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

MODULAR FIT PAD SYSTEM

G-FORCE Racing Gear
gforce.com

There’s a husband-and-wife racing team whose heads both measured for a medium helmet from G-FORCE Racing Gear. However, the wife’s medium didn’t fit as snugly as the husband’s due to different facial features.

“Because of the Fit Pad sizing pads available for their helmets, she was able to customize the cheek pads so she could feel as comfortable as her husband,” said G-FORCE’s Jeremy Speich.

The Fit Pad is a modular system available on the Nova and SuperNova full-face helmets—plus the Nova open-face for that nostalgia appearance—that feature the Comfort Bland Plus liner. For added comfort, these liners feature a soft, moisture-wicking material and a fabric pattern that breaks up the hard edges that may interfere with a driver’s peripheral vision.

There are six different locations for the Fit Pad adjustment: four around the crown and each cheek pad. Sizing pads (2-mm or 4-mm thick) can be removed or added and stacked to provide a wide range of comfort options.

“There are variances in sizing and matching a head to that size,” explained Speich. “The Fit Pad allows you to fill those variances and make it your specific helmet. You can customize front-back, left-right, and the cheek pads.”

The Fit Pad system recently became available to the company’s Rift and REVO helmets, and is now offered on G-FORCE Racing Gear’s full line of SA2020 full-face helmets. —Mike Magda

LIMITED-SLIP FRICTION MODIFIER ADDITIVE

Champion Brands
championbrands.com

Getting horsepower to the track is always a priority for racers, and a limited-slip differential (LSD) is often a critical element in that operation. The new Limited Slip Friction Modifier additive from Champion Brands is engineered to eliminate noise, vibration, and harshness associated with select LSDs and locking differentials.

“Our LSD additive is designed to work in both limited-slip and locked configurations by limiting or controlling the amount of slip allowed in the differential,” said Karl Dedolph III. “It has been very successful in both types of rearends, as well as in both on- and off-road racing applications.”

Clutch-type limited-slips will benefit most from the additive. Suggested dilution is 1:25 in appropriate gear oils, or use at a 1:10 ratio to provide factory fill limited-slip performance. The additive has been field proven in high-speed police fleet trials, and racers will also see benefits.

“Drag racing is probably the most common use. For maximum straight-line acceleration, the intent of our additive is to provide as close to zero slip as possible between the left- and right-drive wheels. The result produces better acceleration times,” added Dedolph.

The additive is also useful in diesel trucks used to tow race cars to the track. Having an LSD in a RWD truck is especially helpful for getting out of rain-soaked pit areas or parking lots. —Mike Magda

BILLET STEEL MAIN CAPS FOR MOPAR B/RB BIG BLOCKS

Milodon
milodon.com

Milodon recently redesigned its billet steel main caps for the big block Mopar B/RB cylinder blocks to include 3/8-inch cross bolts for added rigidity.

“If you’re going to put a stroker crank in a stock block,” said Steve Morrison, “you have to strengthen the bottom end.”

Milodon has provided main caps for cylinder blocks since the 1970s, and the previous Mopar big block caps were designed with the two standard vertical bolts or studs. 

“We never saw a cap break because it was too weak,” noted Morrison. “While it was still a better version of the stock cap, it could move around and then you lose clearance. You really need the cross bolts, like the 426 Hemis have.”

The caps are American-made from a proprietary billet steel and will fit the 383/400 B blocks and the 440 RB block. The engine builder has to machine holes for the 3/8-inch cross bolts, but they’re positioned in the exact same locations as the Hemi block, which means they won’t interfere with any of the oil-pan fasteners. Main stud diameter remains at 1/2 inch.

“The cross bolts are the way to go because they bring so many degrees of strength,” Morrison added.

The caps are available to replace all five caps on the blocks, or just the middle three. —Mike Magda