Speed Partz
PO Box 695
West Chester, Ohio  45069
513.755.7205
Fax: 513.777.6804

Creating Your Set-Up Tool Kit

Just like any other work you perform on your racing car, having the right set of tools is critical.  Before starting your initial set-up, make sure you have invested in the tools to do the job, it will make it much easier, efficient and most importantly precise.  If your like me, the thought of assembling a set-up tool kit sends chills through the my pocketbook.  I guess it is because doing set-up sounds high-tech, therefore expensive high-tech tools are probably required to do the job.  Luckily the truth, at least for the sport of welterweight racing is quite the opposite.  You can get it done on a budget.  In fact, a trip to Home Depot will probably net you most of the required goods.

Tape Measure

One of the least expensive tools in your set-up tool kit, yet probably the most used.  No big secrets here just make sure that you get a tape that is easy to read.  A 10’ tape is the recommended length.  This will cover all of the measurements you will need to make.  If you choose to use the tape to measure the circumference of your tires for purposes of calculating stagger, it is recommended that you get a tape that is a ¼” wide.  This makes it much easier to wrap around the tire.

Steel Rule

The steel rule is yet another inexpensive item that will pay far reaching dividends as you work on setting your car up.  The two most important criteria for picking a steel rule are length and rigidity.  We use our steel rule to create reference points for the purpose of squaring our front and rear axles.  For this reason we recommend a 3 foot steel rule.  This provides enough length to extend reference points well beyond the frame, making it easier to get an accurate measurement from the firewall to the axles.  It is also important that your steel rule is fairly rigid.  If the rule flexes, it is likely that you will not get an accurate reading.

Stagger Gauge

The stagger gauge is a convenience item in your tool kit.  The same measurements can be accomplished with a tape measure, however generally not with the same ease and accuracy.  The stagger stick takes the tire’s diameter and instantly converts it to circumference.  This makes it fast and easy to check stagger without jacking the car up.  Additionally the stagger gauge tends to give a more precise reading than a tape measure since it is often hard to ensure that the tape measure is running straight all of the way around the tire.  It is recommended that you buy a stagger gauge with the numbers etched into the metal.  Versions utilizing decals with imprinted numbers are often destroyed by fuels, cleaners or other fluids found around a racing car.  Stagger gauges are available from several sources including www.speedpartz.com and sell for $69-$149.

Set-Up Blocks

Set-up blocks are another inexpensive item that are critical to your tool kit.  Set-up blocks are used to set the ride height of the car and set the torsion bolts on torsion bar cars.  The blocks fit in between the front or back axle and the chassis.  Plastic chassis set-up blocks can be purchased in various sizes for around $9.99 a pair or can also be easily made from a 2x4.  Simply cut to the appropriate length.  Set-up blocks are invaluable at the races when you want to make quick adjustments.  Many racers have established baseline set-ups for different types of tracks (i.e. dry/slick, tacky, etc.).  Creating set-up blocks for each these baseline set-ups makes it easy and quick to find your way back to a particular set-up. 

SmartTool

The SmartTool is one of our favorite old friends.  We were introduced to the SmartTool when we were road racing.  This handy little digital angle finder is just the ticket for everything from checking caster, camber, tilt and birdcage timing to wing angles and scale leveling.  The SmartTool is a tool that your sure to find in most racer’s toolboxes, from Nascar and the World of Outlaws down to the weekend warrior.  The SmartTool is available through www.speedpartz.com for $89.95.

Scales

Here is another item that you can either spend a lot or a little on.  You might wonder, why bother with scales when I have set-up blocks.  The simple reason is one of the inevitable truths of racing, at some point your going to crash.  If your chassis gets tweaked, using the set of blocks you always use will likely not create the same baseline set-up.  However, if you have scaled your car and have corner weights, you can use the scales to return to your baseline set-up.  If you would like at this point you can make new set-up blocks.  As noted earlier this is an item that you can spend a lot or a little on.  It is simply a matter of ease-of-use and convenience.  We sell Quantum Racing Scales which are available for $1095.  The set-up comes with four pads and allows you to do cross weights, percentages and features four modes (oval track, road racing, etc.).  If the $1095 is a little rich for your blood, a quality bathroom scale is also an option for many welterweight racing cars.  We have been using a bathroom scale with favorable results for the past several years.  It is important to make sure that you get a scale that will handle the corner weights.  With our mini-sprint we use a 280 pound scale.  We have created wooden pads for the wheels that are the same height as the scale.  We simply put the scale under one wheel and pads under the other four and record the corner weight for that wheel.  We then roll off the scales and the blocks and carry out the same process with the scale under a different corners wheels.  As noted a little earlier, a bit cumbersome, but it gets the job done.

The Odds and Ends

There are several little items that make the task of achieving your baseline set-up a little easier.  One item is a Sharpie marker.  We use this to mark a reference point on our radius rods and drag links.  If you’ve ever started turning on your radius rods or drag links to time a bird cage or put some angle in your front axle, you know how easy it is to lose count of the number of turns.  However, if you mark a line on the radius rod that serves as reference point, it is much easier to count the number of turns.  It is also important to have something to record your baseline set-up on.  We offer a free set-up sheet for both open wheel and closed wheel cars on our website (www.speedpartz.com) under the Tech Articles link.  I really encourage you to give this sheet a shot.  We’ve tried scratching notes on a sheet of paper which usually ends up laying in the bottom of the toolbox and is generally poorly organized and illegible, if we are able to find it again.  Using a sheet that has been designed for the purpose of recording such information seems to make it much easier to quickly find and assess the information the next time you need it.  I would strongly encourage investing in a three ring binder to store all of your set-up sheets. 

The importance of set-up is no secret.  Having the right set of tools to accomplish the job with speed and accuracy is sure to put you closer to victory lane.

Editors Note:  For more on achieving baseline set-ups and tuning for specific track conditions check-out Steve Smith’s Dwarf Car Technology or Mini-Sprint Modified Midget Chassis Technology on www.speedpartz.com.

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