TH400 vs Glide in Fox Body
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Teching In
Joined: May 2016
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TH400 vs Glide in Fox Body Have a fairly stripped down notch back running a 5.3 liter with a 75mm turbo and an ls6 cam. If I had to guess, it is somewhere between 2600 to 2800 lbs and pushing somewhere close to 600 HP to the wheels.
We just burnt up the TH350 (had a 3200 stall) in the car and looking at going with a built Glide or TH400. We are sort of leaning towards the glide because of the lightweight of the car and we think it will be a little bit faster than the TH400 (and an easier swap for us too). But we know we would have to run quite a bit of stall. How much stall is enough to ensure that the glide isn't a dog from a dig or a slow roll? And, can you elaborate on the streetability of that much stall in a light car? Our car is by no means intended to be a street cruiser, but it will spend a lot of "fun" nights on the street.
If it helps were looking at a glide with a 1.8 planetary and we're running 3.55s out back. Thanks for any input.
And sorry for putting this in the turbo section. Figured I would get the best feedback here from people with similar setups.
We just burnt up the TH350 (had a 3200 stall) in the car and looking at going with a built Glide or TH400. We are sort of leaning towards the glide because of the lightweight of the car and we think it will be a little bit faster than the TH400 (and an easier swap for us too). But we know we would have to run quite a bit of stall. How much stall is enough to ensure that the glide isn't a dog from a dig or a slow roll? And, can you elaborate on the streetability of that much stall in a light car? Our car is by no means intended to be a street cruiser, but it will spend a lot of "fun" nights on the street.
If it helps were looking at a glide with a 1.8 planetary and we're running 3.55s out back. Thanks for any input.
And sorry for putting this in the turbo section. Figured I would get the best feedback here from people with similar setups.
I had a 350 th with a 3200 in my nova the first year it had the lq4 turbo and it worked good but was hard to get a good launch as it was hard to hold it with the breaks and leave then when the boost came in it was hard to keep hooked so 1st gear was short.. I run a 3.23 gear and 28" tire the car is 3600 lbs with me in the seat.
after that I went to a built glide with a break and a 1.76 gearset. I'm running a 3200 ptc converter.
now with my t break and launch control I can adjust my 2 step to leave as hard as I want. my 2 step is 3300 now and it leaves at a couple pounds to 4 psi depending how long I let it build. with the glide the car is nice and calm in 1st gear and much easier to hook and get consistent 60" . my local track never preps at all so 1.50 60' is about all it will let me do on radials .
with the 350 th trans my car ran 10.54 at 10 lbs boost
the glide ran 10.52 at 10 lbs boost with all being equal
now I'm at 12.5 psi boost and it seems to like the glide even more. if the track whould hold it I can still leave much harder if it could use the power.
my car is a street car I drive it to work and 60 miles a night going to woodward in the summer time.
that being said I do think a 400th will run as good if not better if traction is not an issue. but hey are heavier . myself I like the longer more controlled 1st gear. jmho.
after that I went to a built glide with a break and a 1.76 gearset. I'm running a 3200 ptc converter.
now with my t break and launch control I can adjust my 2 step to leave as hard as I want. my 2 step is 3300 now and it leaves at a couple pounds to 4 psi depending how long I let it build. with the glide the car is nice and calm in 1st gear and much easier to hook and get consistent 60" . my local track never preps at all so 1.50 60' is about all it will let me do on radials .
with the 350 th trans my car ran 10.54 at 10 lbs boost
the glide ran 10.52 at 10 lbs boost with all being equal
now I'm at 12.5 psi boost and it seems to like the glide even more. if the track whould hold it I can still leave much harder if it could use the power.
my car is a street car I drive it to work and 60 miles a night going to woodward in the summer time.
that being said I do think a 400th will run as good if not better if traction is not an issue. but hey are heavier . myself I like the longer more controlled 1st gear. jmho.
Teching In
Joined: Sep 2016
Posts: 12
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From: St. Louis
Yeah Id go glide for what your intentions are. If it is an all out race build I'd do the 400. As stated above the 2.52 first gear is useless on the street and a 1.76 or 1.80 in a glide will soften the blow to the driveline and tires. However on a radial prepped track it will stick and a 400 will get it out of the hole quicker and allow less rear gear. Plus a few people are doing 2nd gear leave optioned 3 speed 400s so you have your choice depending on track conditions and tuneup. But those are pricey ProMod trans....but they do work!
Teching In
Joined: Sep 2016
Posts: 12
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From: St. Louis
I would call PTC or Neil Chance and have them spec you a converter for your combo and what you want to do. PTCs are around a $1000 but they usually are pretty close on the stator selection. Pro Torque builds a nice converter but its hard to beat PTCs customer service.
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I have a few friends running TH400 foxs right now and they are having a hard time with the 60'. The first gear is just to short and they can't throw any boost at it off the line. If this is an 1/8 mile car id say go with the glide. If your running 1/4 build the 400 with a wider first gear and let it eat.
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TECH Enthusiast
Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 530
Likes: 2
From: South Lyon, Michigan
We run a lot of 1/8th mile with a 3speed Turbo 400, 1.86 First, and have been 1.123 at 32xx on Radials.
There's variables to say which is going to work, and comes down to several things. IE: converter/stator combo, shock design and settings (front and rear), tire that's on the car matters also.
There's variables to say which is going to work, and comes down to several things. IE: converter/stator combo, shock design and settings (front and rear), tire that's on the car matters also.
At your power level/weight/gearing a glide will be cheaper, and generally easier to work on IMO.
If you street drive alot though you may consider running a taller gear and a TH400. The low first gear will let you launch the car easily with something like a 3.08 or a 2.73. That way you don't have to give up highway cruise RPM.
I even know of a guy running a 2.50 gear with a 28" tire and TH400. He uses it like a glide at the strip and shifts into 3rd for over dive on the street. He traps 140's well under 6500 in 2nd. Cruises 65ish at 2k in 3rd on the highway.
Pretty cool!
If you street drive alot though you may consider running a taller gear and a TH400. The low first gear will let you launch the car easily with something like a 3.08 or a 2.73. That way you don't have to give up highway cruise RPM.
I even know of a guy running a 2.50 gear with a 28" tire and TH400. He uses it like a glide at the strip and shifts into 3rd for over dive on the street. He traps 140's well under 6500 in 2nd. Cruises 65ish at 2k in 3rd on the highway.
Pretty cool!
Last edited by Forcefed86; Oct 3, 2016 at 01:09 PM.
TECH Fanatic
Joined: Oct 2015
Posts: 1,280
Likes: 28
From: Pittsboro, IN
At your power level/weight/gearing a glide will be cheaper, and generally easier to work on IMO.
If you street drive alot though you may consider running a taller gear and a TH400. The low first gear will let you launch the car easily with something like a 3.08 or a 2.73. That way you don't have to give up highway cruise RPM.
I even know of a guy running a 2.50 gear with a 28" tire and TH400. He uses it like a glide at the strip and shifts into 3rd for over dive on the street. He traps 140's well under 6500 in 2nd. Cruises 65ish at 2k in 3rd on the highway.
Pretty cool!
If you street drive alot though you may consider running a taller gear and a TH400. The low first gear will let you launch the car easily with something like a 3.08 or a 2.73. That way you don't have to give up highway cruise RPM.
I even know of a guy running a 2.50 gear with a 28" tire and TH400. He uses it like a glide at the strip and shifts into 3rd for over dive on the street. He traps 140's well under 6500 in 2nd. Cruises 65ish at 2k in 3rd on the highway.
Pretty cool!
TECH Enthusiast
Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 590
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From: Scottsdale, AZ
Think that's a thing of the past. I do the majority of my cruising at 2k or less with a 3.25 gear and 30" tire. Around 50-55. my fluid never gets hot (sits at 130ish cruising) Using 9.5 ptc with a 14 stator. Spools up great on the trans brake. 3% slippage thru traps.
Last edited by Forcefed86; Oct 4, 2016 at 09:27 AM.
Teching In
Joined: Sep 2016
Posts: 12
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From: St. Louis
Exactly our old PTC in the X275 car was always less than 5% in the lights, and spooled lightning quick, obviously didn't see highway cruising but a good converter you shouldn't need to worry, now an out of the box TCI or Hughes you might.
TECH Enthusiast
Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 530
Likes: 2
From: South Lyon, Michigan
We use a bolt together PTC and have had stud problems lately.
We have a very tight stator setup in ours, and I can say it comes up pretty quick. Granted we have measures to help with staging.
I've got a stock ratio th400 and a 3.08 in my Nova on a 275/60 tire and I love it. I drive the car anywhere I want to go, yet it gets up and goes. Even from a roll and decent boost it'll ripple the tire just a little, but hooks in first.
Teching In
Joined: Sep 2016
Posts: 12
Likes: 0
From: St. Louis
It was a bolt together unit in front of our old glide, never had an issues for 2 seasons on it. But we switched to a M&M Th400 and converter for this year. Marks treated us well, Deda and crew were great to us but Mark is semi local so we can drive it to him for anything we need in 2hrs. Getting ready to head to Georgia with it and Holly next week if it stays together this weekend.