Should i switch to a Glide?
Should i switch to a Glide? Car is the fox mustang in my sig. Its a track only car. Bracket raced 1/8 mile almost exclusively. Currently it has a TH350 with 4.10 gears. The car 60's 1.47-1.49 usually off foot brake. wanting to go to a trans brake setup which I hear isn't reliable in a 350. I don't mind changing gears in the rear. Just don't wanna lose et
if you build it to handle any real power then it really needs to be a FMVB...and they like to tear **** up if you try to downshift at any speed higher than a crawl...
I vote on getting a glide...
well proven, holds up to a lot more power than you are throwing at it
and will go faster than a TH400 with the right converter in it.
400's like to destroy the 2nd gear sprag if you peddle it even a little bit....you can go spragless...but its expensive
if you build it to handle any real power then it really needs to be a FMVB...and they like to tear **** up if you try to downshift at any speed higher than a crawl...
I vote on getting a glide...
well proven, holds up to a lot more power than you are throwing at it
and will go faster than a TH400 with the right converter in it.
if you build it to handle any real power then it really needs to be a FMVB...and they like to tear **** up if you try to downshift at any speed higher than a crawl...
I vote on getting a glide...
well proven, holds up to a lot more power than you are throwing at it
and will go faster than a TH400 with the right converter in it.
Spragless would not be ideal for his application.
Who says it needs to be a FMVB to handle any real power? Again, I've built TH400s that are holding 1500hp+ that still retain full automatic shifting.
as far as I understand....which is limited...
this little snippet describes the issue I'm talking about..
I've had 3 friends that have destroyed the 2nd gear sprag on a built 400.....the 2nd gear sprag was one of the upgrades they all did... I could not tell you more exact details because I dont know them...
and I have lots of friends with TH400's that have been built to handle power, that have all pulled it out multiple times for various reasons and had to send it in for repairs...
none of my friends with Glides have had to pull them out for repairs....
not saying it wont break.... Just saying that it is holding up better for the people I know.
this little snippet describes the issue I'm talking about..
The most common failure in a Turbo 400 is the 2nd gear sprag. This is a mechanical part has to stop the direct drum turning in the opposite direction of transmission rotation the instant the 2nd gear is engaged. Imagine a 9lb drum turning at engine RPM and has to be stopped instantly. What typically happens is the sprag will wear and break or flip over causing a loss of 2nd gear. This will happen from a stock 400 to Hi HP units. The industry for years has worked to improve the problem GM built into the Turbo 400. The industry solution was to use a larger sprag out of a front wheel drive GM transmission referred to as (Super Sprag). This sprag is larger and has more surface area and it does extend the HP limitation of the 2ng gear sprag. The problem is the Super Sprag is still a mechanical part, it still wears and fails only at a higher HP level. No one seems to know what HP level this new sprag is reliable. When you shock a mechanical part it will fail period. That's what happens every time you pull the shifter on your 400 into 2nd gear.
I've had 3 friends that have destroyed the 2nd gear sprag on a built 400.....the 2nd gear sprag was one of the upgrades they all did... I could not tell you more exact details because I dont know them...
and I have lots of friends with TH400's that have been built to handle power, that have all pulled it out multiple times for various reasons and had to send it in for repairs...
none of my friends with Glides have had to pull them out for repairs....
not saying it wont break.... Just saying that it is holding up better for the people I know.
as far as I understand....which is limited...
this little snippet describes the issue I'm talking about..
I've had 3 friends that have destroyed the 2nd gear sprag on a built 400.....the 2nd gear sprag was one of the upgrades they all did... I could not tell you more exact details because I dont know them...
and I have lots of friends with TH400's that have been built to handle power, that have all pulled it out multiple times for various reasons and had to send it in for repairs...
none of my friends with Glides have had to pull them out for repairs....
not saying it wont break.... Just saying that it is holding up better for the people I know.
this little snippet describes the issue I'm talking about..
I've had 3 friends that have destroyed the 2nd gear sprag on a built 400.....the 2nd gear sprag was one of the upgrades they all did... I could not tell you more exact details because I dont know them...
and I have lots of friends with TH400's that have been built to handle power, that have all pulled it out multiple times for various reasons and had to send it in for repairs...
none of my friends with Glides have had to pull them out for repairs....
not saying it wont break.... Just saying that it is holding up better for the people I know.
Doesn't seem to be a problem for any of my customers, even at the 1200+ HP range.
Tim has been running this unit for over 2 years.
8.1x at almost 170 mph in a 3600 lb car.
Obviously the sprag isn't that weak.
Sprags do fail. There are several reasons.
First and foremost is probably an uninformed operator who doesn't do burnouts properly. Short and simple, do the burnout in 3rd gear, DON'T do a WOT 1-2 shift during the burnout.
2nd is improperly calibrated valve body design.
3rd is issues with the build. Improper prep, out of spec parts, too much endplay. At elevated power leves there are things that can be done to help the sprag even further.
There are many factors that affect sprag life.
A PowerGlide is an excellent unit in certain combos. You don't hear about sprag failures in a Glide because the don't have one. The do however have a band that is a common failure point. Pump stator's spinning out, weak planetary carriers, weak stock shafts and clutch hub.
A decent Glide contains MANY aftermarket parts to live at even modest power levels (700-800 HP) that a TH400 doesn't need.
In a foxbody Mustang for dedicated 1/8th mile, a think a decent Glide would be a good choice, but it will cost more than a TH400 and converter build will be more critical.
Let me chime in. We manufacture the most winning bracket race converters and trans in the country.. 1 word GLIDE!!!!!
Every race that paid more than $50,000.00 this year was won with an FTI converter and most with an FTI glide as well.
Greg
Every race that paid more than $50,000.00 this year was won with an FTI converter and most with an FTI glide as well.
Greg
__________________
FTI COMPETITION CONVERTERS AND TRANSMISSIONS
"IT'S NOT CHEATING, IT'S THE COMPETITIVE EDGE."
1-866-726-8358
info@ftiperformance.com
FTIPerformance.com
FTI Converter build sheet
FTI COMPETITION CONVERTERS AND TRANSMISSIONS
"IT'S NOT CHEATING, IT'S THE COMPETITIVE EDGE."
1-866-726-8358
info@ftiperformance.com
FTIPerformance.com
FTI Converter build sheet
Trending Topics
On The Tree
Joined: May 2010
Posts: 168
Likes: 1
What kind of horsepower/torque does your car make? What does it weigh? Its pretty hard to give an accurate recommendation without that info. I assume its pretty light since its a fox body and if thats the case its pretty easy to make a glide work well but if you dont have enough power going from a 3 speed to a 2 speed will hurt your ET even in a light car. I have a customer that runs high 10's low 11's pretty consistently with a th350 and a brake in a full body camaro (so guessing around 32-3300lbs??) Im not going to tell you that is the way to go but it is doable depending upon your power level weight and burnout habits. That particular unit is also a transmission thats on our bench broken more often than I would like it to be and surprisingly less than I think it should be. That being said switching to a th400 may or may not hurt your et as well. The th400 has bigger parts and therefore is much stronger but it does take more power to get those big heavy parts moving (although not tons). The th400 also has a higher first gear and depending upon the application it could help or hurt your combination. Both the th400 and glide can be made to handle whatever you can throw at them but it does come at a cost. A BONE STOCK glide is "junk" in the performace world wheras a TH400 is pretty stout. Toss a few hundred bucks at a glide and it will run with a stock TH400 all day long in most applications. The th350 can be made to handle modest power in a light car depending how crazy you want to get throwing your hard earned $$ at a transmission that at the end of the day will have limits no matter what is done to it. I am personally a fan of the glide but to tell you that you need a glide without knowing what the full application is would be pretty hard...
LS1 Tech Stories
The Best V8 Stories One Small Block at Time
Amazing '71 Camaro Restomod Is Modern Muscle Car Under the Skin
Verdad Gallardo
6 Common C5 Corvette Failures and What's Involved In Repairing Them
Pouria Savadkouei
Retro Modern Bandit Pontiac Trans AM Comes With Burt Reynolds' Autograph
Verdad Gallardo
Top 10 Greatest Cadillac V Series Performance Models Ever, Ranked
Pouria Savadkouei
Top 10 Most Powerful Chevy Trucks Ever Made!
Hennessey's New Supercharged Silverado ZR2 Has 700 HP
Verdad Gallardo
Coachbuilt N2A Anteros Is an LS2-Powered C6 Corvette In Italian Clothes
Verdad Gallardo
Awesome K5 Blazer Restomod Comes With C7 Corvette Power
Verdad Gallardo
10 Camaros You Should Never Buy
Carlson, Well being that the consumer stated that he would change rear gears and knowing that the car weighs less than 3200 unless it has a boom boom gigantic stereo in it. I would recomend a glide because he can get the most trans for his money and the most consistency need to turn on win lights. The customer stated that this is a BRACKET car. I would want to know the entire combo if a converter change is needed to make it PRINT tickets.
Greg
Greg
__________________
FTI COMPETITION CONVERTERS AND TRANSMISSIONS
"IT'S NOT CHEATING, IT'S THE COMPETITIVE EDGE."
1-866-726-8358
info@ftiperformance.com
FTIPerformance.com
FTI Converter build sheet
FTI COMPETITION CONVERTERS AND TRANSMISSIONS
"IT'S NOT CHEATING, IT'S THE COMPETITIVE EDGE."
1-866-726-8358
info@ftiperformance.com
FTIPerformance.com
FTI Converter build sheet
On The Tree
Joined: May 2010
Posts: 168
Likes: 1
Carlson, Well being that the consumer stated that he would change rear gears and knowing that the car weighs less than 3200 unless it has a boom boom gigantic stereo in it. I would recomend a glide because he can get the most trans for his money and the most consistency need to turn on win lights. The customer stated that this is a BRACKET car. I would want to know the entire combo if a converter change is needed to make it PRINT tickets.
Greg
Greg
OK guys. The car weighs 3050 with me in it. The car makes 437rwhp/375rwtq thru the 8" PTC which flashes to 5200. I shift the car at 6800 on passes. Car runs 6.60's - 6.70's usually. Definitely don't wanna hurt ET. I actually would like to pick the car up to 6.50 that way I could run 6.50 and 7.0 index.
On The Tree
Joined: May 2010
Posts: 168
Likes: 1
OK guys. The car weighs 3050 with me in it. The car makes 437rwhp/375rwtq thru the 8" PTC which flashes to 5200. I shift the car at 6800 on passes. Car runs 6.60's - 6.70's usually. Definitely don't wanna hurt ET. I actually would like to pick the car up to 6.50 that way I could run 6.50 and 7.0 index.
I think I also may want to put some spray on the car at some point. I think a glide would definitely be better suited there. The car isn't real violent now on the launch but I believe with some spray the 1-2 shift would come so quick. I already bump the limiter from time to time on motor.