Re: Header Tethers - Jury IN or OUT
 

We were told at the D5 seminar that this style would not need to be tethered.

Re: Header Tethers - Jury IN or OUT
 

I was told by a Div 7 tech person if the extension is bolted on and it can fall off...it needs to be tethered.....

I am stitch welding the extensions to the fully welded collectors....

Re: Header Tethers - Jury IN or OUT
 

I thought with bolt on style you needed either nothing or a support bracket on the end of it?

Re: Header Tethers - Jury IN or OUT
 

According to their last clarification a hangar bracket on a extension is not sufficient. It would have to be a full exhaust system to circumvent the need for a tether.

http://www.nhraracer.com/content/gen...836&zoneid=132

Re: Header Tethers - Jury IN or OUT
 

Here's what the Div 1 office told me regarding collector extensions:

The tether would need to be long enough to reach at attach to the extension but short enough to keep the collectors from falling off of the primary tubes.

thanks,

Ryck Campbell
NHRA, Northeast Division Technical Director
Tech Line: 315-335-8295, Mon & Thurs 7 - 9 pm
email: rcampbell@nhra.com

Interpret that for your application.

Re: Header Tethers - Jury IN or OUT
 

I thought the purpose of a tether was to retain in case of failure, not as a coupling device such as bolts.

Re: Header Tethers - Jury IN or OUT
 

My will still be bolted together. Collectors to primary tubes and extensions to the collector. Then add the tether to retain in the event the bolts fail.
Fun, fun, fun...

Re: Header Tethers - Jury IN or OUT
 

when I backed off the trailer in florida I noticed a merge collector laying on the trailer ramp guess its time for some teathers. :D

Re: Header Tethers - Jury IN or OUT
 

Yep.....it can happen :cool:

By the way Congrats on the win in Immokalee......was there all day Saturday, but had to watch on Motor Mania Sunday......Good Job !!!!!!!

Re: Header Tethers - Jury IN or OUT
 

Just received my Collector Tethers, just ordered them Tuesday, Fast service guys and they look very well made. Thanks for posting contingency for stock/superstock I hope to collect a little this year. Thanks Dale H

Re: Header Tethers - Jury IN or OUT
 

Can't believe I am supposed to spend $150.00 over other people's lack of maintenance.

Re: Header Tethers - Jury IN or OUT
 

So did anyone actually have a problem with their tethers in tech at Pomona or Orlando? Or is this one of those threads where we all just cry a lot?

Re: Header Tethers - Jury IN or OUT
 

When I got teched at Pomona I ask if they were checking for them and the inspector said yes but he never really looked at mine so go figure maybe they were checking some but not all.

Re: Header Tethers - Jury IN or OUT
 

Ed I agree with you. Except I put some of the responsibility on the pre race inspection or lack of inspection.

Re: Header Tethers - Jury IN or OUT
 

Hard to inspect those tabs & bolts on a car like mine sitting on the ground. Too low. Fender well headers would be easier. The car ownner's responsibility to insure high heat self locking nuts on those bolts in the tabs, and that the welds on the tabs have not cracked. They don't just fall off, they crack first. Being sloppy and not checking things has cost the rest of us.

Re: Header Tethers - Jury IN or OUT
 

For this being a mandated rule, I would have assumed that tech would have been looking for these. It sets the precedence as to how important this is for safety in my opinion. Obviously not very important, or mirrors or other devices would have been implemented to see under the cars going through tech.

One more reason I have not spent the money on something we are all capable of making ourselves, and our season does not start for a few months too.

Sean

Re: Header Tethers - Jury IN or OUT
 

Pretty much the same at Orlando. I was asked if I had them and who made them. The tech guy wrote down my response. Cars without tethers were DQed until they put them on. Two manufacturers were on site and one of those was making them up on the spot. Jim

.

Re: Header Tethers - Jury IN or OUT
 

I feel sorry for the tech guys that have to look for that stuff. Surely they will come up with mirrors with long handles. Still will be a pain to kneel down (even if they aren't old), and try to make out the logo, name or numbers on them. I don't envy them. We fill in our flex plate, flex plate shield, etc, info. If I lied about it, I would be the one they jacked up and checked. :-)

Wesley once suggested I take pictures of those stickers with my phone, to show the tech guys. Need to do that while it's apart this time. Probably a good idea for the tethers too.
Started to weld collectors on a few minutes ago, and found my argon bottle empty. Haven't turned that welder on in a couple of years. To start getting it back in the car for testing Turesday, guess I'll throw away $150.00 on a set of those stupid things. What a crock.

Re: Header Tethers - Jury IN or OUT
 

My collectors are bolted on with grade 8 bolts and have never.....repeat, never had a collector come lose on either car. My collectors slide on the headers at least an inch and a half.....I have seen collectors (on other cars) come lose and fly off, but they were not secured like mine.
This is not like in 1965 when a SFI flywheel was required on a small block Chevy because the flywheel might come flying out of the car......I don't think that headers spin 8-9 thousand RPM..........and are subject to flying off. Collectors just sit there and if bolted or welded on......they can not come off. Why spend $150 for something that will not happen????


Now that I think about it a little more.....why not treat a collector coming off the same as an "Oil down"...what is more dangerous???? oil under the rear tires or a collector coming off??

Just my 2 cents

Re: Header Tethers - Jury IN or OUT
 

There ya go! Fine the guys not taking care of things.

Re: Header Tethers - Jury IN or OUT
 

Ed, we have been racing as long......but I took 35 years off and came back.... I have had headers and collectors on every car since 1964......I never lost one, and I suspect you have not either....

I would be in favor of of DQ if you loose a collector....instead of adding to the cost of racing and driving more racers away..

Re: Header Tethers - Jury IN or OUT
 

Buy more argon, at least you will feel like you bought something you needed. I welded mine.
I never saw anyone under any cars at Pomona looking at tethers. A couple sg racers said that they were asked if they had them. I expected to see mirrors on broom sticks being used by tech. Any one look at that points race in Florida?

Re: Header Tethers - Jury IN or OUT
 

I had my receipt with me they just wrote down what brand on the tech card. Did see one tech official assume the do you have them position, having the receipt speeds it up.

Re: Header Tethers - Jury IN or OUT
 

Thank You CollectorTethers for a Quality Product! Very few parts that buy these days fit,These did! It took about an hour total to install them and that was with a 45 min. break between the two sides.

Leonard A. Johnson 4445 CC/SA

Re: Header Tethers - Jury IN or OUT
 

OK, IMO here is the main reason for the collector tether requirement.

1. At some time NHRA got sued for a collector coming off a race car.
2. The insurance company made NHRA institute a policy to stop this from happening.
3. **POOF** Collector tethers were born.
4. I still believe we should be able to make our own.
Remember back when the big stink about aerosol spray cans at National Events erupted? NHRA creates a program, threatening fines, etc. to make sure the EPA thinks we are doing things better.
Unfortunately, it is the cost of doing business (racing).
At least the tethers don't expire every two ears.
Dan

Re: Header Tethers - Jury IN or OUT
 

My car and Bobs car has aways had its collectors clamped to the trans cross memeber for years , and never got a second look going thru tech in or out of div. before or after the accident/injury.....But to be legal and collect money for W & R-U just got my collector thethers.com set up in the mail friday .

Re: Header Tethers - Jury IN or OUT
 

Where does this all end?
If somebody gets hit by a flying stone from a car doing a burnout, will we be required to buy NHRA approved mudflaps or screens behind the tires?
Will we need "Hood Tethers" to prevent a fiberglass hood from taking flight and possibly landing in the stands?
Will the Nitro cars soon need "Blower Belt catchers"?
Several years ago, I believe at Sonoma, a Nitro car lost a rear wheel& tire, which was quickly found in the Sportsman pits, after doing considerable damage to Steve Wanns fathers valuable "Air Grabber" hood. I guess Slick Tethers won`t be needed since the only damage was done to a Sportsman racers car. Although after John Irvings truck took a whack out of the tree at Pomona, maybe Stock and S/S cars will need em.