Parachute Actuator

[Rocket123]

ya the steering ratio is true i was surprised when I saw how far Nish turned the wheel in the video. Some may like the brake pedal idea, at the end of a run I prefer to hit the chute before the brakes. I am still deciding between buying the air or building electric.

Later Rocket
 

[fastesthonda_jim]

Hey McMastercarr.com item number 61245K86 for the solenoid, and then go to page 967 for a selection of cylinders.  You can run paint ball mini CO2 cylinders for power.  Easy to change out and a bunch of shifts (if you use it to run an air shifter too).  Probably do the whole thing for $125 or so.  I use a motorcycle 2.5 lb. NOS bottle with CO2 in it running through a modified Harbor Freight Ox/Acetylene O2 gauge to run my air shifters.  You can probably accomplish almost the same "regulator" thing with a soldered up fitting with a teeny hole drilled in it. 

Can't remember running out of CO2 with it.

But I do like the simplicity of the door lock mechanism (besides it keeps those pesky bikers from stealing your parachute).

Jim

[Stainless1]

How and where you actuate the chute boils down to personal choice.  If you want to spend a second to take you hand off the wheel and push or pull a lever then that is what you should do. This works for a lot of drag racers because they are accustomed to it.  We had that type of deal until Johnboy's first spin...    Every hundredth of a second counts, reaction/decision time will eat at least a half a second, chute deployment about a second.  At 200, a lot can happen in that 500 ft, worse in the next 500... 
I am one of those timid souls that believes at the first feeling of trouble (don't worry, you will know it when it happens) pop the chute, abort the run, try to figure out what went wrong and get back in line.  My left thumb shifts the car, and an inch away is the guarded button for the chute.  After each shift, the thumb goes to the edge of the guard ring, at the ready. 
So set it up anyway that will be easy for you, electric, pneumatic, mechanical doesn't matter, just be prepared to use it to save your butt.
A note of thought, placement can be an issue.  At first I wanted the chute in the closest position, and moved across it for the shift, after the glove got the chute button during a shift on a return record run, we switched them back.  Yea, they told me it would happen... 

[Rocket123]

Thanks Stainless

My chute is now pulled from between the seats and after a trouble free run is no problem But in a spin I don't think I could get there fast enough.

Rocket
 

[SPARKY]

I have a system similar to Stainless 1---I used the HD solenoid from Speedways Street Rod cat.---mounted "starter button"on Steering Wheel right by my thumb---all I have to do is extend my thumb, press---chute is out---make sure the pilot is aimed at the slip stream when packing---lesson from this past weekend ---saved my bacon twice before I got the handling issues sorted out on Ratical .  I also have a manual backup on it and I mounted my stuff so that I can swap the high and low speed chutes, because the seconday chute has manual system only.

[Leon]

Besides then a simple, and relatively foolproof (unless a rear engine/flywheel/transmission explosion destroys the cable) pull cable would accomplish what you need.

I'm not sure where I saw it, but isn't there something about running things that have to go past the flywheel inside a tube to protect it from such damage?  It may have even been in the NHRA book, but either way it would be safer if protected in such a manner.

[1212FBGS]

here is a few pix of mine... it uses the old cable and then i added the air ram on it... if the air doesn't hit then i just reach over and pull the old fashioned lever

[1212FBGS]

another pix

[1212FBGS]

just in case you havent figgered out how simple it is...
oh i use a Viair air pump for the chute release and air shifting both motors... i got tired of switching out bottles and got smart and added the pump