Engine/Transmission (1994 - 1998) Might have to put my cam plate back in with a custom grind.

[T. Baker]

Here is why:

Well I ripped the center out of my clutch 350+ miles from home but only 5 blocks from my cousin's house in Losangeles but it did hold on long enough to pass the Yuppy in the SUV that was trying to out run me. I have a GM dirve line, ( 4 speed grany gear SM420 and Ranger overdrive). I bought the clutch South Bend Clutch reccomended but they said this might happen. Guess I might have to put a cam plate back in my pump!! I'm going to be able to do the job here in my cousin's drivway. Im wondering If I should get the same style clutch I have now with the big springs in the center or get a solid disk with no springs. I don't really know how important those springs in the center are. The clutch never did slip on me. Anybody know of a good clutch supplier in Losangeles.

I'm thinking about a cam plate that will limit max torque but will give me more fuel on the upper end. What I really want is a flat tourqe curve not peaked like it is now. My drive line aparently is going to give me trouble with 800 to 1000 lbft or whatever I have now. If I could limit it to about 600-650 lb. ft. but keep that all the way up to say 3200 rpm I wouldn't loose any HP but the drive line would last longer. I'm thinking of trying to grind the stock cam plate just on the upper end not on the deepest part of the notch.

 

[LSMITH]

Putting a solid hub in is going to batter the transmission some and take one more "fuse" out of the drivetrain. What is gonna break next if you do that? Something to consider.

 

[Sled Puller]

What size is the input shaft in that transmission?



If you just ripped a SBC apart, the input shaft is next with a solid unsprung hub.



I would go with the best Peter has, and ease into the throttle, it is those sudden blasts of a1000 ft lbs, that tear things up.





Have you done any 4x4 holeshots?

Piers can give you the ins and outs on what you want to do. A valet switch might help also.

 

[C Schomer]

T, I really like the 11 plate - has some tq. control, but wanted more rpm and hp. I did what you're thinking of - ground the fuel stop a little. I still have 800+ tq up here with the plate in the stock position. With the other pump mods, I have a pretty flat tq. curve and it pulls strong to about 3200. I still have 215s. Craig

 

[South Bend Clutch]

T Baker has a little 1 1/8" input shaft, that is what is limiting him/us on what clutch can be used. I think if he goes to a solid hub design it will rip his input shaft in half. Van Hasely makes a replacement shaft for this type of application that is bigger. Mr. Baker looked into it when he started the project but it was a little pricey. Unfortunately I think it is the only option to allow us to build a clutch that will better suit his needs.



Peter

 

[T. Baker]

Peter, hopfully I'll be able to talk to you tomorrow. I'm felling lucky that I haven't broken the imput shaft. I didn't know about the bigger imput shaft for the GM sm420 but I'm also running the Ranger overdrive so that would have to have it's imput shaft replaced as well. I think I'm going to limit torque with a cam plate.



Sled puller. I have not done any full power starts from stopped. I have used 4 wheel drive to spread the load out on the axles. If I was going to do a 1/4 mile I'm thinking that starting out in 3rd gear would be best. Second gear just wasts time. The kind of stuff I have been doing has just been on the road trying to pass or keep somone from passing me. No one I've come up against has been able to out run me yet. It looks like I'm going to have to quit enjoying all that torque if I don't want to be breaking down like I am now.