I'm at a cross road here. This winter I plan to add more goodies that shouls get me into the mid 12's hopefully even lower. One item to add is line locks. A co worker suggested that I install a trans brake instead. Is there anyone here with a daily driver (weekend dragster) using a trans brake. If so, do you or have you encountered any problems with it? Or should I stick with installing the line lock? Or should I install both?

1985 L98 383 stroker, 10.8.1 compression, bored .30, DartAlum. Heads, Roller Comp valve train, Hi flo base intake, accel injectors & adj. fuel regulator, MSD rev limiter, 2600 stall.

Additions to come Super Ram, Trans shift kit, Drag radials, 373 rear gears, and line locks and or trans brake.

Rssshen Vette

 

I haven't used one on the street, but spent many years using them on the track, the last one a dedenbear/tci super glide, they work great, most people set them up on the steering wheel, so you release with your thumb, the trick here is to slide your thumb off the button, dont just try to let go...cuz you'll double punch the button and test how well your tranny is really made!
Tranny brakes arent considered electronics (nhra) and can be run in pro if thats where your playing. ...Oh and you cant do a burn out with your t-brake ingaged, you need to use your line lock and second gear. The last t-brake i used also required using the button to be able to ingage reverse. ...joe

 

A trans brake will turn your Dana36 to trash in short order. Im not sure a Dana 44 will live either.

 

What are you trying to achieve. A transbrake and a line lock serve different purposes. I guess'n you dont want a transbrake.

 

I want to improve my launching at the tree. I know the t-brake and line locks work in a different manner. I'm just not sure if a t-brake would be an okay for a daily driver. If it is, should I do anything to beef up the tranny. I have 8k a heavy duty rebuild. And how long should I expect the rear gears to hold up? (Dana 44)?

 

I do not believe anyone makes a trans brake for a TH-700 and if they did it would be expensive to install because all of the other transmission parts would have to be upgraded to handle the stress of the launch. You also loss all automatic features when a trans brake is insatalled and you loss the engine braking feature with a trans brake. You want line locks for a street car.

 

First thing is a trans brake is not a "bolt in" affair, secondly there's no available brakes for a 700R4 that I'm aware of (possibly one of the lesser known builders make one, tho). With a trans brake, you lose ALL automatic functions..period. This is not for a daily driven street car, even with racing on the weekends. The shift quality is HARSH and that alone can cause breakage. If you're hell-bent on having one, you'll have to convert to either a TH-400 or a Powerglide. both of these transmissions have their good and bad points. Then comes all sorts of fun adapting the C-beam to a transmission not orginally equipped with one. You'll naturally need a new torque converter (designed for transbrakes) as the typical streeter type of converter (like yours) will balloon internally and send all kinds of shrapnel through the trans when it finally lets go. Naturally, you'll need a massive transmission cooler to handle the heat (oops, forgot about that!), as transbrakes create a LOT of heat.

Of course, don't forget this requires a new driveshaft (you knew this, right?), and finally you'll need a rearend capable of handling the extreme shock loads of a trans brake. A Dana 44 isn't going to cut it, and forget even considering a Dana 36 (bring a bucket for the parts!). You'll need either spare Dana parts for a 44, or you convert to a solid axle. Did I mention none of this is cheap?

Bottom line, take your money and get a Dana 44 with 3.73's (don't waste the money/time with a 36). Get some drag radials and have at it. You can put a line lock in to help you with burnouts, but that's about it. A lot of guys get romantic visions of racecar parts in their street cars and are quite miserable with the end result (lots of broken parts and an undriveable car most of the time).

I know it's not what you wanted to hear, but "them's the facts" as they say.

 

My first thought was to go with the line locks, but I wasn't sure about it applying it to a street application.... thanks for the great insight. Line locks is the way I want to go. Thanks!!

Rssshen Vette

 

Thanks RacerX... the facts are what I want to hear!! True facts make for good decisions.

Rssshen Vette