3rd Gear Starts?

[BIG BOB]

I've read about some of you doing 3rd gear starts. Is this just for burnouts or can you get faster starts off the line doing this? Is this a common practice for the above mentioned? How hard is this on the 5 speed transmissions, input shafts and clutch? I think I can imagine what it does to the tires! HeHeHe.

I know that I have the HP, but I am very leary of the damages it might cause, mainly a broke input shaft. Have any of you experienced this?

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[This message has been edited by BIG BOB (edited 05-02-2001). ]

 

[Oasis-3]

I was thinking the same thing but with a 6 speed transmission. #ad


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2001. 5 Black Sport 4x4 Q-cab 6-Speed HO,3. 54 - No Stickers on Tailgate - Towing & Camper Packages - Real Backup Lights - Fog Lights - Windows Fixed - Phord 4 Door Nurf Bars - Leveling Kit - CB - Electric Brakes - Class 3 Hitch on front - Cat & Muffler fell off - 285/75/R16 Interco Trxus 10 ply tires

 

[Archive]

I have thought about this, too. I have the six speed and 4. 10s, have yet to try it... just does not sound good. I like to play, but my Ram is my friend!

 

[Barry]

I regularly usr 3rd for starts that are on level of falling ground. Anything else is second gear of even first.

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2001 2500 QC, ETH/DEE,4:10s,LSD,EZ with elbow(28psi)Stage 1 injectors from Carl,Boost/Pyro Guages,4" Turbo back,BD Brake,Mag-Hytec Cover,Kleen Wheels,Energy Release,70 gal. fuel,20K Reese. 31,000 Miles on 03/01/01 TDR Grille Badge(Auto/Truck/RV Dealer)Honda GL 1500 SE Pearl White for fun.

 

[David_VT]

I think our mud bog members run in 3rd. 'Greasy' surface probably helps the transmission survive the hit.

 

[CUMINNTSTRKN]

i've done third gear starts with ne 6 speed. but my g-tech says it is faster to use second and skip 3rd.

jim

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if it ain't broke fix it till it is!!
2001 eth, ez box, dd2's,southbendclutch

My Ram Pics

[This message has been edited by CUMINNTSTRKN (edited 05-02-2001). ]

 

[MikeR]

I rarely do it because it is hard in the input and flywheel... but when I left Kondolays' last saturday,I laid a 45-50ft burnout with a 3rd gear dump. This is the only way of a decent,long burnout because you have some RPM to work with before running out of RPM.

-Mike

 

[Steve St.Laurent]

I tried 3rd gear launches to try to get my 1/4 mile times down (20-30 of them) and found that it was slower than starting in 2nd. I do use 3rd gear for burnouts in the bleach box to get enough wheel speed. If I want to make some white smoke #ad
on the street then I get it rolling in 2nd and short shift it into third and lay into 3rd. That's what I found in my testing anyways.

P. S. A warning - DO NOT try 3rd gear launches with a stock clutch - you will fry it! We were discussing 3rd gear launches in the GLTDR chat room one night and the next day a guy said he tried it with his stock clutch (I didn't think to put this warning out there) and he slipped it BAD.

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-Steve St. Laurent - President of the Great Lakes TDR
'98 QC LB (CMNSPWR), 4x4, ISB, 5sp, 4. 10 LSD, TST Powermax3, 275hp RV injectors, Joe Donnelly modifed Sachs Clutch, SS ladder bars, SW fuel pressure gauge, BD exhaust brake, Isspro turbo temp monitor, front Draw-Tite receiver, rear Draw-Tite class V receiver, BFG 285/75R16 AT KO's, (all the common stuff clipped)

[This message has been edited by Steve St. Laurent (edited 05-02-2001). ]

 

[MCummings]

I have started in 3rd gear before, only in low traction situations though...

When it was raining one day, from a light I hit 3K RPMS then let the clutch out quickly,, Didn't "POP" it. it slipped a second then locked in. Speedometer said about 50-55MPH and I was Barely moving,, no one was around, so I kept my foot to the bumper and went for about 100-130 Feet before the tires gripped enough to stop the sliding.

Then one day on a gravel road, I did the same thing again, but The engine bogged down to about 2K and I could tell the clutch wasn't hooked up. . I slipped it for about 40 Ft.
But Boy, I sure did Leave some WIDE, DEEP marks on that gravel road. about 30Ft Long.

My Truck is Still completely stock except for Muffler and resonator that uh,, "fell Off"

MerrickNJr

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1998. 5 Dodge 3500, 2wd
5-Speed, Light Driftwood
Replaced the Resonator and Muffler with 6ft of 3" Aluminized pipe.
3. 55 rear-end
A. R. E. Camper
Michelin 245/75/16's

 

[Bad340fish]

Steve have you ever tried not doing a burnout?? But instead just going around the water and cleaning the tires with a small dry hop?? Street radials turn to slime pretty quickly and it negates the purpose of a burnout when you have a tire that is gooey instead of sticky. Also street tires will hold some water in the tread and sometimes sling water into the fenders that will drip back onto the tire afterwards.

Sometimes I will play with my Barracuda at the track on radials and have figured that to work the best with a BFG radial. My best tire spinning time has been a 12. 88@114. Just thought i would throw that out there. Also I assume those of you that start in 3rd have 4. 10s?

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Clark
1999 2500 QC SB 5spd, EZ, Flowmaster 3 chamber, K&N Re-0880
1968 Barracuda Formula S Viper Blue 11. 98@112 Currently scattered all over the garage

 

[Steve St.Laurent]

I wish that were possible at the track I go to (Mid Michigan Motorplex - Stanton, MI) but it isn't. There's no way to pull around the bleach box and there's a guy that tells you where to stop (right in the bleach box), I do a quick burnout and then two launches pulling to the line to try to get the water off the tires before the launch. This is the first dragstrip that I've ever been to that even allows street tires in the bleach box, and they put you there!

-Steve


[This message has been edited by Steve St. Laurent (edited 05-02-2001). ]

 

[Bad340fish]

That sucks! Here its fairly easy to get around the box. The had a "Burnout God" in Topeka when i ran there a few years ago. I just blew him off and did my burnout where I wanted to lol. I don't like doing burnouts in a puddle even if I am on slicks. You might try some stock hieght tires and see what it runs. It will look like hammered sh*t but it might haul!
Clark

 

[David_VT]

Steve, you launching in 4x4 or 4x2? Some say you can shave big time with a 4x4 start then kick it out once you get rollling???

(don't try this at home... . #ad
)

 

[Steve St.Laurent]

2wd David - I know I could shave a ton of time launching in 4 but it isn't worth the risk of parts breakage IMO. My goal for the truck was to be in the 15's and I thought I was going to have to launch in 3rd to do that (the 3rd gear testing was on the street using a g-tech), I'm easily into the 15's launching in 2nd in 2wd so I'll stick with that (my very first run at the strip this year was a 15. 836@88 mph)! Besides with my ladder bars I'm getting incredible traction anyways - I launched on dry pavement yesterday without a burnout to heat the tires up or anything at 1800 rpm and the tires just chirped and hooked.

-Steve


[This message has been edited by Steve St. Laurent (edited 05-02-2001). ]