Made room for the intercooler today. I need proper hardware, but the hard part is done.

I moved the bumper 1.5 inches forward. This will allow the TR1045 to fit, it is 4.5" thick but only 10.5" tall, same 22" wide core and 30" overall width. Packaging the ~11" tall intercooler and ~13" tall radiator will be a little easier on all accounts. I can also go to the smaller 12" tall AC condenser in front of the radiator and on top of the intercooler.

 

Finally weighed the fat pig accurately.

3,994ish without me, 4186ish with me. The preload in the rear sway bar is taking 10 pounds off the left rear and putting it on the right rear. Photo 2 is with rear sway connected, third is with it disconnected.

I forgot to remove the jack from the back seat, so it's worth a little right side weight (and total weight).

At the motorplex the weight split was 2240 , 1690 , 3930
Now the weight split is 2240 , 1754 , 3994
I didn't weigh the left and right sides at the motorplex, but now they are 1996 L and 1998 R. I'm pleasantly surprised by this seeing as the fuel tank, trans cooler, and EVAP charcoal can are all on the left side of the truck...although that jack being on the right side will probably throw the bias off a bit.

In between measurements, I removed the front sway bar, added the front bumper extensions, filled the trailer hitch with 36 pounds of lead, and had the jack in the truck. There's probably a weight offset in fuel load as well.

I need to weigh the procharger brackets and the procharger, get the intercooler weight, and start calculating what the final corner weights will be so I can work towards a final front spring rate and packer setup. It's going to suck putting 18" springs in the front pockets, having to add a 1/2-1" packer will be even more fun. The most fun will be putting the springs in, finding the truck to be low, then taking them out and putting packers in.

 

I didn't get a chance to measure the installed shock/spring angle, but from balljoint to lower control arm bolt is 17 inches, and the lower shock mount is 8 inches from the balljoint.

Using this calculator based on 1177 average corner weight and 55 pounds of unsprung weight, and a 9/17 motion ratio (0.529) and 85 degree install angle, RideTech says to use a 550-650 pound 12 inch spring with about 3.5" of travel.

Using the same inputs in this calculator with 3.5 inches of extension travel, comes up with a 600 pound spring rate with a 170 pound effective wheel rate.

So if they say that the ideal rate is 600 pounds over 3.5" of travel, that's 2100 pounds of spring force. Coincidentally, the 0.529 motion ratio * 2100 pounds of force = 1,110 pounds of wheel force

Taking a coil spring with an 18 inch free length, and compressing it to 10.5 inches at ride height is 7.5" of compression.

2100 pounds of spring force divided by 7.5 inches of compression = 280 pound-inches of spring rate (275 is probably next closest).

Using the 250# spring rate, max offered by most vendors, divided into the 2100 pounds of necessary spring force, yields a compression of 8.4 inches.

To maintain my current ride height, I need a 275# 18-inch spring of 5.5" OD or to place a 1" packer on top of an 18 inch 250# spring.

 

I got with ISSPRO gauges to build a custom fuel sender that is 220-20 as per the FSM, so that is in process. It may or may not become an item on the web store.

I found a throttle stop for sale 50% off retail on ClassRacer's forum, so I have it heading this way (I'll always take a deal over the not-needed-yet factor).

I also found a deal on Facebook for a Spintech Mid-Length Header Y pipe, also 50% off retail, so now I have it sitting in the garage.

Between those two, I spent $350 I wasn't expecting to spend so soon, but I saved $350. So I can't complain.

The bulk of the local racing season is over, engine shop still has me in the queue (#3 or 4 to my knowledge) but has nearly full payment for everything except labor.

At this stage, I just need the FAST/Accufab 4500 throttle body and a 4500 air hat, 4500 throttle bracket for throttle stop, onboard air compressor, and start looking at fuel system stuff. Main priority will be to pay down some of the bills for what I've got going now, then start spending again.

Accufab 4500 TB - 4B-4500 - $630
Accufab 4500 Hat Spacer - AFS4500 - $40
4500 hat options will be last to be figured out, due to hood clearancing issues.
Subtotal: $670

Fuel Pump Speed Controller - 16306 - $340
40 micron pre-filter - 12330 - $140
Eliminator Fuel Pump - 11104 - $607
Fragola 890010 5/8" (#10) hard line - $36 (twice)
10 micron post-filter - 12389 - $140
A1000 Gen2 Regulator - 13139 - $203
10 to 8 Y block - 15675 - $50

Subtotal - $1,552 , without any fittings accounted for
Total: $2,222

The hard line tube requires tube nuts and sleeves. A local racer has the flaring tool.

Fragola #10 Tube Nut - 481810 - $4 (x4)
Fragola #10 Tube Sleeve 481910 - $2 (x4)

481510 Male Union - $8 (x4)

Fittings: $56

 

I spoke to a member of the NHRA chassis committee while at the double race in Topeka.
The rule for a 2 piece driveshaft is only 2 driveshaft loops are required- one at both slip yoke U-joints. They prefer to see a tube (preferable) or third loop on the front shaft if anticipated shaft RPM is over 5-6000 or so in case the carrier bearing fails. Pinion loop/tube is only required at 7.50 1/4 ET.

 

Looking at adding an onboard air source. Been comparing the ARB CKMA12 and the Viair 450C, and the Viair looks to be the better choice.

Air compressor coupler - $10 for two
Relief Valve - $10
Quarter turn valve - $20 for two
1/4 NPT bras Tee - $5

Total: $339

I'd rather have a 2 gallon tank, but I don't think it would fit in the right rear quarter panel. The compressor will have to go in the right front bed panel, above my exhaust dump. Hopefully it won't overheat there. There's not really any other good place to fit it, where it won't get wet and such from tire sling. Mount an air chuck on the trailer hitch and another one somewhere up front, just not sure where. That way I can fill tires in the lanes or at pit, have an air source for the throttle stop (the important part), and even run air tools if I had/wanted to.

So next up on the parts list is

two driveshaft loops - $32
Viair 450C compressor - $195
Front Coil Springs - $196 - K250-M5.5 (Landrum)
Front Coil Spring Packer - $46
#10 Aluminum Hard Line & Fittings - $64
#8 Aluminum Hard Line & Fittings - $55

- Total: $588

 

Going to catch this thread up real quick and pull the info over from the brake thread which piggy-backs off of wgcarlso's thread.

641-5026 - NAPA (adapter fitting used to connect brake line to m/c ((10mm male bubble flare to 3/16 female inverted flare))
641-3315 - NAPA (adapter fitting used to connect brake line to splitter block on frame ((12mm male bubble flare to 3/16 female inverted flare))

I bought 2 of each fitting. The MC port for front brakes is M10, the port for rear brakes is M12, and the port for the frame rail to front brakes is M12. So I have an M10 adapter left over.

I had to get a 20" pre-fab line from Oreilly's to go from the LL to the frame port. I tried to re-flare the factory line, but was unsuccessful in 3 tries. I also had to re-bend the factory line to the rear brakes to go around the mount for the RWAL, as the new line pulled the proportioning valve further forward than it was previously.

now I have no ABS and no factory valving affect towards the brake bias. I left the brake warning light wire hanging loose - in the factory control valve, a loss of pressure moves a shuttle valve which grounds that wire. Leaving it floating causes no issues.

 

I found an RCI fuel cell that will actually fit my needs. The reason I never found it before is that it is listed wrong. The RCI 2172A is 30" wide, 17" thick, and 7" tall for a logical capacity of 15.45 gallons despite being listed as a 17 gallon tank. I will have a local shop (Lair Industries) add the sump - 10" wide, 8" thick, 2" tall - to bring total capacity to 16 gallons and provide me 12AN and 10AN outlets.

I'm going to order the fuel sending unit from ISSPRO tomorrow and fuel tank after my CC re-cycles billing periods. Next month is also going to bring me a tonneau cover - https://www.realtruck.com/rugged-e-s...tonneau-cover/ - and I'll remove the spare tire from it's current perch.

My engine machinist has been at the Us Nationals in Indy, but last I talked to him, he thinks it may be another 2-3 months before everything it clean and good to use for me to pick up and assemble.

This is the current "abbreviated" to-do list and when I HOPE to be able to have them in-hand by....and hopefully installed in same month:

1) Tonneau Cover
- $250 - September
2) Air Throttle System
- Have Air Cylinder
- Need Air Tank $50 - October
- Need Air Compressor $200 - October
- Need Air Hose/Fittings $60 - October
3) Nitrous and Air Throttle Wiring
4) Front Suspension
- Need Front Springs $250
- Need Spring Spacers $50
5) Rear Suspension
- Need CalTracs $400 - December
6) Fuel System
- Need Fuel Tank $250 - September
- Need Fuel Tank Modified $100 - September
- Need Fuel Hard Lines $150 - October
- Need Fuel Pump $600 - December
- Need Fuel Pump Speed Controller $350 - November
- Need Fuel Pressure Regulator $200 - November
7) Assemble new engine
- Need Throttle Body $630 - January
8) Dyno new engine for break-in procedure
9) Install new engine
10) Install procharger

 

Bought some PET FlexLoom for CHEAP! on Amazon. $14 for 100 feet. Also got several spools of wire.

Ran two 10 gauge reds from the electrical panel to the back of the truck for the primary and nitrous fuel pumps, and ran another loom of 4 wires (pink=nitrous, gray=stop, blue=SLC, purple=purge) to the front of the truck. I need to break the pink wire at the free relay on the terminal strip.

Only planned purchases for this month are the tonneau cover and the fuel cell. I went with the Rugged Premium cover, split the cost 50/50 between dealer and retail. He's probably going to sponsor the dragster for the Ennis national, and I'm doing some graphic design work for him.

The fuel cell is an RCI number, so I can get it from Summit.

https://photos.app.goo.gl/m4KM9vVZLHf4fySo6 (Photo won't display)

 

I posed the below question to my college physics professor. Pretty sure I answered my own question, but looking for his agreement.

EDIT: Multiple sources indicating that my calculations are generally correct. The more force exerted by the spring at full extension, the better.