Tuesday, November 24, 2009
Check it out! Wiseco's forged clutch components were named one of Dirt Bike Magazine's products of the year!
Friday, November 13, 2009
Wiseco's pistons continue to wow the crowds and our customers! Check out some achievements from our customers.
Jay Norris of Norris racing engines had this to say about his latest set of custom pistons on Wiseco’s Quick 16 forging. Jay’s 532ci Dart pro 1 headed test mule produced 984 hp and 747 torque with a small carb., .775 lift bracket cam, and 13.9:1 compression. The engine was just off the dyno and he wrote us a letter with the results: '“I was very impressed with the dimensional accuracy and consistency, along with better than excellent surface finish. The ring lands were so flat that we registered over 22in. vacuum on this wet sump system (we actually had to change pulleys in order to slow down the pump). MY COMPLIMENTS ON A JOB WELL DONE! It is refreshing to see a manufacturer actually listen and perform accordingly instead of the usual “we can’t do that because…”'
Two Brother’s Racing in Tempe Arizona are long time users Wiseco pistons in their Turbo Supra builds. They’re currently the 2nd fastest 6 speed Supra (with a relatively un-lightened car) running 8.20’s at 183! They’ve got a few things up their sleeve for the upcoming year, but their stroker 2jz currently produces in the neighborhood of 1700 wheel horsepower (283hp per cylinder!). They pull their engines down for inspection roughly every 100 runs and report “Wiseco pistons look really great and we just put them back in again!” No doubt their excellent tuning contributes to this, but the Supra crowd continues to amaze.
Long time customer Aaron Bunch at ATS racing of Denton Texas reports their latest 2311cc 3sgte build (1993cc’s standard) spooled a gt38 turbo at 3500rpm (about 1000 rpm sooner than normal!). He’s up to 480 at the wheels on pump gas which is 3 times the power of a stock engine! He also reports many of his crew has gotten into stand up jet ski’s lately. They’ve got Wiseco’s in those as well and they the prop off with roughly 175 horsepower!
Good job guys, keep pushing it!
Tuesday, October 27, 2009
See the successes of using Wiseco product and what we've been up to during the racing season.
The Hoosier Outlaw Sprint Series had its final 2009 Points event in September at Baer Field Speedway. Tim Cox of Park City, Illinois won the race and the Championship. We appreciate Wiseco's support through out the past years.
Thanks to you and Wiseco for all the help with our Enduro Engineering Honda CRF250X project. Tom Webb of Dirt Bike Magazine came to the UP300 to cover the event and do the test. The bike was great the clutch problems that we experienced early in our testing with the stock clutch was completely fixed with your clutch components. We here at Enduro Engineering look forward to working with you and Wiseco in the future.
Tuesday, October 20, 2009
SPOTTED! Hot Rod Magazine 2010 Camaro prowling around Wiseco
A blood red 2010 Camaro with "Hot Rod Test Car" on its doors was seen prowling around Wiseco’s proving grounds this morning. Rumors persist this machine may be part of some secret Wiseco skunkworks project. In a statement, local man John Milner was quoted as saying: "The thing pulled in around 4 a.m. Monday morning. It was dark and all I could see at first was the halo headlights….followed by the unmistakable rumble of a cammed up LS3. There was rubber all over the back fenders…as if it had just driven itself up from the GM performance LSX shootout or somethin’." Normally the car rarely leaves its lair in Houston Texas- the School of Automotive Machinists compound. Elusive madman Ron Shearer of Shearer fabrications has also been seen on the grounds -leading to the speculation that some kind of demented transformation may be underway to turn it into a 440 cubic inch Twin Turbo Terror. We will continue to alert the general public as the story develops.
Thursday, September 24, 2009
Watch for the article in Dirt Bike Magazine!
Friday, September 4, 2009
Nissan's 370Z is a thing of beauty and power. Wiseco has the piston to give it the power it deserves.
This Wiseco piston kit retails for $1,048.92. It is available in 95.5mm and 96mm bore sizes with a 86mm stroke, 1.198" compression height, and 15.5cc dome- to give you 9:1 compression. Our kit includes rings, pins, clips, and pistons to make your build a breeze.
Check us out on the web at Wiseco.com!
Friday, August 28, 2009
You know the run-down of Wiseco's standard features and benefits. Well, these pistons have them all! It's made from a dedicated forging made in our Ohio forge shop for light weight and superior strength. We've designed it to give you maximum ring seal, compression, and control with a pressure seal groove and dedicated rings. Our ArmorGlide™ skirt coating reduces friction and wear. Brush deburred on the dome and valve beliefs to prevent detonation, Wiseco's Toyota Tacoma piston is the best choice for you.
It is offered in 95mm, 95.5mm, and 96mm bore sizes with a -10cc dome volume. All kits come complete with 1mm x 1.2mm x 2.8mm XX rings (stainless steel, gas nitride top ring; cast iron Napier hook second ring; and flex-vent oil ring with gas nitride scraper rails). All clips and pins are included as well to complete your engine quickly. Wiseco's kit for the Toyota Tacoma retails at $702.60. Give us a call or check out our website for more information.
Wednesday, August 26, 2009
Toyota’s Scion TC has proven itself in the racing ranks. Wiseco’s piston sets itself with extremely strong .300” ring lands and a specially designed dome/ reverse dome to compliment the combustion characteristics of the engine. Skirt coatings, offset pins, and oversize valve pockets make this the best forged piston available today. So many Wiseco features bring you BIG benefit!
Features & Benefits
Dedicated forgings -- Light weight, superior strength
Generous valve beliefs -- Allows more options for cam and valve choices
Dedicated rings -- Maximum compression and oil control
Brush de-burring -- Sharp edges removed from dome/ valve beliefs to help prevent detonation
Performance -- Pistons have wear and friction reducing skirt coating
K641M885 (88.5mm bore)
K641M89 (89mm bore)
K641M895 (89.5mm bore)
K641M90 (90mm bore)
All sizes have a 96mm stroke, 1.309" compression height, -2.9 dome volume, and 9:1 comopression.
Monday, August 24, 2009
Looking to give your Fit some power? We've got the answer at Wiseco! Awesome looking piston!
K637M73-- 89.4mm stroke, 1.029” compression ht.
Wednesday, August 19, 2009
EVO 10-- Give it more power! From Wiseco's famous sport comopact line.
K636M86-- 86.00mm bore-- 9:1 compression
K636M865-- 86.50mm bore-- 9:1 compression
K636M87 --87.00mm bore-- 9:1 compression
K636M88-- 88.00mm bore-- 9:1 compression
Tuesday, August 18, 2009
Get more Hemi power from Wiseco! Check them out!
Wiseco is the first in the industry to offer stroker pistons for the new 5.7 and 6.1 Hemi. These pistons have dedicated forgings, ArmorGlide™ skirt coatings, and nitrided rings. Our special skirt design and shape is perfect for street use or drag racing.
Wiseco’s new ArmorGlide™ brings you the ultimate in skirt coating toughness, lubrication, and bond technology working together to minimize friction, maximize horsepower, and provide improved wear resistance. It is a permanent skirt coating and allows the piston to be fitted tighter within the bore than non-coated pistons, bringing you better ring seal and reduced noise from piston rock. Check out our full line of 5.7 and 6.1 Hemi pistons to find what works best for you. Give us a call or contact us online at www.wiseco.com.
K465XS 3.917” bore -8cc dome volume 1.080” compression ht. 9:1 compression
K465X2 3.937” bore -8cc dome volume 1.080” compression ht. 9:1 compression
K468XS 3.917” bore +12cc dome volume 1.080” compression ht. 11:1 compression
K468X2 3.937” bore +12cc dome volume 1.080” compression ht. 11:1 compression
K466XS 3.917” bore +4cc dome volume 1.205” compression ht. 9:1 compression
K466X2 3.937” bore +4cc dome volume 1.205” compression ht. 9:1 compression
K467XS 3.917” bore +21cc dome volume 1.205” compression ht. 11:1 compression
K467X2 3.937” bore +21c dome volume 1.205” compression ht. 11:1 compression
Monday, August 17, 2009
Wiseco continues to add to its Chevy LS piston line! See how!
K464F3903-- 3.903” bore, -3cc dome volume, 1.110” comp. ht.
K464FS-- 4.000” bore, -3cc dome volume, 1.110” comp. ht.
K464F05-- 4.005” bore, -3cc dome volume, 1.110” comp. ht.
K464F3-- 4.030” bore, -3cc dome volume, 1.110” comp. ht.
K464F65-- 4.065” bore, -3cc dome volume, 1.110” comp. ht.
K464F7-- 4.070” bore, -3cc dome volume, 1.110” comp. ht.
Tuesday, August 4, 2009
Where is the horsepower? We have it here at Wiseco if you need it.
What are the other factors to consider when maximum horsepower is the goal?
Compression ratio and Dome/Dish volume determine combustion efficiency and resistance to detonation. Detonation can and will destroy any piston in short order. Lean conditions will melt any piston as any aluminum alloy melts within a few degrees of each other. Most of a piston's heat is dissipated through its contact with the cylinder wall and oil splash. Very short pistons and excessive clearance will melt a piston sooner. Static compression varies more than most people would believe. A piston running .020 down in the cylinder at tdc as opposed to "zero-deck" on a 64cc combustion chamber headed 350 Chevy changes the compression ratio from 10.25:1 TO 9.8:1.
People running compression ratios higher than 14:1 are not making more power if it means an increase in dome rise. More dome rise only hurts combustion efficiency which will loose more power than is gained by increasing compression. The current trend in Pro Stock, Winston cup, and others with big-budgets for engine development is to make the combustion chamber smaller and go to 12, 14, or 18 degree heads to make that happen. They are going for the shortest dome rise that gives them the compression they are looking for. The trend is to also use a bigger bore with a shorter stroke to put an engine at its best power potential for a given cubic-inch limit. One point to remember is a pro engine builder will never trade ring-seal for cubic inches from making a cylinder wall too thin.
Tuesday, July 28, 2009
Check out the success of Wiseco and K1 in the 360 AMC motor!
http://www.bangshift.com/blog/Attila-the-Jav-New-Parts-Spotlight.html
6-Spring Forged Clutch Basket for the 2009 CRF450R- Available only through Wiseco!
Monday, July 27, 2009
2-Stroke Pistons Keep Coming Out at Wiseco! Now- the KTM 144SX/ 150SX with ArmorGlide™ Skirt Coating
Friday, July 24, 2009
Thursday, July 23, 2009
Wiseco On Video and Radio- Check us out!
Tuesday, May 12 Pit Pass Radio
http://www.pitpassradio.com/?p=978
Dealer Expo Video- February 2009
Featuring our Off-Road/ ATV Market Segment Manager Chris Bollinger
http://www.mxpreview.com/editorials/templates/VideoView.aspx?articleid=140&zoneid=5
Racing with Wiseco at Ohio International Raceway!
Racer X
http://www.racerxonline.com/article/ohio-international-raceway-pro-day-results.aspx
Ohio International Raceway Website
http://www.handracing.com/
Wednesday, July 22, 2009
Exactly what you've been waiting for! 360 and 401 AMC Pistons.
Wiseco has added this exciting new lineup to the Pro Tru series of Sportsman type pistons, maintaining a pocket friendly price with high end durability and design. Using input from today’s leading AMC engine builders, Wiseco has released both a flat top and reverse dome piston for both the 360 and 401 engines in popular oversizes. With thicker decks and optimized ring lands, these pistons will easily handle a 250 HP nitrous system with proper tuning. These pistons kits come complete with Hastings plasma-moly rings and anti-friction skirt coatings, as well as HD pins and clips. Symmetrical valve pockets can accommodate today’s larger valve sizes and specialized cams. With dish and flat top offerings available, enthusiasts can tweak compression rations from 9.5:1 up to 13.5:1 with selected components.
AMC engines have always been potent performers. With today’s cylinder head and camshaft offerings, it has become obvious there is a need for stronger bottom end components. K1 Technologies has taken a long look at the AM OE rods and worked together with AMC racers to design a dedicated rod that corrects OE geometry issues, while dramatically improving the bottom end strength of today’s AMC engine builds. Using 4340 H-beam forgings paired with K1’s own proprietary asymmetrical thread design, ARP 2000 bolts, K1 has designed an extremely durable and lightweight rod able to handle horsepower levels these engines are capable of today.
Wiseco’s AMC piston kits come complete with rings, pins, and circlips needed for your engine. The kits retail at $767.85. K1 Technologies connecting rod kits retail at $538.63.
Tuesday, July 21, 2009
Power and Performance for your 2009 Kawasaki KX450F-- Only from Wiseco!
Monday, July 20, 2009
Get your Quick 16 On!
Designed with input from today’s leading engine builders and Pro Stock technology, Wiseco introduces its Quick 16 pistons for drag racing applications. These pistons meet the demands of today’s big valve, big cubic inch Sportsman series engines. Loaded with features, the piston includes anti-detonation grooves, 15° ‘Pro Stock’ pressure seal grooves, ArmorGlide™ skirt coating, reinforced decks, and profiled domes for Nitrous use.
Wiseco built these pistons on a ‘new generations’ dedicated forging designed to perform and last round after round- from weekly brackets to Super 16 shootouts. And since Wiseco produces all their forgings in-house, these pistons are light weight with extreme durability. The dome configuration is designed to maintain proper flame travel and desired compression rations needed for today’s extreme horsepower engines and exotic fuels. It’s designed to fit conventional heads from today’s leading manufacturers. Our new Quick 16 pistons have all the features expected for modern day race engines. These pistons are available in compression heights and ring packages for today’s most popular combinations and power adders. Check out more information at www.Wiseco.com or give our sales team at call at 800-321-1364. Our Quick 16 series pistons retail for $1,050.50 per kit.
Ready To Go! GM 2.0 LSJ/ LFN Piston Kits
Friday, July 17, 2009
10.5:1 High Compression for the Honda XR650C and 650L Now Available!
Tuesday, July 7, 2009
Wiseco Yamaha R6 Project Bike
WISECO’S Big-Bore R6-- Torque Ain't Cheap
JULY 2009 WWW.SPORTBIKECLUB.COM
Story by Arlo Redwine // Photos courtesy of Wiseco
Wiseco makes a large selection of piston kits for sportbikes. To trumpet this fact, in 2007 the company had a Yamaha YFZ-R6 customized using one of its overbore piston kits and a host of other trick parts (see spec box). The following February, Wiseco displayed the bike at its booth at the Dealer Expo trade show, where motorcycle dealers got the message loud and clear. Mission accomplished, right? Not quite. Because regular folks weren’t allowed to attend the show, nobody else knew about the bike. So Wiseco contacted 2Wheel Tuner, and we were thrilled to oblige in letting you in on this badass big-bore R6. Why did Wiseco choose the 2007 R6 instead of one of the literbikes, for which it also makes kits? “We wanted to be different,” Wiseco’s Sean McLaughlin explains, noting that 1,000cc bikes already dominate the magazines. We built it as an everyday bike that can be ridden back and forth from work, but that can also — with little modification — be a fairly capable track-day weapon.”
Wiseco went balls out with the engine. Millennium Technologies bored out and replated the cylinders. The piston kit expands the bore from 67mm to 69mm, bringing the displacement to 636cc. KWS Motorsports and Wiseco developed a blueprint of the race engine, and the former ported and polished the cylinder head, performed a five-angle valve job, and changed out the
connecting rods, head gasket, bearings, etc. It adapted the OEM camshaft to the new setup by installing APE billet adjustable cam sprockets. According to Wiseco, the result is 128 rear-wheel
horsepower on race fuel, and 121 rwhp on premium pump gas. Just as important is the added torque brought about by the addition of sixth-tenths of a compression point. “The bike really comes alive around 11,500,” Wiseco’s Jeff Clarkin says. “You feel more torque down low through the rev range, but when you start getting that engine closer to its peak revs, the power doesn’t
fall off like the stock bike would. So you can really tell the torque difference in the seat of your pants.”
Wiseco had a local race shop place the bike in a GMD Computrack machine, which determines the bike’s optimal geometry. The shop optimized the rake, trail and suspension for superfast turn-ins. What does Wiseco plan to do with the bike now? Actually the company sold it last year. But luckily a Wiseco employee is the new owner, so the bike’s still in the family. Says Clarkin, “We got about 1,500 street miles on it now by just riding it around, enjoying it, having fun. It’s a great bike.”
Friday, June 26, 2009
Tested! Wiseco’s new Fuel Management Controllers
Chris Hawthorne
Manufacturing
2007 Harley Davidson V-Rod.
I did the install myself and it only took about an hour. It was very easy to install. I also found on the V-Rod you can’t really mount it under the seat, so I put it behind the air box. It is still easy to get to and is out of sight from rain and such. And as far as the performance end of it, WOW what a difference I felt! Before installing the Wiseco fuel controller, the exhaust pipes would glow cherry red. Now the bike runs cooler and has lots more acceleration in the mid range.
Ron Gryzmala
Customer Service
2003 Harley Davidson Ultra Classic
The fuel management controller was installed on my bike here at Wiseco. The controller smoothed out the operation of my bike. Before the controller, my bike was at the stock settings. I now have no popping or backfiring during deceleration off the freeway. It has also increased the roll on power for acceleration onto the highway. I really like it. “It has definitely increased the performance of my baby.”
Wednesday, June 24, 2009
Forged Clutch Products Review
http://butlerbrothersmx.loopd.com/Members/TeamButlerBrothers/Blog.aspx?resourceId=b273a856-fb55-4b81-a586-8cb364b38ea0
Thursday, May 14, 2009
Figuring Compression Ratio
Thursday, May 7, 2009
Consumer Products Safety Act Lead Law
On Friday, May 1, the Consumer Products Safety Commission (CPSC) issued a stay of enforcement on youth motorized recreational vehicles until May 1, 2011. The companies who brought the petition to the committee included American Suzuki, Polaris, the Specialty Vehicle Institute of America, and Yamaha USA. The stay applies to only battery terminals with up to 100% lead and components made with metal alloys- steel up to 0.35% lead content, aluminum up to 0.4% lead content, and copper up to 4.0% lean content. By November 1, 2009, the CPSC committee requires each manufacturer to have a plan in place to reduce the lead exposure from the components contained in the stay.
This decision was based on many factors presented to the CPSC. There was a fear that more youth riders would be on adult sized vehicles, increasing the risk of injury or death. Argued by the petitioners, by substituting lead in steel, aluminum, and copper alloys, the function, durability, and corrosion resistance could be compromised. This can cause increased injury due to components breaking prematurely.
Though this was a break-through for the industry, it is still technically not legal to sell youth motorcycles and ATV’s. Due to the Consumer Products Safety Improvement Act (CPSIA), state Attorney Generals can still prosecute violators, despite no fines or penalties from the CPSC. You can check out more about the ruling by going to the AMA website. The AMA has been doing an excellent job keeping everyone up-to-date on the latest developments. You can also voice you opinion from Wiseco.com. On our home page, we have a link to the MIC to send a message to your congressman to have your voice heard.
Public Land
Another huge issue for the Powersports industry is the bill currently in the U.S. House of Representatives that could potentially make 24 million acres of public land in the western United States inaccessible to off-highway vehicles. The bill was originally proposed by a representative from New York City and currently has no support in the potentially affected states. The AMA Vice President for Government Relations, Ed Moreland has submitted comments on the bill to the House of Representatives. Mr. Moreland argued all public lands are for enjoyment of all Americans. The people who enjoy these lands are not only the nimble and fit, but those with small children, the elderly, and the handicapped. Some of these individuals need the assistance and freedom of an off-highway vehicle or ATV. With no support from the potentially affected areas, should these people not have a say in the matter?
Friday, May 1, 2009
What kind of piston-to-wall clearance can I run?
The factors that affect piston-to-wall clearance are cylinder wall thickness, whether the block is filled, the overall compression height of the piston, piston material and thickness, and whether a marine engine is to see fresh-water cooling. Most small blocks get .004 piston-to-wall clearance and most big blocks get .005 due to the use of our 2618 high-strength alloy. For heavy blower and nitrous applications, Wiseco recommends adding .001 to the standard clearance. Special note: Clearance numbers are obtained from measuring the largest diameter of the piston, typically at the bottom of the skirt. All measurements should be taken 90 degrees from the pin centerline.
Motorcycle/ ATV/ PWC piston clearances are printed on the label on the front of the piston box.
When I install my Wiseco piston, which way should the arrow on top of the piston face?
On most Wiseco Powersports pistons, the arrow will point toward the exhaust. If you are installing pistons in a v-twin or automotive application, this will differ depending on the application. Checking the installation directions included with your Wiseco product will verify the direction. But, if you still need assistance, our technical sales team will be happy to help.
I have a 4-stroke ring package that I received with my piston. I have the top oil rings, but am unsure of which rings are the Top and 2nd. How can I tell?
Some Wiseco 4-stroke ring packages are interchangeable between Powersports and automotive applications. Therefore, you may have additional rings that are not required for your application. In general, the silver/ gold/ shiny ring is the Top ring, while the black ring is the 2nd. This can be verified in the ring installation instructions included with your ring pack.
Tuesday, April 21, 2009
Wiseco Continues to Invest in its Business
The CMM machine will eliminate the cost of outsourcing proper quality inspection and the delays associated with outsourcing the process. This will allow Wiseco to become a "Qualified Supplier" to our customers. This will improve delivery and reduce lead times for new applications or re-made tooling and help expedite tooling required for forgings in 2009. In addition, the CMM machine will enhance the robustness of the process to ensure we are sending quality parts to the next operation. This is critical to our replenishment system, inventory reduction, and Continuous Improvement initiatives. Many other investments are planned for Wiseco in 2009, including the continued investment of our manufacturing facility.
Wiseco invested $900,000 in its manufacturing facility for 2008. In order to better serve our powersports customers and to improve delivery to our customers, Wiseco invested in new CNC milling centers and CNC turning machines. Our capability in 4-stroke custom powersports manufacturing cells have improved to reduce lead time to our customers. In addition to many other smaller pieces of equipment to complement the new CNC machines, these investments will improve the quality of Wiseco's finished products, permit more efficient operation, and improve customer delivery time.
Tuesday, April 14, 2009
Wiseco is #1 for Tech
Wiseco strives to provide the best customer service in the industry. Whether we sell you a powesports, marine, or automotive piston, we want to give you the best service. Our technical sales team has experience on many levels and comes from diverse backgrounds. Most of them have experience racing dirt bikes, ATVs, or cars. Others are have been mechanics at multi-line dealerships. Still others have worked their way up from the Wiseco production lines, actually making the products. Wiseco is dedicated to its customers.
We also just rolled out a new website! If you haven't seen it, check it out at Wiseco.com. We have made our website a resource for you! You can check out our latest project bike, get info on our full line of products, and so much more. We have a new Customer Service page. This page has installation and technical information. You can find engine calculators to prepare for your next rebuild and installation manuals. We hope to expand on our technical information during the coming year. We would like to hear your thoughts on our new website, as well as our customer service. And, as always, if we can provide you with any technical assistance, please give us a call.
Mid Ohio Sports Car Course-- Come See Wiseco!
Wiseco is a sponsor of the Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course in Lexington, Ohio. We sponsor all events, with our main sponsorship at the Honda Supercycle Weekend July 17-19, 2009. Here, you get to see all the greats in AMA Pro Racing. During the weekend, the 1000cc bikes are featured in 2 Wiseco 100 races. Check out www.midohio.com for more details on directions, to buy tickets, or to check out their other events for 2009.
Wednesday, April 8, 2009
Wiseco Forged Clutch Baskets, Inner Hubs, and Pressure Plates
• Wiseco precision forged clutch components have greater strength due to “feature aligned grain flow.” Compared to castings or products machined from billet, Wiseco forged clutch components can be lighter and still have increased mechanical properties resulting in higher strength, ductility, and resistance to impact and fatigue.
• Specifically designed to capitalize on detailed features that can only be produced by the precision forging process.
• Hard anodized and Teflon coated for a long life of smooth clutch operation through the elimination of wear on contact surfaces.
• Rotational mass is minimized for reduced assembly weight and maximum engine acceleration.
• Forged from lightweight, high-strength, certified, aerospace grade, aluminum alloy.
• Wiseco’s CNC machining process produces each clutch component dimensionally the same as the next.
Friday, April 3, 2009
Racing Continues for Kids!
Chairman Nord's statement follows.
STATEMENT OF ACTING CHAIRMAN NANCY NORD
ON THE REQUEST FOR EXCLUSIONS FROM THE LEAD CONTENT LIMITS OF THE CONSUMER PRODUCT SAFETY IMPROVEMENT ACT OF 2008
April 3, 2009
In considering exclusions, consumer safety must direct the outcome of our deliberations. Therefore, it is with extreme reluctance that I am voting today to deny the petition, filed by companies and associations representing the ATV and motorized bike industries, for an exclusion from the lead content limits found in Section 101 of the Consumer Product Safety Improvements Act (CPSIA). I do this because the clear language of the law requires this result, not because it advances consumer safety. To the contrary, application of the lead content mandates of the CPSIA to the products made by the petitioners may have the perverse effect of actually endangering children by forcing youth-sized vehicles off the market and resulting in children riding the far more dangerous adult-sized ATV's.
For this reason, in my capacity as chairman, I am directing compliance staff to stay enforcement of Section 101 and related provisions of the CPSIA to this category of products for twelve months and hope my colleague, Commissioner Moore, will join me in making this a unanimous decision by the Commission. During this time-out, it is my hope that Congress will consider how the law needs to be fine-tuned to address this serious child safety dilemma. This enforcement hiatus will also give industry the opportunity to examine what reasonable changes can be made in their products to bring them closer to the requirements Congress set out in the CPSIA. Staff will meet with industry to do more testing to determine how their products can meet the 300 ppm threshold Congress set and determine what is possible. I will expect periodic status reports on progress to this plan.
It is clear that the law does not give the Commission the flexibility to grant an exclusion for petitioners' products. Congress wrote Section 101(b) in such a way as to leave little discretionary power with the agency to grant common sense exclusions. This lack of flexibility was brought to the attention of Congressional staff working on the legislation during the conference process and it was confirmed this is what was intended. As our career staff has discussed on many occasions and as we now have been formally advised by staff, we do not have the statutory authority to grant the exclusion requested in this case.
Even though the career staff of the agency has concluded that we cannot grant the exclusion, they have NOT concluded that petitioners products present a health risk to children because of exposure to lead. To the contrary, staff states "a bigger safety concern than lead exposure is that the elimination of youth ATV sales will most likely increase the number of adult ATV's purchased to be used by younger children; therefore increasing their risk of injury and death."
The issues presented to us in the petition are much more complex than just ordering petitioners to "get the lead out" of their products by a certain date. Petitioners have presented persuasive evidence that lead serves a purpose in the structural integrity of the metals used in the products and that suitable substitutes are not available. They point out the impracticality of using virgin materials for these products, including issues dealing with the recycling of metals. They point out that the approach in the CPSIA is contrary to the approach taken in the rest of the world, e.g. the European Union which has looked at these issues rather extensively and made allowances. These are all issues that the Commission should have the authority to consider but under the rigid language of the CPSIA, we cannot.
The effect of denying the petition is to make Section 101(e) of the CPSIA, which limits the Commission's authority to stay enforcement during rulemaking, no longer applicable. Therefore, during the pendency of a stay of enforcement, ATV's and motorized bikes appropriately sized for children twelve and younger can again be available and the Commission will not seek penalties for violation of Section 101 and related provisions of the CPSIA against those who sell them. I hope that the state attorneys general will follow the lead of the agency on this matter.
All stakeholders-industry, users, Congress, and the Commission-need to come together to fix the statutory problems that have become so apparent, in a common sense approach that does not unnecessarily burden those regulated, yet provides safety for American families
Thursday, April 2, 2009
Wiseco Sponsored Events
Tuesday, March 31, 2009
Wiseco Powered Racers
Chris Borich of Makita Suzuki won the 2nd round of the GNCC series in Washington, Georgia. It was a tight race, but Borich pulled the win!
Snocross team Scheuring Speed Sports put on some great performances throughout the winter season. Round 7 of the AMSOIL/ ISOCC SnoCross Championships put Shaun Crapo on the podium in the Pro Stock class. Teammate D.J. Eckstrom gave a great battle, but had some bad luck getting injured after being ejected from his sled and pinned under another racers sled. He was thankfully lucky to walk away from the incident and planned on being back for Round 8. Shaun had an excellent qualifying round in the Pro Open, but had mechanical problems in the main event. Also, teammate Ryan Carey had a nice performance in the Semi Pro class.
The Scheuring team put on a great performance at Round 8 of the AMSOIL/ ISOCC SnoCross Championships. Both Shaun and D.J. made the main event in the Pro Stock and Pro Open classes. Unfortunately D.J. and Shaun both had crashes to end their weekend. But, there was a bright side. The points were totaled for the season and Shaun finished 5th overall and D.J. finished 8th- even missing 3 races due to injury. Testing has already started for next year, so watch for another exciting year from the Scheuring team.
Are you a Wiseco powered racer and want to be featured on our blog? Send your race report and photos to racersupport@wiseco.com. Or, leave us a comment!
Friday, March 27, 2009
Wiseco’s new Quick 16 piston kits
The new design of these pistons are manufactured and designed with fortified pin bosses, maximized ring lands, reinforced decks, extra deep valve pockets, and dedicated skirt shapes- all ready to handle the shock loads of modern day power adders and horsepower levels. Dome profiles are designed to accommodate conventional heads from the leading manufacturers in the industry. Profiles and valve pockets will accept most "rolled" cylinder head mods that are so popular today. These profiles are also designed to maintain proper flame travel and quench while achieving the compression ratio's needed for today's exotic fuels. The piston also features anti-detonation grooves, 15 degree "Pro Stock" pressure seal grooves, vertical gas ports, ArmorGlide™ skirt coatings, and a newly designed "clean sheet of paper" forging. Our new ArmorGlide™ skirt coating does not wear off during the typical life of the piston and reduces friction to increase efficiency and contributes to increased horsepower.
With in-stock availability, Wiseco can supply you not only with pistons, but also K1 Technologies rods and crankshaft assemblies. It is now possible to get the complete package from one source,
One Name. One Solution.™ Wiseco gets you on the track faster!
Wednesday, March 25, 2009
2009 Honda CRF450R Project Bike
We started with our bread and butter and upgraded the heart of the engine with our brand new 13:1 high compression piston. This piston is loaded with features and is built on a dedicated forging, so the strength-to-weight ratio is perfectly optimized for this application. In addition, the skirts are frosted Wiseco’s new ArmorGlide skirt coating for reduced friction, quiet operation, and extra insurance against cold scuffing.
To compliment the new heart of the engine, and to help it breath, we upgraded the lungs with an ultra-light full titanium Yoshimura RS-4 exhaust system. In this case the bark is as nasty as the bite, as the handsomely tuned system drew improved power delivery from the engine, giving it a very ride-able power band with nice increases over stock.
The most exciting part on the CRF450R is our new Fuel Management EFI Controller. Just like with a carbureted bike, to fully benefit from the changes we made to the piston and exhaust system, the fuel delivery needed adjusted. Obviously it is not easy to adjust the fuel delivery on a fuel-injected bike as easily as you can by swapping jets on a carbureted bike. . . until now! Wiseco’s new Generation 3.5 Fuel Management Controller allows the user to dial in the injector duration with the touch of a button. With simple plug-and-play installation, the user is able to select one of three tuning zones, that are synonymous with the pilot jet circuit, needle jet circuit, and main jet circuit on a carburetor. There is no laptop or external power supply needed! Once installed, the Fuel Management Controller can be used to select the necessary tuning zone, and then simply add or subtract fuel to maximize the power delivery, or optimize ride-ability. If that isn’t cool enough, we took the Fuel Controller one step further by coupling it with an external oxygen sensor mounted in the head pipe of the exhaust. This allowed us to run in full CLOSED loop mode, which maintains a specified air/fuel ratio at any given point in the RPM range, altitude, or temperature. Once the perfect air/fuel ratio is identified, our Fuel Management Controller will monitor the exhaust through the oxygen sensor, and hold the fuel delivery exactly at the programmed ratio.
To finish off the project bike, we installed our brand new 6-spring clutch, which includes a fully forged clutch basket, inner hub, and pressure plate, and Wiseco frictions, drive plates, and springs. The stock 4-spring CRF450R clutch has a heavy pull, and uneven spring clamping. The Wiseco design improves on that by offering a retrofit to the better 6-spring design, which evens the clamping load and lightens the pull at the lever.
We went with the CV4 radiator hose kit to eliminate the tee in the lines, and improve the quality and appearance of the stock hoses. Pro-Action took care of the suspension to ensure the bike handled as well as it ran. Renthal is handled the drive department with a R3 Gold O-Ring chain, Ultralite rear sprocket, and grooved front sprocket. Braking USA ensured the stopping power is up to par with a 270mm oversized front wave rotor and rear wave rotor. We used the Cycra M2 pivoting hand guard system for roost protection. Johnny Signs finished off the bike with a beautiful custom graphics kit highlighting the Wiseco-powered bike and supporting sponsors.
Wiseco has products for all the CRF450's, including high performance pistons; forged clutch components; clutch plates, springs, and covers; valve train components; and bottom end rebuild kits. Check out http://www.wiseco.com/ProductSearch.aspx to find what we offer for you.
2009 Honda CRF450, Ready for Battle
Wiseco’s new 2009 Honda CRF450 also comes standard with our new ArmorGlide® skirt coating. This coating is the result of testing, development, and benchmarking through our rigorous in-house dyno program. The result is the ultimate in skirt coating toughness, lubrication, and bond technology. ArmorGlide® remains on the piston for the typical life and lowers friction for increased piston efficiency, a contributor to increased horsepower.
To win with Wiseco, visit our website Wiseco.com or call our sales team at 800-321-1364. The Wiseco 2009 Honda CRF450 piston retails at $226.55.