FACTORY DIRECT SUPPORT
Check back often for ideas and suggestions regarding the Hyper Chassis Micro Sprint, provided for you, the Hyper Chassis Owner, direct from the Hyper Factory based on the questions we get and information we want to share.
Need basic setups? Make sure to follow our setup sheet and advice on the Setups page.
Frame Safety Updates
From December 2022 and on, all 600cc chassis are being built with an additional Left Rear Frame Upright. We highly recommend adding the new Left Rear Upright to your Hyper 600cc frame. All cars built from 2007 and up can use this update. Left Rear Cage Upright.
Also, the rear cage gussets are now longer and larger to further increase cage stiffness. Other Frame Updates.
Additionally, from March 2023 and up, 1-1/4" x .083" wall main frame cage tubing is now standard. Provisions will be made to help the frame from being too stiff on frontal impacts with the stiffer tube.
Jacobs Ladder Paddle Length
We offer 9", 9-1/2”, 10”, 10-1/2”, 11” & 12” length paddles. A longer paddle does not change the roll center position. It moves the right rear bearing carrier out farther away from the frame and closer to the right rear wheel. This increases the wheel rate (effective spring rate) and shock rate for greater stability, consistency, and predictability of the chassis especially on a cushion or a rough track. On a smooth slick track, this advantage would be very minimal, almost non-existent.
Our 2023 cars come standard with a 12” paddle when configured with a brake floater. 2022 and older models came with a 10” paddle standard with the brake floater configuration. When using the right side brake configuration a 9-1/2” paddle needs to be used on cars with the 2 hole Jacob's ladder frome tabs (2021 and back) or else the right rear tire cannot be positioned at the preferred 16-1/4” out. On the 3 hole frame tabs (2022 & newer or retro fitted cars), you can use a 10" paddle if running the ladder in the preferred furthest hole to the left.
On the 2022 and newer model year Hyper 600 chassis, the Jacob’s ladder tabs have been changed to have 3 hole positions on the top and the bottom frame tab. The new hole locations enable the Jacob's ladder straps to be mounted farther to the left which will move the rear roll center to the left without having to run different length straps. We are having great success running the straps in the new tab holes farthest to the left on the top and the bottom in combination with the 10" right side brake or 12” paddle when using a brake floater.
If you have an older car you can upgrade to the newer tabs: T-581 & T-591. For the lower tab, we weld two of them together to get a 3/8” thick tab. We do this because the laser cutter has difficulty cutting through a 3/8” thick piece of steel. The holes become very inaccurate. You can also purchase the entire 2022 X7 600cc Jacob's ladder Tab Kit 96-103.
Rear Torsion Arms
The standard rear torsion arms for our ’07 & Up 600s are 40-1725 (LR) & 40-175 (RR). ’12 and older cars came standard with a 40-171 or 40-172 offset right rear arm. In 2013 we offset the right rear torsion tube on the rack 3” to eliminate the need for an offset torsion arm on the right rear.
If you have issues bending the torsion arms for no apparent reason, please run our HD torsion arms: 40-1725HD and 40-175HD. We do not recommend steel arms. While they do stop the bending problems, they also flex more in the vertical axis which is not good.
When setting up your rear axle, it is important to locate the shackles (the short links that connect the torsion arm to the bearing carriers) close to the center of the bearing carrier. They don't have to be exactly center, just off the side a bit so they don't bind up and the rear travels through its motion. To get them in the center you may have to offset the torsion arm especially if you are running one of the longer paddles. Going to an 11” paddle may require the right rear arm to be offset 1”. The arms bend fairly easily in a press.
It also is better to position the left rear bearing carrier out to the left close to the sprocket carrier. This will enable the use of short spacers on the nylon block (1/2”) and it will provide better roll left control and bump control. You may have to offset the left rear arm to achieve this.
The Brake Floater
We only recommend the short wheelbase configuration for drivers under 150 pounds. Heavier drivers than this will suffer from having too much rear weight bias which will make the car very inconsistent.
Achieving Enough Counter Steer
Make sure you have enough counter steer, especially on the coil over front chassis. A minimum of 40 degrees is required and 45 is preferred for wingless. If the left front tire hits the coil spring or torsion arm before enough counter-steer is reached, you should go to a 5 on 2 left front wheel, and/or consider shifting the front axle to the left.
Measure countersteer like this:
Avoiding Jacob's Ladder Bind on the X6-X7
For owners of our X4 through X7 Jacob's ladder wishbone chassis, it is very important that the rear axle be positioned at the correct location to avoid Jacob's ladder bind. With the rear axle on 2-3/4" blocks, the Jacob's ladder should be in the middle of its free play. You can start with the wishbone (bottom hole mount) 23-3/8" (center to center) long. Square the axle by adjusting the length of the left side wishbone. The right side wishbone may be cut shorter in order to achieve this condition. Cut up to .125" (1/8") off each end. Do not cut so much that you weaken the weld holding in the rod end inserts.
Jacob's Ladder Mounting Holes
Start with the Jacob’s ladder mounted in the left side frame mount hole on the top and the bottom using an 11” paddle and the brake floater. The 3 hole frame tabs work best. We started using these in 2022. Upgrade your frame if you can.
We generally recommend starting in the 3 hole on the Jacob’s Ladder paddle for winged and wingless racing. If you have the old frame tabs, start in the 5 hole for wingless.
For heavier drivers and on wet/rough tracks, you may need to go to the 1 hole.
The 1 hole will make the car looser, the 5 hole will make the car tighter.
We also have different length straps: 4-5/8” and 5-3/8”. These are not needed so much now that we have the 3 hole frame tabs. But you can use these to get the roll center lower by running the 4-5/8” strap on the bottom and 5-3/8” on the top.
Chain Tension Notes
New shocks and shock combinations are always being developed. Some of these shocks are exclusive to Hyper Racing. Call Jim Radney at the shop to get the latest recommendation on shocks.
Rear Panhard Mounting for More Consistent Handling
Mounting the rear panhard bar in the center of the left rear bearing carrier on the 04-162 clevis yields a more consistent car that hooks up better. With the lower mount, and the panhard bar on a clevis, the roll center moves to the right about 1 inch and down about 1". Moving the roll center to the right keeps the car from "rolling over center" or getting balled up tight on the right rear, yet still keeps the car hooked up with the roll center low. To make this change use the clevis and a shorter 03-170 17" rear panhard bar. The rear panhard bar length may be slightly different depending on the chassis set up.
Check, Check and Recheck!
Many times, issues and problems are entirely preventable! Download our set up sheets, set up manual, and assembly manual. Here are some common issues that can cause major headaches if ignored:
If you have an adjustable seat bar, make sure you have #10 bolts or some kind of pin in the ends of the seat bar. Otherwise there is a risk of the bar sliding out the side in an accident.
Steering Bolts
Make sure you check your bolts in the universal joints, because they tend to work loose. The universals come from the factory with set screws in them. We recommend taking out these set screws and use hex head bolts (1/4-20 x 1/2" with a jam nut). If using power steering, loctite the set screws in the upper steering shaft and check them regularly.
40 Below or Champion Cold Blue
If you are having problems running hot: Many customers have great success with Cold Blue by Champion Oils or Water Wetter. Mix 1 can into your distilled water. DO NOT use with coolant.
Seat Belts
Please check your seat belts every couple of races for seat belt fraying. We have seen several cars come into the shop where the seat belts started fraying where the lower rear sheet metal contacts the belt webbing.
Front Spring Rate
Be careful on rough tracks that you don't make the front end too stiff. When this happens, the front end will lose compliance (lose touch) with the track and cause the car to be unpredictable and push for what seems like no reason. A stiff front end is good on a smooth slick track to make the car tighter on exit, but be careful.
Mike Dicely's Final Word About Making Changes
One thing I noticed at the tracks is that racers have a tendency to not make big enough changes on their cars as the night goes on and the track changes. Adding 2 turns for coil over or 1/2 to 1 turn for torsion to the left rear to make a change will not make a change that you will notice. Don't go to the track thinking you are not going to change much. It is half a guessing game. I have been racing micro sprints for 35 years and still have to guess at exactly what setup to put on. I don't always get it right, but when I miss, I learn, remember, and try not to let it happen again.
Need basic setups? Make sure to follow our setup sheet and advice on the Setups page.
Frame Safety Updates
From December 2022 and on, all 600cc chassis are being built with an additional Left Rear Frame Upright. We highly recommend adding the new Left Rear Upright to your Hyper 600cc frame. All cars built from 2007 and up can use this update. Left Rear Cage Upright.
Also, the rear cage gussets are now longer and larger to further increase cage stiffness. Other Frame Updates.
Additionally, from March 2023 and up, 1-1/4" x .083" wall main frame cage tubing is now standard. Provisions will be made to help the frame from being too stiff on frontal impacts with the stiffer tube.
Jacobs Ladder Paddle Length
We offer 9", 9-1/2”, 10”, 10-1/2”, 11” & 12” length paddles. A longer paddle does not change the roll center position. It moves the right rear bearing carrier out farther away from the frame and closer to the right rear wheel. This increases the wheel rate (effective spring rate) and shock rate for greater stability, consistency, and predictability of the chassis especially on a cushion or a rough track. On a smooth slick track, this advantage would be very minimal, almost non-existent.
Our 2023 cars come standard with a 12” paddle when configured with a brake floater. 2022 and older models came with a 10” paddle standard with the brake floater configuration. When using the right side brake configuration a 9-1/2” paddle needs to be used on cars with the 2 hole Jacob's ladder frome tabs (2021 and back) or else the right rear tire cannot be positioned at the preferred 16-1/4” out. On the 3 hole frame tabs (2022 & newer or retro fitted cars), you can use a 10" paddle if running the ladder in the preferred furthest hole to the left.
On the 2022 and newer model year Hyper 600 chassis, the Jacob’s ladder tabs have been changed to have 3 hole positions on the top and the bottom frame tab. The new hole locations enable the Jacob's ladder straps to be mounted farther to the left which will move the rear roll center to the left without having to run different length straps. We are having great success running the straps in the new tab holes farthest to the left on the top and the bottom in combination with the 10" right side brake or 12” paddle when using a brake floater.
If you have an older car you can upgrade to the newer tabs: T-581 & T-591. For the lower tab, we weld two of them together to get a 3/8” thick tab. We do this because the laser cutter has difficulty cutting through a 3/8” thick piece of steel. The holes become very inaccurate. You can also purchase the entire 2022 X7 600cc Jacob's ladder Tab Kit 96-103.
Rear Torsion Arms
The standard rear torsion arms for our ’07 & Up 600s are 40-1725 (LR) & 40-175 (RR). ’12 and older cars came standard with a 40-171 or 40-172 offset right rear arm. In 2013 we offset the right rear torsion tube on the rack 3” to eliminate the need for an offset torsion arm on the right rear.
If you have issues bending the torsion arms for no apparent reason, please run our HD torsion arms: 40-1725HD and 40-175HD. We do not recommend steel arms. While they do stop the bending problems, they also flex more in the vertical axis which is not good.
When setting up your rear axle, it is important to locate the shackles (the short links that connect the torsion arm to the bearing carriers) close to the center of the bearing carrier. They don't have to be exactly center, just off the side a bit so they don't bind up and the rear travels through its motion. To get them in the center you may have to offset the torsion arm especially if you are running one of the longer paddles. Going to an 11” paddle may require the right rear arm to be offset 1”. The arms bend fairly easily in a press.
It also is better to position the left rear bearing carrier out to the left close to the sprocket carrier. This will enable the use of short spacers on the nylon block (1/2”) and it will provide better roll left control and bump control. You may have to offset the left rear arm to achieve this.
The Brake Floater
- The brake floater is a factor in determining how far back you can get the seat. If you are a tall driver who needs the seat back as far as possible, the brake floater may not be desirable. The right side brake will get the brake rotor out from behind the seat so that the seat can move back several inches further.
- In the axle forward position, the brake floater will get into the seat even more unless you have the seat front pretty far or up higher for a small driver. We only recommend the short wheelbase configuration for drivers under 150 pounds. Heavier drivers than this will suffer from having too much rear weight bias which will make the car very inconsistent.
- On chassis built before 2018, you cannot run the axle forward position with a brake floater because the rotor will hit the frame. On later models we moved the bottom cross bar forward to eliminate this issue.
- The advantage of running the brake floater is that you can position the right rear bearing carrier out closer to the wheel. This increases the wheel rate (effective spring rate) and shock rate for greater stability, consistency, and predictability of the chassis especially on a cushion or a rough track. On a smooth slick track, this advantage would be very minimal, almost non-existent.
We only recommend the short wheelbase configuration for drivers under 150 pounds. Heavier drivers than this will suffer from having too much rear weight bias which will make the car very inconsistent.
Achieving Enough Counter Steer
Make sure you have enough counter steer, especially on the coil over front chassis. A minimum of 40 degrees is required and 45 is preferred for wingless. If the left front tire hits the coil spring or torsion arm before enough counter-steer is reached, you should go to a 5 on 2 left front wheel, and/or consider shifting the front axle to the left.
Measure countersteer like this:
Avoiding Jacob's Ladder Bind on the X6-X7
For owners of our X4 through X7 Jacob's ladder wishbone chassis, it is very important that the rear axle be positioned at the correct location to avoid Jacob's ladder bind. With the rear axle on 2-3/4" blocks, the Jacob's ladder should be in the middle of its free play. You can start with the wishbone (bottom hole mount) 23-3/8" (center to center) long. Square the axle by adjusting the length of the left side wishbone. The right side wishbone may be cut shorter in order to achieve this condition. Cut up to .125" (1/8") off each end. Do not cut so much that you weaken the weld holding in the rod end inserts.
Jacob's Ladder Mounting Holes
Start with the Jacob’s ladder mounted in the left side frame mount hole on the top and the bottom using an 11” paddle and the brake floater. The 3 hole frame tabs work best. We started using these in 2022. Upgrade your frame if you can.
We generally recommend starting in the 3 hole on the Jacob’s Ladder paddle for winged and wingless racing. If you have the old frame tabs, start in the 5 hole for wingless.
For heavier drivers and on wet/rough tracks, you may need to go to the 1 hole.
The 1 hole will make the car looser, the 5 hole will make the car tighter.
We also have different length straps: 4-5/8” and 5-3/8”. These are not needed so much now that we have the 3 hole frame tabs. But you can use these to get the roll center lower by running the 4-5/8” strap on the bottom and 5-3/8” on the top.
Chain Tension Notes
- We do not recommend running chain tensioners on our cars. Our wishbone setup in combination with the location of the front sprocket enables the car to roll without the chain changing tension very much. Only the nylon chain guide block that mounts to the left rear bearing carrier is needed. It needs to be adjusted up against the rear sprocket. When you change sprockets the chain guide block needs to be moved to match the sprocket.
- To properly set chain tension, the car needs to be set up (rear axle square, blocked, and turns set) and on the ground race ready. First align the rear sprocket with the front sprocket with a straight edge on the rear sprocket. If the front sprocket appears to be at an angle to this straight edge, check your engine spacers to be sure the engine is in the car correctly. You may need to swap spacers around (we have down to 1/8” spacers) to move the sprocket carrier on the rear axle.
- Once the sprockets are aligned then you can put on the chain and adjust the tension. Do this by sliding the engine front until there is about 1" of free play in the chain. Once the free play is set, lock the engine down by tightening the three engine bolts. Then crank an extra turn into the engine jacker bolt. This pre-loads the engine in the front position so the force of the chain under load does not pull the engine back and loosen the chain while you race.
- Make sure the chain guide block is centered on the chain. Do this by changing the length of the spacers that hold the chain block out from the bearing carrier plate.
- Make sure the Chain Guide Block is slid up against (within 1/16") the sprocket. If it is not, the chain will skip. If you change sprockets, the guide block needs to be reset.
New shocks and shock combinations are always being developed. Some of these shocks are exclusive to Hyper Racing. Call Jim Radney at the shop to get the latest recommendation on shocks.
Rear Panhard Mounting for More Consistent Handling
Mounting the rear panhard bar in the center of the left rear bearing carrier on the 04-162 clevis yields a more consistent car that hooks up better. With the lower mount, and the panhard bar on a clevis, the roll center moves to the right about 1 inch and down about 1". Moving the roll center to the right keeps the car from "rolling over center" or getting balled up tight on the right rear, yet still keeps the car hooked up with the roll center low. To make this change use the clevis and a shorter 03-170 17" rear panhard bar. The rear panhard bar length may be slightly different depending on the chassis set up.
Check, Check and Recheck!
Many times, issues and problems are entirely preventable! Download our set up sheets, set up manual, and assembly manual. Here are some common issues that can cause major headaches if ignored:
- RF wheel offset should generally be 3/4" to 1-1/4” to the right. RF & LF wheel should be 4" outer half with 3" inner half or a 2” inner with a 5” outer half. 5 on 2 for small tracks and wingless when using a 40-1/2” wide front axle. On 1/4 mile or larger tracks you will need a 4 on 3 on the RF when winged or the car will not point into the turn correctly due to insufficient weight on the RF.
- Make sure your shocks are good! Spin the shaft to check for straightness. With the eye of the shock up, fully extend the shock, then push in slowly at first to check for air bubbles. Get shocks dynoed to make sure they are what they are supposed to be. Read the article entitled Shocks: A Mystery No More for an in-depth look at shocks.
- Check your rear shackles. On the X4 and X6 bearing carriers, make the left rear 4” center to center and the right rear 3-1/4”. On the X7 bearing carriers, start with 5” on the right rear and 6” on the left. Shackle length sets the arm angle.
- Check for binds in rod ends, rods, bearings, etc.
- Read and understand the setup sheets. If you have any questions, please contact us and ask.
- Grind your tires. Make sure you have good edges. The friction your tire generates means everything.
- If your chain is skipping, keep the nylon block up against the sprocket. Anything more than a 1/16" may cause your chain to skip.
- If going to softer bars in the rear, add turns to keep your ride height where it was.
If you have an adjustable seat bar, make sure you have #10 bolts or some kind of pin in the ends of the seat bar. Otherwise there is a risk of the bar sliding out the side in an accident.
Steering Bolts
Make sure you check your bolts in the universal joints, because they tend to work loose. The universals come from the factory with set screws in them. We recommend taking out these set screws and use hex head bolts (1/4-20 x 1/2" with a jam nut). If using power steering, loctite the set screws in the upper steering shaft and check them regularly.
40 Below or Champion Cold Blue
If you are having problems running hot: Many customers have great success with Cold Blue by Champion Oils or Water Wetter. Mix 1 can into your distilled water. DO NOT use with coolant.
Seat Belts
Please check your seat belts every couple of races for seat belt fraying. We have seen several cars come into the shop where the seat belts started fraying where the lower rear sheet metal contacts the belt webbing.
Front Spring Rate
Be careful on rough tracks that you don't make the front end too stiff. When this happens, the front end will lose compliance (lose touch) with the track and cause the car to be unpredictable and push for what seems like no reason. A stiff front end is good on a smooth slick track to make the car tighter on exit, but be careful.
Mike Dicely's Final Word About Making Changes
One thing I noticed at the tracks is that racers have a tendency to not make big enough changes on their cars as the night goes on and the track changes. Adding 2 turns for coil over or 1/2 to 1 turn for torsion to the left rear to make a change will not make a change that you will notice. Don't go to the track thinking you are not going to change much. It is half a guessing game. I have been racing micro sprints for 35 years and still have to guess at exactly what setup to put on. I don't always get it right, but when I miss, I learn, remember, and try not to let it happen again.