Collector Tether Question
 

I have not gotten a chance to look into it with much depth yet, but I know NHRA has released a list of the acceptable header tether systems for their new rule for 2014. Are there any of them that are paying contingencies for next year? I have quite a few customers that have asked us and I just haven't had time to mess with it yet.

Thanks in advance

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Collector Tethers.com is not sure about the rest

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I'm going to wait to see if Jeff Tueton gets his approved.
If not, I may just weld mine. I never the collectors off anyway.

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the rules state you can use a 1 inch weld,so that's what im going to do,its free to me I have a welder

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I would wait and do some comparison shopping before buying any. It looks like many more are getting approved designs. The price is coming down as it really should. I have seen 59.99 and it will drop more I think. Their is no real trick to making them, so there should be some good deals to choose from soon.

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LOKAR is paying contingency as well. They have also paid contingency on a dipstick.

Whom ever you pick, just make sure they are NHRA approved. There are several people out there just building their own, and selling them without being NHRA approved. You will not pass TECH.

Debbie Moses

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NHRA keeps updating the list of approved ones, here's the latest approved product list, tethers on the last page. I see D2's own Keith Fulp has an approved tether available. Like the logo on his, should make it easy for tech to pass them without looking too hard.

http://www.nhra.com/userfiles/file/N...edProducts.pdf

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I got a set from Keith at Reynolds. took all of 5 min for me to install them, vey happy with them and good looking product. Always good to support one of our own.
Chuck

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Thanks for all the help! Looks like Lokar and Collector Tethers are the only ones that pay so far. That's honestly the most important part to some of my guys, the contingency.

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Does the tether rule also include bracket cars running local tracks?

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that set for $59 looks like the way to go --- cheap gets the job done and NHRA accepted--- ya almost cant build em for that with all the running around chasing parts cutting/fabricating /calculating materials and sizes etc. Bolt em on and away we go-- maybe the price will come down a bit but how much $10-15 youre still looking at $45-50--- bite the bullet and buy em then your all done legal and everything--my thoughts on it--FED387

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It's a NHRA general regulation effective 2014 so yes, all cars with removable collectors (you stitch weld 1/2 inch on each primary tube as an option). Enforcement would be up to your local track tech person.

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We've got fenderwell headers, tethers are going to be very visible (ugly), but I've been curious how tech is going to verify tethers on most modern low slung cars?

Slide a mirror under? ramps? spot check?

'ya think tech will be slow?

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That's the only they would see mine. I assume that is what they will do.
Yeah, it won't be fast. LOL
I mean tech, not my car. Well, it probably won't be either. LOL

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Randall,
You can attach the tether system of your choice to the inside of the headers (towards the fender-well) so they will be just about invisible. The clamp on the collector will be visible but it's stainless so it will be OK.

As far as bracket racing and collector tethers, YES, they are required unless each tube has at least 1/2" weld to collector.

Jok

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Just ordered some from Jok. Very reasonable, quick service and great communications! Jim


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So no National Event payouts?

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I called Pat today about collector extensions - do not want to assume that just because they are not specifically mentioned that they are not included - do you need one for the extension and one for the collector?

Ron

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Andy's Dad...
I would think that a collector extension will require a separate tether.....and in addition, an new tether-tether to connect the two tethers. This new tether-tether will require NASA certification and available at a discount price of $149.95 for all who sign up for Obamacare by midnight tonight (EST).

Getting to be winter here in the Motor City....

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The tether-tether clamps must also be torqued to specifications and sealed with approval by inspector 12 from the fruit of the loom underwear company.

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I am amazed at how many people are making jokes about this rule. This really isn't about NHRA making a couple of bucks. It's about the people standing on/behind the starting line, getting injured and the SUING them. That's the bottom line. YES they were/are racers. For a couple of bucks we can attempt to fix the problem. I have witnessed several header "deployments" including one of our own. They were all "accidents", because everyone checks their, bolts, welds, etc. right? A couple of companies are paying you back with LODRS contingency, on a fairly cheap item all made by/for the racers.

Debbie Moses

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To answer the question on the extension for the slip-on collector:

I called NHRA and they said one tether will suffice but it will have to go from the Primary tube to the extension.

I would just order a kit that was long enough to accomplish that length and if you run without the extensions, wrap the cable up; it's still there and will not let them get away from the car and "being there with the NHRA-accepted tag" is what matters.

Hope that helps. They are required so it is just a matter of figuring out what you need and deciding on what tether kit is right for you.

Jok Nicholson

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Debbie,

The problem that most of us have with this rule is that we can fabricate the entire car, but must not be smart enough to assemble our own tether cable and clamps. We are being forced to have to pay for something that we can make ourselves. I don't have a problem with safety items, it's how they are forcing racers to rely upon others to have to purchase this item. All we need to do is breakout the engraver and place a logo on each piece of the tether and we are good to go. That's the only thing in my opinion that the vendors of this device has over the majority is a means of carving a logo on a piece of metal.

Sean

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The problem that I see is that this got dumped on every racer as opposed to the facilities. Some tracks have 'burn out boards' behind the burn out area to avoid anything flying off of slicks into whatever is behind them. How many of you have been hit by a rock? I've even seen them fly into hoodscoops and into engines. Greg Dreher has his side window blown out by a rock, they spent the next half hour picking up the crumbled glass out of the staging lanes before the race could procede. Someone left a wrench on dragster at Woodburn, it fell off during the burnout, shot out from under the tire and broke a girl's leg. Are we going to have tethers for wrenches that you forgot to remove from your car also? This isn't a header problem, this is a track issue. Forget the tethers, mandatory back boards at tracks is a no brainer and would fix the problem.

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who has product liability insurance

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mtsp,

I would think every company has to have a means to protect themselves in case the "lawyers get loose" (maybe Lawyer Tethers next :-).

We have it on our NHRA-accepted tethers and other products.

I think everyone cringes when the words "liability, insurance, lawyers, etc are brought up". It's a risky sport and "stuff happens". The tethers are just trying to make it happen less often.

Be safe out there!''

Jok Nicholson

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I guess you assume that people are only losing them on the burnout? Way more lost going down the track than doing the burnout.
Chuck

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Yes, but if you lose it going down the track, it doesn't get 'shot' out from under the tire because the tire surface speed and vehicle speed are more or less synchronized. In the burnout box, you have a static vehicle and a 150MPH tire surface, more or less a baseball pitching machine. More often than not, when you see a down track part fall off, it just slides to a stop. The bad down track incident that seems to cause the most damage is driveshaft failures. Regardless of the extent of driveshaft enclosures, I've seen some big chunks fly off and sometimes into the guy in the other lane.

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Driveshaft tether should be mandatory. Seen more of them come out from under cars than collectors.

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Tony Fillipone had one go thru his windshield a few years back that came off the car in the other lane while going down track

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By Spring , there will be so many guys making kits and show me a tech guy that's going to pop his not so handy dandy list and see which kit is accepted...... I think Not ! I believe if you have a good, sound looking system on your car ... your good to go sir !

That's right ..... I said it ...... lol

Rick

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Rick,
You might be right...but..if the tech guys do look and you don't have the NHRA-accepted tag or it's a fake; it could get ugly.
Why mess with it when prices are from $59.00 to $149.00 for an NHRA-accepted kit?

I would hate to travel to a race for 6 hours or more and have the tech guys be "on a mission" to make sure everyone with slip-on collectors has a NHRA accepted tether system on it. That would be expensive if you didn't have them.

Jok

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Ric, get over it and buy a set of tethers. Your headers are out in the open in front of God and everybody and if you make your own I'm going to tell on you.
I've already got them on my car along with all the other crap they require.
What's a few bucks to a guy with all your money. Your not going to quit racing over $149 I know it and so do you.
Have a nice holiday season and I'll see you at Gateway in April

Bob B

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Damn Bob ! ........ easy there ! .........

Jok, its the principle ...... How do I get NHRA approval/acceptance on my vinyl lettering , so racers "Have to buy from me !!!!!


My son and I can build complete race cars ...... but we can't make a freeking teather !

Give me a break !


Happy Thanksgiving .......... Jok and Bob

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Several years ago @ atco a top sportsman car loses a collector during his burnout. This collector dam near severed this poor guys leg off, I have never witnessed anyone injured this badd.......This is no joke.

Joe Mocci. 1424

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Hey Joe ...... your right , no joke ! Seen it myself .....the late . Larry Shay took one in the leg at the US Nationals.. years ago .... hurt him pretty bad too .

Rick

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if your collector has a tab welded to it and is secured by a bolt, isnt that more secure
than a NHRA approved "wire"? just my 2 cents..tks

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Not in NHRA's mind...too many racers not checking their bolts, welded tab integrity, etc. and instances of others being injured.

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The tether system is not intended to be what holds the collector on, it is a simple secondary (catch system) system to prevent the collector from coming off the car and cutting a tire, hitting a car or a person.
It's not what is better at this time, it is about what is required, meeting the requirement so you don't get sent back home by Tech.

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Exactly!!!! Jim

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