CLUTCH, Hydraulic vs Linkage

[Brad Zaskowski]

Don't waste your time with the hydraulic clutch linkage unless a consistent reaction time is not a concern of yours. When the fluid in the linkage is hotter your r/t will be quicker and when it is colder your r/t will be slower. If your line runs near the headers that will throw another fluid temp factor into the mix. Take the time and build a mechanical linkage, you will not be disappointed.
I made 4 time runs and ran 5 rounds of eliminations at my last race. My reaction times ranged from .017 to .041 for 9 runs, 6 of them were between a .025-.030. I don’t think that is possible with a hydraulic linkage, especially since over the weekend our air temps ranged from 55*-80*.
We built the linkage in Charley Downing's 2010 mustang stocker and from what I could tell by the 16 runs I put on it in Belle Rose this past spring his is just as consistent as the one in my car.

[Jeff Lee]

Brad brought up a great point. I know a racer that was using the hydraulic fluid tranny break button in Super Stock. They were using heat guns to monitor the temps and adjusting the temps to a desired level for more consistent reaction times. And the fluid capacity of that unit was minuscule compared to a hydraulic throwout bearing system.

[tj310]

We were worried about consistency until Pierce put together a string of .00 reaction times one weekend . ---Trevor

[Maverick]

I don't believe that you can compare hydraulic Tranny fluid to the fluid that I use in my clutch system. If you are concerned about the temperature, then I would be more worried about, brake systems that use the type of fluid that you are concerned about. I have run a mechanical linkage set up, and done ok. I also have run a hydraulic clutch system, and I think that you just plain dont like the idea. You guys are great with the setup that you have and that is why you are Number 1. The person asked the question, and I was trying to show some good side of the system that I have. Sorry if I ruffled you feathers,

[Jeff Lee]

He asked for opinions and got it. If you have a hydraulic system and it works, great. Nobody cares which system anybody uses on their car.

[Tom keedle]

seriously, i was told that, in stock (by a NHRA tech guy, i forgot who) that if the car was not equipped with a hydraulic clutch, i couldn't convert it...

is this possibly an IHRA thing?(that you CAN convert)

[Ed Wright]

Are guys running '93 thru '02 Camaro/Firebird using hydraulics in SS? Or does somebody fabricate mechanical pedal/linkage packages? Can't come through the floor, still has to be a swing pedal, right?

[Brad Zaskowski]

Don’t worry you are not ruffling my feathers Maverick... We had a hydraulic clutch in my car when we originally built it and we are much happier with the mechanical linkage we have now. I was just trying to show the good side of what we use, as the title of the post says Hydraulic vs Linkage. You are right I just plain don’t like the idea of a hydraulic clutch.
I do applaud you for running a clutch car in SG, that’s pretty neat!

Ed,
Last I heard we still have to use the swing pedal and it can't come through the floor. On our 94 Camaro stocker we fabricated a bolt on linkage that used large heim joints that held the Z bar to the fire wall. You thinking of a stick in the LT-1??????

[Ed Carpenter]

Originally Posted by Ed Wright

Are guys running '93 thru '02 Camaro/Firebird using hydraulics in SS? Or does somebody fabricate mechanical pedal/linkage packages? Can't come through the floor, still has to be a swing pedal, right?

Do it Ed put the Jerico in over the winter!

[Ed Wright]

The LT4 is a soft one, but has to be a stick.