Big Blue24
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Did you get a billet apply lever with the kit? I don't know how much pressure it takes to break a stock lever but there was a thread a couple weeks ago with a broken stock lever.
Did you get a billet apply lever with the kit? I don't know how much pressure it takes to break a stock lever but there was a thread a couple weeks ago with a broken stock lever.
Another cheap upgrade you can do to the overdrive/direct clutch pack, the one that's held in place with the big spring:
Order (9) 0.054" steels instead of the stock (8) 0.068" steels. You also need to order one extra OD/Direct friction. Basically this allows you to upgrade from 9 standard frictions to 10 or an 11% increase in friction surface. This upgrade cost me $15.46 instead of PATC's $100 upgrade!
https://www.wittrans.com/SchematicParts.aspx?Transmission=A518/A618&LinkCode=122
Another cheap upgrade is to buy the 48re backing plate for the OD clutch pack. This allows you to run 6 OD clutches instead of 5 for a 20% increase in friction surface area. This upgrade cost me a whopping $13.39 instead of PATC's upgrade for $$$$. To do this mod, you need to buy one extra friction, one extra steel, and only use one flat snap ring on the bottom below the backing plate. The stock setup uses a 1/4" backing plate with a waved snap ring and a flat snap ring.
https://www.wittrans.com/SchematicParts.aspx?Transmission=A518/A618&LinkCode=141
I'm still researching "cheap" upgrades to the front two clutch packs but haven't found anything "cheap enough" yet.
And finally, if you want some extra friction, so the stock clutches are more grabby, run a different fluid. Ford Type F is a lot more grabby than ATF+4, if you really want to go all out on fluid, run some John Deere Hy-Gard. That's what I'm going to run in my race tranny. 5 gallons for $56 out the door. The only fluid I could find cheaper was Walmart's dex/mer generic stuff at $9.85 a gallon. I chose the tractor fluid cause it's really grabby, has a much better additive package: better than any tranny fluid on the market today, deals with heat and high pressure better than any tranny fluid on the market, and it's a little thicker so it will tighten up a stockish converter. If you live in a cold climate, I'd mix the tractor fluid 50/50 with something red: ATF, Type F, Dex/Merc, etc.
***Just a disclaimer, I am not a transmission expert. This is my very first transmission build so consult with your local tranny expert before you follow all of my suggestions.
how maqny steels anf frictions can you put in the front clutch pack?
I bought all my stuff through patc and it took 5 weeks to get it all the guys there sent my stuff one or what ever when ever. I was on the phone with them every couple days. there shipper sucked azz .I dont recomend them .
That's not the first time I've heard stories like this about them. Returning stuff becomes an even bigger challenge from what I hear. I've only ordered from them once and the order was fine, although a bit expensive.
IMHO, PATC is simply good at marketing. Do any transmission search and their name comes up. Look at almost every transmission thread on a forum and their name comes up. PATC doesn't do or sell anything special, they just present everything in a way that the average guy who doesn't build trannys every day can understand and get what they are looking for.