Team Camaro Tech banner

how the heck does a trans brake work????

22K views 11 replies 6 participants last post by  Badbird 
#1 ·
Can or should you use them in a street car? Can you decide when and when not to use it? Will they blow up a stock TH400??? Thanks!

I get confused when I watch PINKS! and they say they are leaving on the trans brake. Can they not leave on it??
 
#2 ·
Yes they can be used on a street car. Most of them change the trans to a manual valve body so it can be a royal pain driving in the city since you have to shift it much like a manual transmission.
The only time you use it is to launch the car at the track. But on some valve bodies you have to hold the button down to get the car in reverse. Again can be a pain because when you are backing the cable tends to wrap around the column while turning the wheel.
I don't think it would blow up a stock 400 but when you release the button it very well could destroy the sprag in the trans depending on the power going thru it.
Yes you can leave with out using the trans brake. But a trans brake will help with reaction times in most cases.
And I need all the help I can get.:yes:
Hope this helps clear it up a little.
 
#4 ·
That was spam :mad:

Anywho, a trans brake locks first and reverse together when you're staged and hit the button. Bring the car up to the RPMs you want (it will not move, and usually on a rev-limiter) release the button when you're ready....car launches.
 
#5 ·
LOL Yeah that how it works.By the time I answered all the questions I forgot to say how it works. Whe you push the button it sends the fliud thru 1&r at the samr time to "lock" it in place until you release the button so that you can mash the loud pedal without it going anywhere.
 
#6 ·
I have always thought that these were best used on really light cars....just because of the physics involved. Is that the case? When using a transbrake, does the drivetrain weaknesses seem to be in the same places (U-joints, axles.....ect)?? I just don't want to add additional factors to my TH400 that might make it not last as long. Kicking around a bracket car next year to run in the high 11's to low 12's.
 
#7 ·
Weaknesses will be in the same place, but, with trans in two gears, the rest of the drivetrain is at rest. Release the button, then torque/hit is applied.

Foot brake, drivetrain is in tension, trans brake, drivetrain is not.
 
#8 ·
Wouldn't it be a little safe to say that if you have your drivetrain loading (no transbrake), you would have a little less chance of breaking things? We're talking a motor in the low 400 range at the fly.

I never side step the clutch from a dead stop....I always like a little tension. Would a transbrake be a good comparision to a 4 speed clutch (side steppin')? Better or worse......yes this is the end of my questions!!! lol
 
#9 ·
Wouldn't it be a little safe to say that if you have your drivetrain loading (no transbrake), you would have a little less chance of breaking things? We're talking a motor in the low 400 range at the fly.

I never side step the clutch from a dead stop....I always like a little tension. Would a transbrake be a good comparision to a 4 speed clutch (side steppin')? Better or worse......yes this is the end of my questions!!! lol
You're dead on. Transbrake allows an automatic car to shock the suspension in much the same way as dropping the clutch at high rpm from a standstill does.
 
#12 ·
I always dreamed of running a trans brake, on the street, in a 70 Chevelle SS454 I once had!.....The motor was built to LS6 specs and had a built and beefed up TH350 along with a 12 bolt posi, 4.10 gears.....It was equipped with a 3000 stall converter, would this stall speed would have been enough for a nice launch?
 
This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.
Top