In Part 1 of Nut Case, we talked about the importance of using high-quality fasteners and covered the ins and outs of aircraft bolts. In Part 2, we’ll look at the hardware used to secure those bolts, starting with nuts. The nuts in airplane applications usually have no identification on them, but they are manufactured
[portfolio_slideshow id=31747] There’s something troubling about seeing automotive nuts, bolts, and other fasteners that have been chosen simply because they look good. After all, the nuts and bolts used to stick parts together onto your hot rod or truck are absolutely critical. For fasteners that work (and work well), look no further than the aircraft
Banging gears with a manual transmission is fun—if your clutch is up to the abuse, that is. When it’s time to replace or upgrade your clutch, these two dozen tried and true clutch, pressure plate, and flywheel tech tips and tricks will come in mighty handy. Here’s the collection: Play Ball If your car
In these days of cars with power everything, the idea of converting a car to manual steering might seem quaint. But there are instances where manual steering is better than a power setup. For example, manual steering on a drag race car will save weight and free up a couple horsepower (no power steering pump
By the 1970s, racers knew big roller-cammed motors ran a whole bunch better when converted from a points distributor to an electronic one. Those long duration roller motors idled better and seemed easier to tune with a good electronic setup. Another plus: engines like the big block Chevy—a known spark plug killer—actually became easier on
To build engines, you have to have tools. To build an engine properly, you need the proper tools. If you’re new to the high performance game and are building your first engine, we’ve compiled a list of twelve tools from our personal toolbox that ought to be in yours. None of these pieces are earth-shattering
[portfolio_slideshow id=27694] Back in the early 1960s, the best tire you could get for a street/strip car was the Atlas Bucron. The Bucron was basically a retread bias-ply tire with a stickier tread compound. A fast street machine was hard pressed to break into the fifteens with a set of Bucrons, but they were the
[portfolio_slideshow id=27531] Some call it a harmonic balancer. Others refer to it as a harmonic damper. Whatever you call it, that big chunk of metal hanging off the crankshaft snout of your engine is essential to your powerplant’s wellbeing and performance. Its job is to absorb harmonics, so from here-on-out we’ll refer to it as a harmonic damper (its only true
[portfolio_slideshow id=26782] Back in the day, if you needed the toughest, most-capable differential on the street, you ran a Detroit Locker. When you want the same kind of differential today, the choice is still a Detroit Locker. It’s the most durable and dependable locking differential available. The Detroit Locker is an automatic locking differential that
[portfolio_slideshow id=26717] When it comes to steering systems, rack and pinion systems are light years ahead of the recirculating ball steering boxes found in our favorite 1960s and ‘70s muscle cars and trucks. A recirculating ball steering box system is heavy, bulky, and complex, especially when you factor in the steering linkage. In sharp contrast
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