Installing the GT1R Parachute Kit is an involved process that should only be performed by a qualified technician. Given the intended use of this kit, potential serious harm could result from improper installation and/or deployment of the parachute.
The first step in getting the parachute mount installed on the car will be removing the rear bumper fascia. This process involves partially or fully removing the rear inner fender liners and internal trunk components. Once you have the bumper off you can proceed with the next steps.
The parachute mount will replace the OEM rear crash bar; remove the mounting hardware holding this in place and hang the parachute bar in it's place:
With the bar in place use the provided 10.9 grade M8x1.25 25mm length bolts to secure. If desired, Loctite 242 or something equivalent can be used to ensure the hardware stays secure; torque bolts to 26ft/lbs. With the mount secured it's time to move to drilling the rear bumper for the parachute mount and release cable to pass through. We have included an aluminum template that locates on the OEM license plate screws and comes pre-drilled with the centering holes. With a piece of tape behind the template to protect the bumper, mark your holes through the template:
The main parachute mount hole will be a 1 5/8" hole which will best be done with a hole saw, while the hole for the release cable will be a 3/8" hole:
On the chassis side, you will need to locate and drill a hole for the release cable to pass through as well. You can approximate this based off the template. The chassis side hole can be drilled a size up from the bumper for ease of routing the cable.
Our kit is designed in a manner that will allow the bag mount portion to be removed while the chassis side main bar stays on. If you are alright with accessing the bolt and nut by removing the rear most under panel on the car, no further trimming of the bumper is required. If you wish to be able to very easily remove the bag mount, you will need to create larger hole above the 1 5/8" hole made already. You will need enough room to reach in and get tools on the nut and bolt, but realistically you can make this hole small enough that a license plate will still cover it.
At this point you can turn your attention to installing your parachute release handle setup, route the cable through the car, hole in trunk, and finally the bumper. Do not fully install the bumper and under panels until the rest of the kit is completely installed.
Next we will shift our attention to the upper portion of the parachute mount, which holds the actual parachute bag. Regardless of the parachute you have chosen to use, you will need to drill the backing plate/chute pack to mount the bag to the parachute mount. The upper parachute mount has four holes already drilled, but you will need to determine what size holes to drill in your backing plate and bag based on your parachute's hardware. Once you have located and drilled these holes you should be able to mount the pack to the parachute mount. If you purchased the Stroud parachute through us, the backing plate is easily removed for this process, and you can use the drilled backing plate as a template on the pack itself.
With the bag mounted you can now insert the the upper portion of the parachute mount into the chassis side portion, make sure the release cable is fed through the cable guide on the bag mount as well. The provided bolt and nut should be torqued to 75ft/lbs.
You can now turn your attention to packing the parachute. The first step will be inserting the pull cord into the clevis on the parachute mount and torqueing the bolt to 75ft/lbs. For the Stroud parachutes please follow their recommendations
on the procedure:
Stroud Parachute Packing Procedure
Regardless of the brand, your parachute cable will need to be cut and trimmed to accommodate the install length on the car.
You do not want the cable to be taught at any point, there should be a nice gentle bend to the cable assembly as it exits the bumper/guide and up to the bag. If you have the assembly too tight it will try and pull itself out of the parachute without the handle being actuated.
Before cutting the cable make sure it is attached at the handle, completely routed through the car correctly, and the handle is in the position it will be when you the parachute DEPLOYED. If you are pushing the handle forward to release the cable and parachute, put the handle in this position. If you are pulling it back to release, pull it back. The goal is to have the inner metal cable completely inside the outer sheath when you release the parachute.
The ideal way to cut the cable assembly will be with a cut off wheel or Dremel while doing your best to cut a nice clean straight line:
Once you have done this, put the handle back in it's normal position which will push the inner cable out. It is imperative that the cable is free of any sharp edges that may catch the bag or sheath. Smooth the cable of anything that could catch. You can finish the exposed portion of the sheath off in a variety of ways, one simple solution is electrical heat shrink that will help keep the inner strands of the sheath from spreading apart:
With a safety pin installed in the parachute loop, verify functionality of the release system. If you are confident all components are functioning as designed you can finish reinstalling all bumper, undertray, and trunk related components.