Transbrake in 400 tranny questions

[blackstallion]

Ok i now this may sound a little crazy i have a pretty much stock combo including turbo my car has gone 11.8 on a stock turbo @115mph i have done some heavy weight reduction on my we-4 i also have a t-400 sitting in my friends garage that i could get for free with bop bellhousing,i really want to have a transbrake so i can leave the line harder my best 60ft on 26x10 is olny 1.69 at 9 pounds i cant hold any more my car is not driven daily only in nice weather and to the track so i dont care about the fuel economy whats needed for the transbrake?Do i have to have a manual valve body i woulnd't mine that?What converter?I have already swapped a 400 in place of a 200c in another g-body i used to have.I am also a college student so my funds are low yeah my car isn't making lots of power but i want to get better 60fts/ets.I though about the 2004r but its too expensive even just for the transbrake and the heavy duty parts.I would like to leave at higher boost 15 psi,have the moser axles ready to go in if needed.Whats the bare bones minimum to install a t-brake in a 400

 

[PhilM]

Well, pretty much nothing except a few internals... Clutches, and general bush/seals, and def a 34el sprague. Other than that the stock parts will get you pretty far. You can also drill the drums to increase clutch cooling... I personally like my Hipsters brake...

Converter should be selected on basis of turbo and combo... maybe 3.2k if your turning 11's and want faster.

Driveshafts sometimes fit properly, sometimes not, but with a brake, you cant use it so invest in a nice Al unit. The posi unit will last meh into 10's but with brake life will go down quickly. To gain effectiveness out of a brake you will need extensive suspension work... swaybar, shocks/springs, cntr arms, etc...

And get a bigger tire in there... 28" will leave a much larger footprint. Apparantly they dont rub that bad.

PM me if you need a nasty TB button...

Phil

 

[chris2316]

Be Prepared To Break The Rearend , I Can Almost Gaurantee It Will! I Just Got A Price Of 1000 To Rebuild A 400 And Install A Transbrake!

 

[PaCemkr86]

PM me if you need a nasty TB button...

Phil

i got my t brake button from little Phil... it works bad ass!! really fast

 

[blackstallion]

Will moser 28 spline axles hold up my car is no mega hp motor ,2.5 downpipe ported elbow,stock turbo ported,3inch single exhaust,alky inject,always on vp116 walbro 340,race chip,i just want to get better 60ft,and i know in the future i would want a t-brake i ran 11.8 115mph so will i still fuug stuff up on a t-brake even though i am pretty much stock i plan to leave on the t-brake between 10-15 psi.Could get a t-brake and keep the launch betwen 9-10 psi of the t-brake if i installed it in my th-2004r stock tranny or is that just a disaster waiting to happpen?My car also has every wieght reduction item i can think off excluding the crash bars in the doors don't know if helps with life longevity of drivetrain parts?Thanks for the replies guys.

 

[chris2316]

I Think You Will Still Screw Up The Posi Unit ,or Start Breaking Other Parts In The Drive Train! The Rear Will Live Til Like High Tens Without The T-break Though ,for A Good While I Have Done It! Take The Money You Were Gonna Spend On Axles And The Brake And Put It Elsewhere!

 

[jpwalt1987]

button

what is special about this transake button? can you show a picture? thanks, jeremy

 

[ChrisCairns]

Will moser 28 spline axles hold up my car is no mega hp motor ,2.5 downpipe ported elbow,stock turbo ported,3inch single exhaust,alky inject,always on vp116 walbro 340,race chip,i just want to get better 60ft,and i know in the future i would want a t-brake i ran 11.8 115mph so will i still fuug stuff up on a t-brake even though i am pretty much stock i plan to leave on the t-brake between 10-15 psi.Could get a t-brake and keep the launch betwen 9-10 psi of the t-brake if i installed it in my th-2004r stock tranny or is that just a disaster waiting to happpen?My car also has every wieght reduction item i can think off excluding the crash bars in the doors don't know if helps with life longevity of drivetrain parts?Thanks for the replies guys.

I've been using the StageRight transbrake in my 2004R for around 3 or 4 years. Len in L.V. does refresh the tranny every year however.

The rear end is totally stock internally. I do have Lowers, an air bag and an ATR bar.

I started using the brake when I was running 11's and for the past year and a half I've been running low 10's with one pass in the high 9's. I've never changed anything in the rear. Still stock clutches, brakes, bearings and axles. (Although I have new 28 spline axles on hand to be put in.)

In my opinion people underestimate the strength of the corporate 8.5" rear. I'd highly recommend just a stage right brake, keep your 2004R since it has overdrive for the street and worry about your rear end when you're in the low 10s.

 

[Under Pressure]

I've been using the StageRight transbrake in my 2004R for around 3 or 4 years. Len in L.V. does refresh the tranny every year however.

The rear end is totally stock internally. I do have Lowers, an air bag and an ATR bar.

I started using the brake when I was running 11's and for the past year and a half I've been running low 10's with one pass in the high 9's. I've never changed anything in the rear. Still stock clutches, brakes, bearings and axles. (Although I have new 28 spline axles on hand to be put in.)

In my opinion people underestimate the strength of the corporate 8.5" rear. I'd highly recommend just a stage right brake, keep your 2004R since it has overdrive for the street and worry about your rear end when you're in the low 10s.

We have broke 8.5 off of foot brakes so you have been lucky,but why take the chance with your saftey or your vehicle??? Put on driveshaft loops, good u joints and driveshafts ,axles center section and studs .... been there done it

 

[blackstallion]

So can i take my transmission which is still in great shape always serviced still barks 1st to 2nd shift even with the 295/50/15's and install a trans brake keep the launch under 10 psi get upgraded wheel studs,moser 28 spline axles hope for the best untill i save up some more money to rebuild my th-2004r,then when i get all the heavy duty stuff i will try some higher psi launches?Also whats a good converter selection all i care about is low end power with instant spool i still have the stock turbo and converter.Whats a good upgrade.?

 

[ChrisCairns]

We have broke 8.5 off of foot brakes so you have been lucky,but why take the chance with your saftey or your vehicle??? Put on driveshaft loops, good u joints and driveshafts ,axles center section and studs .... been there done it

Lucky?? I don't thing superstition has much to do with metal fatique.

I have stock upper bushings also. I left the pinion angle stock. Both help "NOT" hit the tires as hard.

Axles break on the launch usually. Not much of a safety hazard.

You broke your rear foot braking?? What parts did you break? And what ET's were you running at the time? Do you have the history of your rear end? I ask this history question wondering if someone did something to yours without you knowing it.

By the way, I also have a stock driveshaft with stock u-joints. Mind you I just replaced the tranny yoke since I'd twisted the splines in it. I did upgrade my driveshaft some years back with an Aluminum one from Kirban. I was running high 11's at the time. It broke the driveshaft on the second pass. I went back to the stock one.

It's things like this that convince me how well the Buick engineers built our cars and so I like to keep whatever Buick built if I can as long as it doesn't slow me down.

I'd like to hear about more about your rear end breakage. It's good to hear it from someone in person instead of someone's brother's, cousin's, uncle who knew of a guy.....ad nauseum.

 

[blackstallion]

No i have not broken anything on my car my rear is 100% stock i have owned the car since it had 67k on it 2nd owner i have serviced the rear 4 times since i have owned it just fluid stuff,I want to install a trans brake keep the boost under 10 psi launches upgrade the axles to 28 spline moser units,an wheel studs my tranny is stock,art carr shift kit,stock turbo and intercooler,has ran 11.9 114 and am looking for better 60fts.Can i install the T-brake or am just asking to brake stuff not looking do to any 12-20 psi launches just want to keep it under 10 or is that too much.

 

[jpwalt1987]

sooner or later you are gonna break something.........but so what!!! it's either gonna go or it's gonna blow. thats what happens in racing. you will always find the next weakest link. just have fun while you are at it. when i go to the track i count on something breaking. that way when it does i am not all depressed. i was expecting it. good luck and launch it as hard as the track will hold. jeremy

 

[PhilM]

what is special about this transake button? can you show a picture? thanks, jeremy

It's like a prazision hair trigger... you can barely see it move yet the spring is strong enough for you not to "mess up." It is a SPDT and can handle the full current of the TB solenoid w/o a relay. Here's a bad pic, but it's there

I still have to make a collet for the bushing so I can adjust the overtravel of the button and make release time-able. And if you have excessive hand-jitter, then that switch is probably a bad idear for you

Phil

 

[Under Pressure]

Lucky?? I don't thing superstition has much to do with metal fatique.

I have stock upper bushings also. I left the pinion angle stock. Both help "NOT" hit the tires as hard.

Axles break on the launch usually. Not much of a safety hazard.

You broke your rear foot braking?? What parts did you break? And what ET's were you running at the time? Do you have the history of your rear end? I ask this history question wondering if someone did something to yours without you knowing it.

By the way, I also have a stock driveshaft with stock u-joints. Mind you I just replaced the tranny yoke since I'd twisted the splines in it. I did upgrade my driveshaft some years back with an Aluminum one from Kirban. I was running high 11's at the time. It broke the driveshaft on the second pass. I went back to the stock one.

It's things like this that convince me how well the Buick engineers built our cars and so I like to keep whatever Buick built if I can as long as it doesn't slow me down.

I'd like to hear about more about your rear end breakage. It's good to hear it from someone in person instead of someone's brother's, cousin's, uncle who knew of a guy.....ad nauseum.[/QUOTE ]11.20s broken axle ,10.50 broken ujoint maybe im just unlucky or my **** was built on a Friday ,but you put a brake on it and actually leave with some boost we'll break your stock 8.5 .sooner then later so good luck and keep safe. P.S 2 of my friends also broke axles both running low 11's