Guide To Dynos
| A Guide to Dynos |
If you don’t know what a dynamometer is – it is simply a treadmill for cars. Just as a runner uses a treadmill in a gym, a tuner can use a dyno to simulate the road, without the car ever having to leave the garage. In addition to the advantage of driving the car above the speed limit, legally !!! a host of other possibilities emerge using a dyno. The car can be held at constant speed, constant load or more exciting things can be done such as 0 to 60, ¼ mile and max BHP measurement ! What to look for in buying a dyno:Power Handling:
Get a dyno that can stop a train ! The core of any dyno is it’s brake. The most basic of dynos use the inertia of the rollers like a brake and can derive the power and torque of the vehicle using an inertia equation. These days, however, most dynos do have a brake and the most common is the eddy current brake. In operation, the dyno computer controls the eddy current brake to load the car. This allows the operator to hold the car at constant load or do a power run. The most advanced dynos can even vary the braking load according to roller speed to simulate the wind resistance felt by the vehicle. Bear in mind the size of the eddy current brake when buying your dyno – a small one can over-heat and eventually burn out (if you are going to be holding the car at high BHP levels for long times, you need a big brake) Strength:
Make sure that you dyno is made from more metal than a bus ! This will ensure long life and strength to do the job. If your dyno is so light that it can be loaded into the back of a Transit Van, then it may not cope with the weight of a big car or a 0 to 60 / ¼ mile simulation ? Most dynos will handle the torque of a power run in 4th gear of an average vehicle and give a power graph. However, if you simulate a ¼ mile, then you will be putting 4 or 5 times more torque through your dyno. If it’s not beefy enough, then something will break. Software:
Rather “have it and not need it” than “need it and not have it” ! Many dynos are used for power runs and virtually all dyno software can do this. In the beginning, most users don’t want more power runs, however over time, you may wish to do more with your dyno such as ¼ mile, 0 to 60, constant load, urban simulation, etc. Make sure that the dyno you buy now has the software features that you may need tomorrow. Upgradability:
Two Wheels or Four ? You may start out with a 2WD dyno, but some can be upgraded to AWD (all wheel drive) later – make sure that your dyno is easy to upgrade. It is often more cost effective buying a 2WD unit to start out and see if your business warrants an AWD upgrade. Bi-directional: (only relevant to 2WD dynos)
Back or Front Wheel Drive ? To easily handle front wheel drive and back wheel drive vehicles a dyno that can run in both directions is very handy because you only ever need to access the dyno from one side. This makes mounting it just after your 4-poster pretty convenient if need be. Price:
These days, a good dyno is cheaper than you think! £20k can get you in the door (Approx £500 per month for four years). Conclusion:
Well that’s all we have space for this time, but a bit about dreamscience before we go. Dreamscience teamed up with Mustang USA several years back to bring UK and Europe the ultimate dyno and we believe we’ve hit the nail on the head. A dyno really can be as simple or advanced as you want and is fast becoming an essential piece of kit in a modern workshop. I hope this article has been useful and for more information, certainly get in touch. Remember a dyno is for life, not just for Christmas
Adam Contoret
Director As featured in PS Retailer Magazine, 26th March 2008 |
