I putting a trans brake in my 80e and am wondering if I can expect to put a new rear end in shortly. I have an eaton and t/a diff girdle already so I think it has a chance along with I will be using cal-tracs to fight the pinion angle gremlins and launching in 4hi so some force will be going to the front. I dont think I will have to wrry about on the street due to traction issues. I am going to swap in a 12 bolt this summer but the 10 bolt will have to do for now. Does anyone have any experience with trans brakes and high traction? I know this seems like an obvious question but Im looking ot see if anyone has any experience with it, I just need it to last 4-5 months and it will only see 6 or so track launches.

 

I would think if it has good gears and a good loking unit in it that it would be ok until you get your 12 bolt. I wouldnt hammer on it very often though... the girdle helps out with housing flex too under those conditions... what kind of torque are you putting down??? have you had that thing dynoed yet??

 

No dyno the trans is slipping too bad but I should be putting out around 700ft-lbs at the crank. Stock gears eaton lsd and ta diff cover for the stock 10 bolt is all I have right now.

 

Ya I would say launching off a trans-brake would put the rear end, drive shaft, transfer case, and front diff. through its paces. A trans brake is just as hard on things as side steping the clutch from what ever rpm you launch from. It will find the weak spot in the drive train thats for sure.

 

Usually when using a trans brake the rear is set-up with what's known as "Pro Gears". The actual metal make-up (Rockwell hardness) of the ring gear and pinion gear is a "softer" metal which absorbs some of the shock (the teeth actually bend instead of break if you can believe that) and duress caused by using a transbrake. I think you are insane to think that a GM 10bolt rear will hold up to a 4800+ lb. vehicle launching off of a transbrake. I would think a properly stalled converter would be more than adequate for whatever your truck is capable of 60'ing. That ring gear won't last a few launches....if that...in my opinion.

 

BTW, check out this link. This is a local LT-1 "based" truck that runs 9.30's off the foot brake. I gotta wonder what goals you have with your truck and why you would think a transbrake would be necessary.

http://www.anderson-performance.com/Guy%20Mancini.htm

 

700ft lbs at the flywheel? Maybe with a 100 shot.
I personally think that the transbrake would be a waste. It will just cause your traction problem to get worse. You will have to back it down off the line like Parish does due to not being able to hold it straight.

 

Yeah maybe closer to 600 ft-lbs I had been drinking when I posted this originally

I dont plan on running the stock suspension forever. My tax return is going to be rather large so I am going to put the rest of the money towards drag shocks, lowering, and cal-tracs to help with traction. I have a buddy with a welder and has alot of experience with suspension stuff so may end up building a 4-link for it. The trans brake will be for track only pretty much and I can get my hands on a set of 4 m/t et streets. Unlike parish if I have traction issues I will bypass DRs and go straight to slicks on all four corners to get my bling time slip. The main reason I am thinking of doing it is because it will cost me 50 bucks for it to be installed when the trans is being built but later on if I want it, it will cost alot more. No body as messed with these in our trucks and also you get more consistant 60ft times with a trans brake and I can dial in my nitrous more accurately for more repeatable time slips for bracket racing or whatever.