them. The one in the picture is missing the short little loop of "string" that goes in the flap with the two eyelets. It's nothing more than a piece of nylon about an inch or so long. It starts out at say maybe 3-4" you fold it in half and knot the end with the two "flying leads" (wrong terminology - sorry) anyways then you simply slip the LOOP end through the small eyelet and then through the larger one - it is now maybe 1" or so long and to pack your chute you now need a "shoestring" (basically a 14" or so long piece of nylon) as you get the chute and tether lines packed into pack you hold it with one hand and then string your shoe lace through the 1" long loop - you now use the "shoestring to hold each flap in place as you tighten things down. It'll become REAL obvious the first time you try to do it. If you're having a hard time picturing it - I recall that Simpson or one of the manufacturers has a step by step process on their website. It wouldn't hurt to print it out and follow it step by step until you get the idea. I'm pretty gaddamn slow packing mine (not alot of practice) but my buddy at work tells me he used to pack their twin chutes in a matter of a few minutes each when they were running rounds.
Great description and pic, thanks. There really isn't much to the pack. Maybe I can talk the dear wife into a little sewing project.
Packing a chute goes real quick......when ever I have done it or helped someone, two of us would do it normally, an extra set of hands at the end of the process is a great help.....and you always had an extra pair of eyes watching for any error....which is always a good thing...Kerry the chute that you are looking at is similiar the type we use to rig to our pallets that had our equipment strapped to in the 82nd Airborne Division we would attach several of them.....we would push it out of the rear of a plane then jump ourselves to follow it or visa-versa sometimes......I believe all parachutes must be of the approved variety for drag racing ......You may want to look into that chute p***ing tech.......Goodluck,Littleman
Sounds like the same thing. There are going to be enough things on this car that the NHRA might frown on that I'm not to concerned with the chute. Push comes to shove I know that I could send it to Simpson to certify but I really don't plan on doing that.
I'm a very poor college student with no time or money these days.... I haven't touched a wrench since my girlfriend and I put my plymouth back together for the 50s last summer. I surf the hamb between cl***es and lab write-ups to get my fix.... Depending on how things go this summer with my internship I might be able to make to a few events. My new digger is similar to the old one, two main differences will be thicker tube and I won't have the "support" of car club. The club sold the old car to some rich guy who put a plastic motor in it and hung it on the wall in his museum. Anyway, new car will be another 155" car with a full body(chute packer). Depending on the event and cl*** it'll either run a blown injected 301(chrysler) hemi, injected chevy, or 426 max wedge carbed or injected. Projected completion date is spring 2010. In the mean time I've got the Hernia J to rebuild. More on chutes, most guys don't use the rubber bands inside the pack, I like them because it makes the lines lay flat on the back instead on laying on the bottom which makes it easier to stuff. I'm thinking they'd be a good idea with all the extra lines on the ring slot chute, to keep them from getting tangled. Sometimes the loop that HemiR is talking about is part of the pilot chute, othertimes its attached to one of the flaps. It works the same either way. I'll also point out the bag HemiR posted has a piece of web going to each of the eyelets, which is important for longeveity and prevents stretching. Other than that its just kind of a square box with flaps on the top and a metal backing. Trent can pack my chute anytime..... David
I'll second the opinion on the rubber bands,i always found them to help keep everything in place without tangling.Kerry you are also right that despite the large diameter,those chutes don't grab air as hard as a solid panel(?) chute.I realized after my post,the main reason for the pack mount being removable was so the chute could also stay attached to the ch***is,when the body was off (Funny Car),so that wouldn't be as critical on another car. Let us know how it goes, also pilot chutes are not expensive,buy a good one they lose their tension,and their is nothing good about one falling "limply" out onto the track and tangling in things like wheelie bars etc.
Got the chute today. We've got a nice windy Kansas day to take a picture. Just about took me down for a drag through the mud. Looks good to me!
Nothing,says 60s drag racing,like one of those chutes! Makes you wonder,if that's why they call it "Drag" racing!!! LOL
Takes one to know one Root, although that does validate a couple of comments from my kids. There's another on Ebay right now. Starting bid $50 and $15 shipping. No bidders last night. I'll post the link tonight in case anybody else is interested.
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