Parachute(s) for a Doorslammer

[Eric David Bru]

Hey gang,

I am doing a little off-season research on parachutes for the ol' Hot Rod...

According to the 2007 IHRA rule book:

Pro Mod = Dual parachutes required. Separate shroud-line mounting points required with 1/2" sleeved grade A bolts.

Pro Stock = Two required with separate mounting points using 1/2" sleeved bolts. Safety pins must be red flagged.

Top Sportsman = Required. Should be used on any run over 150 mph. Cars running in excess of 200 mph must use dual parachutes with two separate shroud line mounting points using sleeved 1/2" bolts. Safety pins must be red flagged.

Modified = Mandatory on entries at 150 mph 1/4 or 125 mph 1/8.

Our car is technically a Modified class bracket car at this time but when we start running the nitrous we will be classed as Top Sportsman.

On motor only our car has run nearly 120 in the 1/8th, so with N2O we should easily be able to run a 125 mph pass. At that point we will technically be required to run a parachute.

How does one decide what style and brand of 'chute to run?

How does one decide if they need 2 'chutes instead of just one?

At this point, due to the fact that we will be running on some pretty short shutdown 1/8 tracks, I am leaning towards dual 'chutes.

My favorite at this time is this style:



by www.stroudsafety.com/DragChutes.html

I like the low profile nature and I feel it would be less susceptible to cross winds as compared with a single larger diameter 'chute.

Thoughts?

EDB

[SLICK VIC]

Hi Eric,..
As far as what style of chute to use, the Manufactures
can determine which ones to buy based on your MPH and weight.

Now choosing how many well,..its a standard rule..
One chute mandatory for any car running over 150mph 1/4 mile

Two chutes for any car running over 200mph 1/4 mile

If in the 1/4 mile, your car can run these speeds, choose
and mount them on your car even if only for the 1/8 mile,
especially if your going to deal with short shut downs.

Vic

[jed5161]

im not sure on slower cars but on our dragster with stroud chutes...it tore the hell outta em. The triangle ones that they have are easy to fold up and everything, one thing i noticed, they like to spin so all the cords get tangled and you spend 5-10 minutes each chute spinnin em back so cords arent tangled around eachother. And those bags they make you put em im before the chute pack.... it makes it easier to load but better get a few extra sets cuz they get torn up FAST..... Jus my 2 cents worth.

My personal favorite(s) are the simpson chutes or the chute metal products. Of course the X shaped ones. We had chute metal products chutes on dads car. Had same pair til the last season we raced the car. Only reason we decided to change em was because they got caught on tri state's guardrail and tore one. Decided it would be nice to get a spare set of chutes as a "jus in case".

We have some spare chutes around. i'd have to check and see what all i got. I know i got 2 that are barely used. I'd have to check on the pack bag tho

[Big Erik]

Eric,
I run the stroud with the sprong launcher on my 62 and i use it alot as I got the small brakes up front and while it stops it uses the small pads up quick....anyway like Jared says the only problem I got is the bag isn't all tha sturdy.they tell ya to not let it drag on the ground!.okay.how the hell ya do that??.....mine doesn't get tangled too badly.I would think Jared's dragster going alot faster than my heap might make more turbulance and cuase more twisting.....anyway my car has run 170 at cordova and with the chute out I almost don't get off the track.of course I also went off the end this year as the chute cable got hung and it didn;t come out!!.....I also use it at eddyville mainly to save on brakes.....hey i am cheap!!....I ran the same chute without a launcher and it didn't come out as well and took longer to hit.not a problem on along track but a short one with my car it would be.......also BTW i can stop my car fine without it at eddyville, like i say just hate replacing those teenie tiny pads all the time!.i bet I doubled the pad life using the chute..got some cool pics too LOL!!.....I'll have to see if i can scan the shot Mike garland made for me of my gasser 55.....he photshopped a huge ringslot chute at full blossom on a pic for me way cool.been looking for one of thos ebig jobs to hang on the car but cannot find one thats worth buying LOL!!.......though can ya imagine packing one of those?? ERIK

[Eric David Bru]

...i use it alot as I got the small brakes up front and while it stops it uses the small pads up quick....

Do you have disk brakes on the back?

EDB

[Big Erik]

yep I got the big 4 piston wilwoods on the back the front has the small single piston aerospace ones on it.at 2900lbs it is a little hard on those small pads.it stops excellent....just a littl harder on em without the chute.....ERIK

[Eric David Bru]

If I recall correctly, you are running high 4s in the 1/8 right?

What MPH?

EDB

[Big Erik]

close, it has went 4.99 at cordova on the fastest pass it ever made at 7.85.at Eddyville it went consistant 5.00's can't recall the MPH though. (my mind a a complete blank dunno why??).... there I really do not have to use the chute, but I got a scare one time there and I just do.a couple years ago I had put new pads on the front and they weren't seated very good I hit the brakes and started around the turn on the oval and it was goin a little faster than I thought so i hit em harder.I slid right up to the wall almost hit it!!..so with that i just use the chute......for this year I am gonna up the HP in the fogger from 300 to 400 and see if I can get it to run a little faster....with what i have the way it runs is pretty good, but i'd like to run 7.80-7.70's all the time we'll see......doesn't sound like much but at this point it's getting harder and harder to make gains without BIG changes and BIGGER$$$$ plus dad and I are itching tog et started on the stude redo.......I did buy a dry sump setup for mine I ran a Barnes in the pan "dry sump" but this one shoudl free up a little bit?/.....thats not why iw anted it but it might help a little........ERIK