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Old 12-06-2009, 06:04 PM
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Default lenco questions

anyone on here run one in a f-body? got any pictures? how do you like it over your past glide or th-350/400
Old 12-06-2009, 07:01 PM
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I would say Yellow Bullet would give you the best results to your question. How fast of a ride are you planning on possibly using a Lenco for?
Old 12-06-2009, 07:32 PM
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thanks as fast as my 440 LSX will take me
Old 12-06-2009, 07:49 PM
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a liberty would be alot better-they don't use near the hp that the lenco does.
Old 12-06-2009, 07:56 PM
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Shawn is right, a liberty will be faster... but if you ever plan on driving on the street a lenco is the better choice. Be prepared for a huge learning curve (and cost) with a clutchless trans. You'll need to have all the clutch tools and be able to set up the clutch at the track including base pressure and air gaps. There is ALOT to know to get a lenco/liberty clutch style trans to work correctly. But when done right... WOW, they haul the mail. Cost from scratch is around 12-15k.

If it were me, I'd spend the money elsewhere. Even my OL10.5 car had a glide and could withstand 2400hp.
Old 12-07-2009, 06:06 AM
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Lenco makes a street friendly version, I was looking into it. Costs alot. You can find one used on racing junk or yb sometimes for around 7k.
I didn't know about all the tools and adjustments it needed until just now, that would mean modifying the tunnel so you could access the trans from in the car I would think and that means without a 25.2 etc. the trans tunnel mods would not let you pass tech.
Definately look into it before you tear into it.
I would get a glide or stick with the 400 if it were me. They will both handle a nitrous 440, the glide will make it easier to launch the car and be lighter, the 400 will let you leave with less nitrous at the hit but may be harder to dial in off the line and the 400 will run better for any N/A passes, the glide will bog you down N/A with that 440 for sure.
Old 12-07-2009, 06:31 AM
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With a lenco you really need to be able to have the trans on a sliding mount, that will slide back so you can work on the tranny.. and like stated that will require a removable top trans tunnel, which opens up a world of issues, pretty much making a 25.2 a mandatory thing.

I had a liberty in my hands at one point and was going to do this, but after finding out about all the other things like this that was going to be needed, it seemed like more work then it's worth.

Nevermind you can buy a glide for less $ and will get you everything that you need.
Old 12-07-2009, 09:16 AM
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I never new about all the tools needed. I have a brand new glide sitting here just looking at some options
Old 12-07-2009, 11:10 AM
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The clutch resurfacing tools aren't cheap, and the maintenance needs to be done abotu every race day.

Couple people I know use them and they're redoing the clutches every 3 to 4 runs for referance.
Old 12-07-2009, 12:48 PM
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You don't need a special clutch to run a lenco do you? A buddy of mine is putting one in his HOSS this winter. He said he planned on using a Mcleod twin disc. I think as long as you change the oil in them regularly, they shouldn't need much more maintenance. Well, you need to keep an eye on the sprag too. As for cutting a giant hole in the tunnel, yeah you're probably going to have to do that.
Old 12-07-2009, 01:39 PM
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You can't run the same clutch, they are a mechanical clutch, not the shitty hydraulic one that GM put in the car. It will be a fork actuated setup, requiring the motor and everything to be solid mounted as well.

The clutch that the standard lenco/liberty uses is a milti disk that is very small, and usually sas multiple friction plates in it, kind of looks like a motorcycle clutch, and the friction disks, and drive plates need regular maintenance.

Now you can go with a clutchless liberty, but now you're talking a special converter and big bucks for that setup too.

It's 15 to 18 grand do one the right way, and again, the tranny needs to be mounted on a sliding tranny mount, drop the driveshaft slide the tranny backards so you can get at the clutches.

In an f body, this will be a trick, the dash is way in the way too, so you'll probably have no dash in the car to speak of, so you can get to them.

Alot of work, trust me, I looked into this trying to find an edge.
Old 12-07-2009, 02:22 PM
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liberty's are more prone to breakage.... i'd go for the lenco... hard as hell to break and a single disk is fine.... buddy replaces his once per year at most... now days you can get a pretty decent tune up in the clutch and make it work by changing your power curve via electronics and make it work fine. still need to understand how to adjust the clutch though for optimal gains.
Old 12-07-2009, 02:25 PM
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Originally Posted by JL ws-6
You can't run the same clutch, they are a mechanical clutch, not the shitty hydraulic one that GM put in the car. It will be a fork actuated setup, requiring the motor and everything to be solid mounted as well.

The clutch that the standard lenco/liberty uses is a milti disk that is very small, and usually sas multiple friction plates in it, kind of looks like a motorcycle clutch, and the friction disks, and drive plates need regular maintenance.

Now you can go with a clutchless liberty, but now you're talking a special converter and big bucks for that setup too.

It's 15 to 18 grand do one the right way, and again, the tranny needs to be mounted on a sliding tranny mount, drop the driveshaft slide the tranny backards so you can get at the clutches.

In an f body, this will be a trick, the dash is way in the way too, so you'll probably have no dash in the car to speak of, so you can get to them.

Alot of work, trust me, I looked into this trying to find an edge.
Interesting, the way he talked it won't be a big deal. I know he's going with a z-bar mechanical linkage setup with the required bellhousing, shift fork, and tob. I'll have to get with him and see how it's going. I'm still not sure about having to use that style of clutch with a lenco. A clutchless liberty yes, but not a lenco. Could be wrong though cause I've never actually looked into using either.
Old 12-07-2009, 03:23 PM
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If I had either it would be in a car that had a dash that you could remove quickly and with easy and a removeable trans tunnel if it had one at all.

On YB it seems the general conclusion is to not run either unless you are a serious racer because there is just to much money and time tied up in them.

The cheapest Lenco I have seen if I remember right was 7k like said above.
Old 12-07-2009, 04:00 PM
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There may be a way to get a regular clutch in the car, but at that point you would be better off just going with a jerico rather then a lenco/liberty.
Old 12-14-2009, 09:03 AM
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there really isnt much price difference in a decent clutch trans and a glide....

the lenco/jefco just are pretty much un breakable... time to time your hurt a small/cheap part that you can fix your self and you can adjust you clutch for your different power plants you put in front of it and not have to re-stall your 1500$ converter several times to get it close/right...

a good glide cost around 4k and a good converter is around 1200.... not much price difference...

i'd buy a lenco/jefco off racing junk and be done with it.
Old 12-14-2009, 10:52 AM
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Problem is getting it into the car, you pretty much need a 25.2 chassis to do it, and that's where alot of the expense comes in. Access from the top with one of those, is pretty much a must, meaning no stock floor pan, etc.etc.
Old 12-15-2009, 12:38 PM
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.

Unless you are making huge power 2000 +, there are much better choices as mentioned.

I do know of one guy running a non-adjustable clutch. It's an old old car, and he used what he had.

.



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