The chassis of a vehicle is its underlying foundation and must remain straight and true while components are added, especially if welding is involved. The only way to stabilize a chassis during fabrication is to attach it to a chassis jig. A chassis jig also provides a known flat and level surface from which measurements can be taken as a point of reference.

Before beginning construction of the Banks Sidewinder D-MAX Type-R, Banks’ crew built a suitable chassis jig for the project. To accommodate the Type-R chassis, a jig 17’ long and 82” wide was fabricated using .120-wall, 2”x3” cold-drawn rectangular mild steel tubing. To allow access to the vehicle from underneath, the jig is 2’ tall. Once constructed, mounting points on the jig were machined flat for attaching precision cast aluminum surface plates. The surface plates, which are flat within ±.002-inch, provide support and reference surfaces under the front and rear of the vehicle.

The chassis jig is fitted with heavy-duty industrial casters to permit movement. Once in place, six machine levels are used to precisely level the fixture within .010-inch, as verified using laser leveling equipment. With the chassis rigidly attached to the jig at the desired ride height, precise measurements can be taken for suspension and body attachment. With all critical measurements recorded, the completed vehicle can be returned to the jig for suspension tuning prior to events, or for repair and reconstruction to known dimensions if damaged.

Chassis Overview:

• NASCAR-style roll cage assembly

• Design and construction performed in-house at Banks

• Roll cage constructed from .095 mild steel and chrome moly steel