When you’re building a performance part to be used in competitive motorsports, one sticker that means your product has been tested and certified to meet minimum standards is the SFI sticker. Having that sticker on a part gives a sense of security to the driver, knowing that it’s not just some “off-the-shelf” part that was bolted into his car.
SFI specifications are based on tests for specific components used in many forms of racing, and for many sanctioned events certain parts must pass certification to be used during competitive events. Driveshafts, in particular, have a test process through SFI to ensure that the driveshaft and the U-joints are built with higher standards and they must meet or exceed those specifications, according to SFI 43.1 Specs.
SFI 43.1 also lists manufacturers that have participated in the SFI Performance Specifications Program. QA1 is one of the manufacturers on that short list, demonstrating that its new REV Series carbon fiber driveshafts in both sizes have successfully passed test requirements.
The REV Series driveshafts feature an exclusive 3M Matrix Resin that is used in QA1’s in house filament winding process. The carbon fiber driveshafts under this SFI specification include driveshafts with 1310 U-joints, for vehicles up to 750 horsepower and 500 lb-ft of torque, and the 1350 U-joints for vehicles up to 2,000 and 1,500 lb-ft of torque.
SFI 43.1 specifications focus on performance driveshafts and establish uniform test procedures and minimum standards for evaluating performance capabilities. Driveshafts submitted must pass static and cyclic torque tests to determine if they meet the standards for safety and performance.
QA1’s Travis Gorsuch said, “We really wanted to focus on quality and safety while developing these driveshafts, and this certification is the industry standard for both. By torsion testing every driveshaft we manufacture to exceed the standards set by SFI, we can ensure that each driveshaft sold is of the highest quality.”
We had a chance to meet up with Gorsuch earlier this year to see how these carbon fiber driveshafts are manufactured, and got a behind the scenes look. You can find more information in our earlier article, or by contacting QA1 through its website, where you’ll find plenty more for your street or race car.