Hundreds of new product announcements cross the desks of PRI editors each month. Following are our top picks for May.

Billet Aluminum Pedal Boxes

PE Racing

peracing.com.au

Constructed from aircraft-quality billet aluminum, these pedal boxes from PE Racing in Sydney, Australia, are available in either two- or three-pedal configurations. One of the key selling points is a patented design that allows for an easy installation.
“The floor often needs no additional supporting structures. This results in a lighter and stiffer install,” said Daryl Perusic. “Pedal stiffness is what the driver actually feels, providing the much needed and direct feedback.”
The assembly can be mounted to a variety of bulkhead floor shapes and angles, and pedal adjustments can be made without removing mounting bolts or modifying the floor shape.
“The pedal assemblies can also be fitted up to our slider and sim kits. Sliders are ideal in endurance for driver changes, while the sim is ideal for training,” added Perusic.
The height, depth, and pitch angles of the pedals are all adjustable, along with the pedal ratios. The throttle can be activated with a cable or tied to a throttle-by-wire system. There’s also an adjustable brake bias.
“Adjustments are easy and do not affect critical mechanical alignments,” said Perusic. “The brake and clutch alignment of pushrods to master cylinders cannot deviate when pedal positions are adjusted.”

225 Mod-Twin Clutch for Subaru WRX

Advanced Clutch Technology (ACT)

advancedclutch.com

Subaru WRX drivers taking their factory clutch to the limit now have an option of upgrading to the 225 Mod-Twin clutch kit (push type) from Advanced Clutch Technology (ACT), Lancaster, California.
“The Subaru turbo four-cylinder engines make big power and have a lot of torsional vibration. They are notorious for being hard on clutches, specifically stripping out the splines in the hubs,” explained Rich Barsamian. “The problem? It was too difficult to get two spring-centered hubs in such a small space to adequately reduce torsional vibrations. We created a clutch that is completely modular, and both friction plates mount to one Mono Drive hub. The springs dampen the torsional vibration from the input shaft and extend life to the splines in the clutch hub.”
Features of the system include the Mono Drive modular hub and forged aluminum cover with Streetlite flywheel. The T1 version has a light pedal, while the T2 is slightly firmer. The clutch is designed to handle power levels beyond the capacity of the OEM transmission.
“This clutch will hold 625 to 910 lb.-ft. of torque at the crank,” added Barsamian. “It features increased spline life of the sprung hub, and the pedal feel is incredible.”

Special Chaser Taps

ARP

arp-bolts.com

Proper preparation of a cylinder block before assembly includes thoroughly cleaning all threaded apertures. ARP in Ventura, California, has expanded its specially designed chaser taps to include 22 different sizes in SAE and metric.
“Blocks may have sealant or other material caked up inside the threads,” explained Chris Raschke. “I’ve seen guys who have twisted the bolt off before it even touched the head, so it’s critical that you make sure the holes are clean.”
Iron blocks can have rust buildup on the threads that a wire brush or other cleaning tool can’t remove. Also, it’s not a good idea to use a conventional tap on the threads.
“You don’t want to take out any more material than you need, especially on older blocks, because you may be on the edge of losing the thread,” Raschke explained. “Taps range in size because of the classification of the thread, and one may remove more material than another. These chasers are classed to work alongside our fasteners.”
Engine builders can also take advantage of ARP’s Ultra-Torque fastener lubricant to obtain accurate fastener preloading. Lab tests show this lubricant to be superior to oil, moly, and other substances in delivering 95–100% of the desired preload in the first pull of the torque wrench.

Conical Valve Springs

PAC Racing

racingsprings.com

PAC Racing in Southfield, Michigan, has released three new conical valve springs to service various applications from hydraulic flat tappet to roller lifter.
“There are several advantages to conical springs: First, and most obvious, is the moving end of the spring is smaller and lighter. This allows for a smaller and lighter retainer,” explained Chris Osborn. “Any time you can reduce the mass of the moving side of the spring, you get more control over the valve and can rev the engine higher.”
Conical springs also will have a more variable rate. And third, the spring coils will get additional damping due to the fact that coils will tend to nest inside themselves—especially as they get closer to coil bind.
“This is due to the continually variable diameter of the conical shape. You don’t get that with a traditional beehive spring,” added Osborn.
The three springs are PAC-1421 with an open load of 425 pounds, PAC-1422 with an open load of 505 pounds, and PAC-1423 with an open load of 395 pounds.
“We have one Stock Eliminator racer who put a set on to start this year. He reported a gain of a few more horsepower and additional rpm out of the engine,” said Osborn. “He is excited, thinking this will allow gear changes that will allow him to set a new national record.”

Electric Water Pumps

Aeromotive

aeromotiveinc.com

With three fitment variations—including five engine-specific, a radiator mount, and a universal mount—Aeromotive in Lenexa, Kansas, offers a wide-ranging lineup of billet aluminum, brushless electric water pumps for performance vehicle applications.
According to Shawn Wessol, the team at Aeromotive is excited about this new line due to the water pumps’ light weight and higher flowing results shown in testing. “It also gave our Aeromotive engineers a new platform to showcase their skills. Of course, like our fuel system product line, these water pumps have been heavily tested and manufactured to the highest standards.”
The engine-specific pumps apply to the Chevy small block, Chevy big block, GM LS, Ford Coyote, and Mopar Gen III Hemi platforms. Weights range from 6.6 to 8.04 pounds, and the free-flow rates are from 35 to 50 GPM at 13.5 volts.
The radiator-mount pump weighs 6.1 pounds and has a 60-GPM rate, while the universal mount weighs 4.3 pounds with a 27-GPM rate.
The pumps are optimized for motorsports classes like Top Sportsman, drag-and-drive, Formula Drift, Baja prerunners, Ultra 4, and more.

Universal Kill Switch

Wehrli Custom Fabrication

wcfab.com

Designed for competition truck and tractor pulling, this billet kill switch from Wehrli Custom Fabrication in DeKalb, Illinois, interrupts the ground circuit of the ignition, fuel pump, ECM, or other required electronic device when triggered by the sled operator.
“We’ve been heavily involved as truck-pull competitors and specifically with the Illini State Pullers sanctioning. In that time, we’ve seen a real need for a high-quality electrical kill switch to specifically address the needs of truck and tractor pulling organizations,” said Jason Wehrli. “Too many of the options out there for conventional race vehicles just don’t work because of the unique requirements that the sled poses when connected to the vehicle.”
The switch housing is constructed from billet aluminum and features tapped mounting holes. There’s also a zip-tie mount point to act as a safety check and secondary method to retain the 2.5-inch pull ring, which meets sanctioning body rules for connecting to the sled hook.
For diesel-specific applications, the switch runs together with a mechanical turbo air knife/guillotine/shutter switch which is activated by the same winch on the sled. When needed, this activation will close airflow to the compressor inlet to help prevent a runaway. The switch is compatible with 6-/12-/16-/24-volt systems.

75/76 Series Pro Filter II

Russell

russellperformance.com

Designed for optimum fuel filtration without the pressure loss often seen in other designs, the new 75 and 76 Series of Pro Filter II filters are available from Russell, Olive Branch, Mississippi. These filters have been tested on both carbureted and EFI applications, and they’re compatible with ethanol-added fuels.
The 76 Series “Big Russ” Pro Filters are targeted at high-horsepower street and race vehicles with engines rated at 2,000-plus horsepower. They measure 6.5 inches long and are available with -10, -12 or -16 AN hose ends.
The 75 Series filters are 4.0 inches long and are designed for street vehicles with less than 750 horsepower. They’re available with -06, -08 and -10 AN hose ends.
Filter replacement is easy with the aluminum cases that feature threaded ends and O-ring seals. Filter elements are available in 10-, 40-, and 100-microns for both series.