I'm looking to buy a chassis dyno for my shop. I'm looking at 2WD above ground systems, but an in-ground could happen if cleared with the landlord. Our customer base is primarily older domestic RWD cars. I'm looking to use it as a diagnostic and tuning tool. Dyno days and making pulls for bragging rights aren't the goal, but may happen on occasion. I am not looking to do diesel trucks. They aren't our market and I do not want to get into that market.
Does anyone here have experience running or owning a chassis dyno? I'm looking for pros and cons of the different models available before plunking down the cash. Any feedback is appreciated.
Sonic
SuperDork
8/23/16 9:35 a.m.
There was a recent thread started by the poster formerly known as poopshovel very recently on this same topic with lots of good data. I can't find it quickly on my phone, but take a look for that. Kieth and some others had lots of good first hand input.
If you make it also fit front drive cars, that would probably be a good idea to avoid limiting the market if needed.
In reply to Sonic:
Thanks I'll look it up. I haven't had much time to be on the board over the last couple months.
If you aren't doing heavy start from stretch fuel and spark efi tuning, a dynojet is perfectly fine. Once you have a system down on a dynojet, you can easily have cars in and out in just over and hour for a few pulls. In ground is way easier then an above ground for a dynojet. The eddy current dynos are very easy if you can't dig but they command a premium because they do much more than a dynojet.
YMMV
In reply to Ranger50:
Goal is to be doing spark and EFI tuning on retrofit systems, as well as carb tuning.
In reply to Sonic:
So far the only thread I found was the one using a concrete drum. Not exactly the one I was looking far... 
Just wanted to post a quick update. I did plunk down the cash in November. Today our new Dynapack was delivered. After I get it up and running I'll post another update. And maybe some video.
How much are we talking on these from an I have nothing now and I need everything price. Recently passed on a free in ground system that was in a friends gas station. It was used for inspections. Another guy in town took it, but it doesn't look like he will be using it. I can probably wiggle it out of the new owner. Don't think he has the money to install it and get it up and running with whatever software he will need.
tr8todd wrote:
How much are we talking on these from an I have nothing now and I need everything price. Recently passed on a free in ground system that was in a friends gas station. It was used for inspections. Another guy in town took it, but it doesn't look like he will be using it. I can probably wiggle it out of the new owner. Don't think he has the money to install it and get it up and running with whatever software he will need.
I looked I to this and determined that these were only to be used as a stationary road to measure emissions. They ate not built to be used to measure hp or for any sustained high load. They were only made to mimic rolling resistances at speed to measure emissions. The unit I was looking at I think was a hunter. I called the mfgr and got all this info from them.
Another thing to look in to is insurance costs.
Ian F
MegaDork
12/30/16 9:55 a.m.
In reply to dean1484:
I've read that as well. I'd imagine there are scads of them in PA looking for new homes since PennDOT ditched the dyno-emissions testing requirement on pre-OBDII cars. Provided they aren't broken - as I've also heard they weren't the most reliable pieces of equipment in the shop.
Rob - any chance the hub flanges will fit a Spitfire? I'm hoping to do some EFI tuning eventually. 
codrus
SuperDork
12/30/16 10:08 a.m.
Emissions dynos are useless for performance testing purposes.
I've seen used Dynojets show up on Craigslist for $15-20K on occasion. I've seen used Dynapacks for $40K.
The big problem with owning a dyno is where to put it. Doing dyno runs makes a ton of noise and that has a tendency to irritate your neighbors.
In reply to Rob_Mopar:
Is it a hub mount, or roller type?
In reply to Ian F:
It comes with unilug adapters in 4 and 5 lug patterns. I don't know what the minimum diameter is. I'll look into it.
In reply to HappyAndy:
It's hub mount. Was the better fit for how we'll use it. We did use the fork you were working on the other day to unload it. 
In reply to tr8todd:
A lot. Like I question my sanity a lot.
In reply to Rob_Mopar:
To bad it's not a roller, I wanted to put the forklift on it to its massive dozens of HP to the test.
In reply to HappyAndy:
We'll just have to fab up some adapters.
