Manual Trannys

[Jeff Lee]

I started with zero knowledge using a soft-lok 10.5" and then stepped up to a Magforce dual 8". Along the way all I got was "take more base out of it" from the race department. I didn't have any guidance. I learned the cause and effect of doing this and doing that. So for that, the experience was invaluable. But man, there was a lot of busted knuckles along the way!

I then went with a Sportsman single 10". As is not uncommon, but few will admit, I burned up two of those pricey clutches because I didn't follow the directions! I finally realized what the problem was. I was measuring throw-out bearing clearance the old way; moving the pedal and / or shift fork linkage, whatever, and convincing myself I had plenty of clearance between the levers and the TO bearing. The levers on the Sportsman unit move differently than the Soft-lok I was accustomed to. Bottom line was there was not the clearance I thought I had and when you take the base pressure down and there's not enough clearance, you slip the disk massively. And as many others do, but won't admit, I stayed on the throttle much to long. John Calvert asked me why. I stuttered and finally admitted, "because you think it's going to fix itself!" To that, he agreed and said he'd been there, done that also!
Now I know what to do and what not to do. I simply worked the clutch until I could make 1320 / MPH equaled the optimum ET. I still don't have a data logger but that would be an invaluable tool.
Now, I'm convinced I could help a newbie that was local and have a clutch pretty much dialed in within 2-3 days of track time. I plan on getting a data logger and that will be an entirely new learning curve for me but I'm up for the challenge.

[Ed Carpenter]

Originally Posted by joespanova

Sounds like "smack talk" to me. Whats the quickest you've ever been in a "clutch assisted" manual car?

Leave Ed alone he's been racing longer than I've been alive (sorry Ed I couldn't resist) raced all kinds of cars sticks and autos. We have fun all the time with it. He says im crazy and I tell him to get rid of that junk auto. All in fun.

[Ed Carpenter]

Originally Posted by cutta

Sounds to me that the biggest con to a manual is lack of knowledge. So for those of you that started from scratch with a manual, how long was your learning curve to start doing things right? Also, how often is clutch maintenance necessary(resurfacing, re-tuning, etc). Thanks

It took us several races to get it right when we started. I got smart and talked to guys like Kevin Helms and Brad Zaskowski. We ran one year the whole season and never took the clutch out. As long as your not light and driving through the clutch your can put alot of runs on it. Every 35 to 40 runs we put a 1/4 turn in per Tim Hyatt to account for disc wear. If you want to know why I do it look at my video I just posted fun as hell.

[impstocker]

They told me if I built my 68 Impala with a Big Block and a stick it would break parts (too heavy). Close to 100 passes on car when i had it, only broken part were rear gears on pass #18, they were "street gears" I used Pro gears after that. Racing weight was 4095 pounds.
11.70's in I/S I used a Jerico. I am building a 65 Imp, same combination w/ 396/325
Will Lamprecht

[SuperStockDodge]

Originally Posted by 442OLDS

Not everyone that races an "automatic" has it shift "automatically".

Yes,there is no clutch pedal involved when making the shift,but how many 4 speed drivers use the clutch to make the shift?

I use the clutch in the gear changes...

Don't you know your 10 Commandments?

"Though shall not shift without clutch engagement"

[SuperStockDodge]

Manual Transmission-CHECK!

[SuperStockDodge]

Originally Posted by Ed Wright

Yep. Nobody wants to run behind a stick car. That and all the " man card" BS, "man lever" BS, etc. most of us ran stick cars back when they were harder to drive than now. Just annoying to listen to guys crow about nothing. Most of us know it's not any big deal at all. Just more work. Some of us got old enough diving under that cars is not as easy as it used to be. But, most do hate the starting line torn up. Faster stock cars don't care for bald spots either. I was sitting in the water box behind Jeff Covert's CJ at No Problem last year, saw the whole side of his car due to that lane going bald.
I never knowingly choose the same lane as a stick running ahead of me.

Well Good...

[joespanova]

Originally Posted by SuperStockDodge

I use the clutch in the gear changes...

Don't you know your 10 Commandments?

"Though shall not shift without clutch engagement"

True , very true........clutchless trannys make everybody look exceptional , dont they?

[John Scott]

Originally Posted by deuces wild

As long as your not light and driving through the clutch

This is probably a stupid question, but what does that mean?

[Sean Marconette]

Originally Posted by Macbane

This is probably a stupid question, but what does that mean?

There is no such thing as a stupid question. That is how we all learn.

What this refers to is not enough holding pressure. The clutch does not have enough base pressure to control the slip. So the clutch is slipping more than what was intended.
Hope this helps.

Sean