Dragster Question

[afterburn 549]

What kind of rear ends are used ?
If they are turning all kinds if RPM and a 1000 and more HP it gets interesting ( to me)
With dragster type tall tires they must use really low gears...?..

[javadog]

Strange Engineering and Chrisman Driveline. 12 or 12.5 inch, 3:20 ratio. They can't run a higher ratio, per the rules.

JR

[asphaltgambler]

When you say "dragster" are you referring to T/F (Top Fuel - nitro) - T/A (Top alcohol - alcohol) ?

[sammyg2]

If it's 1000 hp, prolly super gas or super comp class.
A buddy who works in my shop races a supercomp dragster with 1004 hp from a NA big block chebby.

Super comp:




Here's his super gas car:

[asphaltgambler]

Depending then on what class / designation the vehicle is competing in. Basically if there is not a specified type in the class most guys run a 'fab' (fabricated) rear based on Ford 9" unit. The fab rears are very lightweight and very strong made out of sheet steel.

[5String43]

Don't know about now, but when I was covering door-car racing more than a decade ago, a Ford nine-inch was the most common starting point.

https://encrypted-tbn0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcS55vq2FIMHFCTwshyCurVN0qlXQko2u CkHw9G-LGC1b9Ca1b_Eiw

[herr_oberst]

The final drive ratio is also affected by the growth of the slicks. TF/FC tires start out at 36" and grow to 44" through the lights...

(Somebody smarter than me will have to figure out THAT math....)

Fun Fact! TF/FC motors are pushing 10,000 horsepower these days, and it takes 1000 of those horsepower just to spin that great big supercharger.....

Amazing machines.

[sand_man]

Originally Posted by herr_oberst

Fun Fact! TF/FC motors are pushing 10,000 horsepower these days, and it takes 1000 of those horsepower just to spin that great big supercharger.....

Amazing machines.

Though I've been a life long fan of endurance racing, I've always been intrigued by funny cars. I had no idea they were pushing that kind of power!!! WOW!

[sammyg2]

Dated, but still interesting:


TOP FUEL DRAGSTER FAST FACTS
ACCELERATION PUT INTO PERSPECTIVE

* One Top Fuel dragster 500 cubic-inch Hemi engine makes more horsepower than the first 8 rows at the Daytona 500.

* Under full throttle, a dragster engine consumes 11.2 gallons of nitro methane per second; a fully loaded 747 consumes jet fuel at the same rate with 25% less energy being produced.

* A stock Dodge Hemi V8 engine cannot produce enough power to merely drive the dragster's supercharger.

* With 3000 CFM of air being rammed in by the supercharger on overdrive, the fuel mixture is compressed into a near-solid form before ignition. Cylinders run on the verge of hydraulic lock at full throttle.

* At the stoichiometric 1.7:1 air/fuel mixture for nitro methane the flame front temperature measures 7050 degrees F. (gasoline stoichiometric is around 14.7 to 1)

* Nitro methane burns yellow. The spectacular white flame seen above the stacks at night is raw burning hydrogen, dissociated from atmospheric water vapor by the searing exhaust gases.

* Dual magnetos supply 44 amps to each spark plug. This is the output of an arc welder in each cylinder.

* Spark plug electrodes are totally consumed during a pass. After 1/2 way, the engine is dieseling from compression plus the glow of exhaust valves at 1400 degrees F. The engine can only be shut down by cutting the fuel flow.

* If spark momentarily fails early in the run, unburned nitro builds up in the affected cylinders and then explodes with sufficient force to blow cylinder heads off the block in pieces or split the block in half.

* Dragsters reach over 300 MPH before you have completed reading this sentence.

* In order to exceed 300 MPH in 4.5 seconds, dragsters must accelerate an average of over 4 G's. In order to reach 200 MPH well before half-track, the launch acceleration approaches 8 G's.

* Top Fuel engines turn approximately 540 revolutions from light to light!

* Including the burnout, the engine must only survive 900 revolutions under load.

* The redline is actually quite high at 9500 RPM.

* THE BOTTOM LINE: Assuming all the equipment is paid off, the crew worked for free, & for once, NOTHING BLOWS UP, each run costs an estimated $1,000 per second.


Putting this all into perspective:

Lets say the you are driving the average $140,000 Lingenfelter twin-turbo powered Corvette Z06.

Over a mile up the road, a Top Fuel dragster is staged & ready to launch down a quarter-mile strip as you pass by it. You have the advantage of a flying start. You run the 'Vette hard up through the gears and blast across the starting line & pass the dragster at an honest 200 MPH. Just as you pass the Top Fuel Dragster the 'tree' goes green for both of you.

The dragster launches & starts after you. You keep your foot down hard, but you hear an incredibly brutal whine that sears your eardrums & within 3 seconds the dragster catches & passes you. He beats you to the finish line, a quarter-mile away from where you just passed him. Think about it - from a standing start, the dragster had spotted you 200 MPH & not only caught, but nearly blasted you off the road when he passed you within a mere 1320 foot long race!

That's acceleration!



•From a stand still, a Top Fuel dragster accelerates to 100 mph in .7 seconds (That is 11 seconds faster than a Porsche 911 Turbo). They can also exceed 280 mph in 660 feet. Thats just down the block.
•Imagine looking at the EPA fuel economy ratings for the purchase of your next car and instead of it reading somewhere in the average 20 miles per gallon, it says .05 miles per gallon.
A Top Fuel dragster can down 10-12 gallons of fuel per complete run (including burnout) Just look at the bright side. You would rack up a ton of bonus points on your credit card…remember nitromethane costs about $32 per gallon.


Depending on size and angle, the large rear wing on an NHRA Top Fuel dragster develops between 4,000 and 8,000 pounds of downforce.

The 17-inch rear tires used on NHRA Top Fuel dragsters and Funny Cars wear out after four to six runs, or about two miles. Some brands of passenger-car tires are guaranteed for 80,000 miles.

It takes just 15/100ths of a second for all horsepower of an NHRA Top Fuel dragster engine to reach the rear wheels.

[herr_oberst]

^^^

It would be fun to hear Barney Fife reading those dragster facts in his "wise teacher" voice.

Is there an app for that?

[Hugh R]

If you've never been to a top fuel NHRA event you must go at least once in your lifetime. Its nothing like watching it on TV.

[intakexhaust]

Originally Posted by hugh r

if you've never been to a top fuel nhra event you must go at least once in your lifetime. Its nothing like watching it on tv.

+1

[sand_man]

Originally Posted by Hugh R

If you've never been to a top fuel NHRA event you must go at least once in your lifetime. Its nothing like watching it on TV.

I'm gonna do this. I love motorsports and I have never been to a drag race.

[intakexhaust]

Sammy quote-
* Top Fuel engines turn approximately 540 revolutions from light to light!

That one is amazing. And think about the energy from each cylinder explosion!

[herr_oberst]

Be sure you get to the pits for a few of the TF/FC warmups. It's fun to watch the crowd jump at throttle blips. You feel it in your chest, and your eyes and nose burn and run from the fumes.



Good times.

(Weird irony, I've seen more small kids with unprotected ears at these events than any other motorsport event I've ever been to - and no racing motor could possibly do more damage to ears than that of TF/FC motors)

[GWN7]

Trying to explain the sight, smell and feel of a top fuel dragster going full out is like trying to explain a orgasm to someone that has never had one.

[ckelly78z]

Originally Posted by sand_man

I'm gonna do this. I love motorsports and I have never been to a drag race.

Try to go to a Friday night test-n-tune or something similar. $15, I can get into Norwalk raceway (Summit motorsports park) to watch everything from diesel trucks, compacts, muscle cars, and everything else down to about 6 second cars/dragsters.

I have full access to the pits and can run my own car down the strip whenever they call the street tire class, usually 4-5 times on a busy Summer night, all for $15.

Lots of alcohol dragsters present, and occasionally a T/F low budget outfit.

[sammyg2]

I've had the fortune to be invited to the starting line once. Standing right between the top fuel cars, just a little further back than the starter and christmas tree.

When the cars took off, one left a little late and the pressure wave from the exhaust of the first car threw me off balance so I leaned one way and then got blown the other way until I nearly landed on my butt.
Of course they all got a big laugh out of it.
I don't believe safety regs would allow anyone to stand there today.

Mert littlefield told me a story of how one time a driver in a dragster hit the throttle before the car was staged and Mert was standing right next to it.
As the car went by him (but did not touch him) the exhaust ripped his shirt into two pieces with one part floating away and the other dangling off his wrist.

The amount of energy involved is very difficult to put into perspective.

[sand_man]

I'm a total grease monkey and would love to watch the crew break those monsters down in between runs!!! When I go to races, the action in the pits and/or in the garage is often more entertaining for me than the actual race!

[Rikao4]

Sand-man..it will simply blow you away..
you must go and as stated ...
get up front and watch the run ups..
then get close to the starting line..
the power and smell is unreal and on a TV makes little sense..
like Sammy I've been on the line ....
unbelievable...


Rika