Re: Clutch guys
 

Lots of heads-up pro tree racers using my 'tamers, even been thru the barn and into winner's circle @ the US Nats :)

Re: Clutch guys
 

Interesting. Which class(es) at the US Nationals have won and been through the barn?

Re: Clutch guys
 

And I'm gonna bet those cars are clutchless tranny cars also. I "interrupt" the "lock up" at every gear change , so recovery doesn't look very attractive with the "tamer" from that perspective.
So we've sorta deviated from the original point , but a fun conversation non the less....

Re: Clutch guys
 

My lips are sealed, as far as I know NHRA hasn't yet directly addressed use of the 'tamer.

In NMRA's Coyote Stock, some guys were using the 'tamer under the radar before anyone else knew it existed. Someone complained which resulted in a mid-season rule clarification that basically outlawed use of the 'tamer. Lucky for me, there were enough of them already using the 'tamer that threatened to boycott the class if they took the 'tamer away. Now keep in mind, I had never met any of those guys, don't sponsor them, and have never actually even been to one of their races. They took a chance and spent their money looking for an edge and liked the result. There was such an uproar over the rule clarification that they had to have an emergency meeting to address the 'tamer directly, here's the press release that came out of that meeting...

https://grannys.tripod.com/clutchtamercsrulesupdate.jpg

Before the 'tamer, most were using a certain centrifugal assist diaphragm clutch (use of a diaphragm is dictated by the rules). With the 'tamer in play now even off the shelf clutches are competitive, and no one that I know of is still using that expensive centrifugal assist unit in the class. Many feel that the 'tamer brings parity to the class, which helps keep the car counts high. Last time I looked there were 5 different clutch companies with their products in use.

Coyote Stock is factory sealed naturally aspirated 302ci crate engines with spec tune/ fuel running mid/high 9's @ 136 carrying 3000lbs. 2-steps would be set even higher if the spec ecu/tune didn't close the throttle if they touch the 7800 main limiter. Fans love the high rpm launches and long wheelies that come from taking a 'tamer to the extreme. When you see an NMRA event flyer, more often than not the main car pic will be a 'tamer equipped car with the front high in the air. Heads-up starts on a pro tree with big wheelies, fans love the class.

Hoping NHRA will factor that in when they eventually address the 'tamer in class racing.

Re: Clutch guys
 

Not a problem, I myself have a faceplated Toploader and WOT shift using the clutch pedal. Just a street/strip car with a focus on no-prep.

The 'tamer actually helps close the gap between clutchless and clutchpedal shifts, as the WOT interrupt of power flow creates an rpm flare which adds stored energy to the engine's rotating assy. The 'tamer partially re-activates when using the clutch pedal on the shifts, smoothing out re-engagement of the powertrain. Engine still made power thru the shift, 'tamer just makes its recovery more efficient. I even run radials on no-prep, they don't get knocked loose after the shifts.

The clutch pedal is released from a stop for launch, so the 'tamer is fully active. For the shift the pedal is only kicked to get the trans out of gear instead of being pushed all the way to the stop, so the 'tamer does not fully re-set during the shifts. You end up with the slip you want for launch, but with less induced slip after the shifts.

Ideally you would control the clutch slip rate after the shift with static clamp pressure, but many guys don't have adjustable base and don't want the hassle of shimming the pressure plate.

Re: Clutch guys
 

Yet , somehow, hundreds, possibly thousands of us stick racers have been running McLeod Soft Lok (or similar), sintered iron disc, low pressure, centrifugal "slipper" style clutches for decades, and leave well, are consistent, don`t break parts, even without something like a "bangshift Billy" device. In that video, you show a 67 Fairlane spinning the tires before the "Billy", and "Total clutch control" afterwards. Yet it shows a 1.43 60 foot time on a 8 second car. Thats a terrible 60 foot number for my low 10 second stick car, certainly wouldn`t be happy with that on a 8 second car. Also don`t know of any Stock or S/S cars using overdrive street transmissions, or diaphragm clutches, either. I usually run my 10" McLeod Soft Lok clutch for 2 full seasons, with 50-75 1/4 mile passes per year, between rebuilds. So far, I have been pretty happy with the clutches that I have been running the past 25 years, with 2 different cars, and 5 different engine combinations.

Re: Clutch guys
 

rory, , exactly, thank you, also he uses a hyd throwout bearing, looks like.

Re: Clutch guys
 

Seems to me this whole thread belongs in another section. Which one, I don't know.

Re: Clutch guys
 

When the guy who says he has the solution to a problem is also the guy that sells the part that will be your solution, let the buyer beware. Secondly, I am quite sure this would be illegal in Stock and SS so not sure why we are having this conversation on a Stock/SS site anyway. I discussed an idea similar to this with Jerry Valentine years ago and he shot me down on legality before I even finished the proposal.

Re: Clutch guys
 

Maybe Ken can add an Infomercial section. :rolleyes:


Stan