It’s easy to understand why someone would want to get a chassis dynamometer. After all, it’s the best way to test your car’s performance, and with today’s technology, you can do some pretty accurate tests on it. However, as with anything else in life, certain precautions should be taken when using one of these machines. In this post, we’ll go over some tips on how to take care of your dyno so that you get the most out of it for years to come!
1. Grease the shafts and bearings at least every 600 hours of use.
The most important thing to remember about greasing the chassis dynamometer is that you should grease the shafts and bearings at least every 600 hours of use. The best time to do this is after every 50 hours of use, and you should apply grease to both the shaft and bearing surfaces, not just on the rollers.
2. Always inspect the wheels, hubs, and axles before each test.
Your chassis dynamometer is a large, expensive piece of machinery. It’s important to regularly inspect it and make sure that it’s in good working order. This will help you avoid any damage or wear and tear on your equipment, which ultimately keeps the cost of testing down for your customers. If something does break down during a test, there are some things you can do to prolong the life of your machine:
- Check for cracks or other damage in the tires. If you find any cracks or holes in one or more of your tires, replace them as soon as possible so that they don’t lead to bigger problems with another tire blowout during use!
- Check all bolts on hubs and axles before each test run; tighten any loose ones (and replace them if necessary).
- Inspect bearings carefully before using—you don’t want anything causing friction when rotating at high speeds!
3. Operate within the maximum speed rating.
While the maximum speed rating is not a hard limit, you should nonetheless try to operate within it. The maximum speed rating is designed to protect the chassis dynamometer from damage and ensure that it can handle any load that you put on it.
If you’re unsure how fast to run your dyno, or if any specific parameters need to be followed when running at high speeds, check with your manufacturer. You can also use the maximum speed as a guideline for how fast you should operate your dyno to avoid damaging it or yourself.
4. Don’t run excessive horsepower through the unit.
When it comes to dyno testing, you can’t just swap out the horsepower rating and expect your unit to last. Make sure that you have a chassis dynamometer that is powerful enough for your application. If you are planning on running large amounts of power through the unit, consider upgrading to a higher HP version or purchasing a larger dyno altogether.
If you have any questions about this topic or other things related to chassis dynamometers, feel free to call us at (503) 728-0460
5. Keep your dynamometer area clean and free of debris that could damage the unit.
In addition to keeping your chassis dynamometer clean and free of debris that could damage the unit, there are several other ways to preserve its life:
- Don’t leave tools lying around. It’s very easy for something like a spark plug socket or tire gauge to be left lying on the ground long enough that it can become lodged under the chassis dynamometer. This will cause damage as well as make it difficult for you to push your car back into place in between runs.
- Don’t leave oily rags on the floor. If you’ve got an oily rag hanging off your toolbox, try putting it somewhere else instead of leaving it on the floor where it might get stepped on or dragged across by one of your cars being pushed out onto their test course! Similarly, if you need an extra rag for cleaning up spills during testing sessions (which happens more often than I’d like), put them in a bucket instead of leaving them all over my shop floor!
6. Perform a pre-test inspection of your vehicle before testing on the dyno for problems that might cause damage to the unit during testing (e.g., bad tires, oil leaks, etc.).
- Perform a pre-test inspection of your vehicle before testing on the dyno for problems that might cause damage to the unit during testing (e.g., bad tires, oil leaks, etc.).
- Check tire pressure and tread depth.
- Check battery voltage while running with headlights on at night.
- Check belts and hoses.
- Make sure there are no fuel system issues or leaks (fuel or oil).
7. Regularly service your conditioning fan motor and belt, as well as the fan itself.
- Regularly service your conditioning fan motor and belt, as well as the fan itself.
- Use a standard cooling schedule while operating your dyno.
- Use caution when towing vehicles onto the dyno and do not tow vehicles that are capable of accidental rollaway with engine RPMs above idle in drive or reverse gears until they are securely strapped down on the dyno bed plates with the parking brake engaged.
8. Use a standard cooling schedule while operating your dyno (i.e., 15 minutes at high cooling fan speed followed by 2 minutes of rest, or at least twice per hour).
The cooling fan speed should be set to high for 15 minutes, followed by 2 minutes of rest.
The cooling fan speed should be set to medium for 15 minutes, followed by 2 minutes of rest.
The cooling fan speed should be set to low for a minimum of 15 minutes, followed by 2 minutes of rest.
The cooling fan speed should be set to high for a minimum of 2 minutes
9. Use caution when towing vehicles onto the dyno and do not tow vehicles that are capable of accidental rollaway with engine RPMs above idle in drive or reverse gears until they are securely strapped down on the dyno bed plates with the parking brake engaged.
When towing a vehicle onto the dyno and during dyno testing, it is important to always use caution when handling vehicles with passengers inside or nearby. It is also important not to tow vehicles that are capable of accidental rollaway with engine RPMs above idle in drive or reverse gears until they are securely strapped down on the dyno bed plates with the parking brake engaged. The same goes for any other moving parts such as steering axles, suspensions, steering racks, etc., which can cause serious injury if there’s an accident and/or damage if hit by another vehicle (such as ours).
Take good care of your chassis dynamometer, and it will last you a long time
There are many ways to take care of your chassis dynamometer, and we’ve compiled a list of the top five tips.
- Don’t run excessive horsepower through it.
- Don’t run at excessive speed through it.
- Don’t run an excessive load through it (weight and torque).
- Keep your dynamometer area clean and free of debris that could damage the unit.
Conclusion
You can’t expect to get the most out of your chassis dynamometer if it’s not in good working order. By taking these nine steps to care for your dyno, you’ll ensure that it has a long life and stays reliable. Follow these recommendations, and you’ll be able to use your dyno for many years without any problems!
