im planning to run the 11.00 index class .400 protree light. im footbraking right now running 11.10s.obviously im not gonna be competitive running with guys on trans-brake and 2 steps. im planning to put a 2 step to help me off the line (reaction) i dont want to install a trans-brake so where do i start and what ignition system do yall suggest, my current ignition is stock type hei and thats out the window. how does the 2 step system work with footbraking? thanks

 

i'd skip it personally, the 2 step just sets the limit on the rpms you can launch at. i think you may have stumbling problems leaving under 3K on a foot brake, i'd just load it against the converter and let it fly. maybe some other guys with more experience will chime in

 

A 2 step just drops cylinders to keep the same launch rpm for consistency. Using the vehicle brakes, you can't launch at a higher rpm with a 2 step than without. A transbrake can allow you to launch up to the converter's stall speed.

There's a couple of ways you can install one. The easiest is to just mount a button, usually on the steering wheel. Push the button and the 2 step is activated. It won't allow the engine rpms to go higher than the what the 2 step is set for or in your case, what the vehicle's brakes can hold.

When the last yellow light comes on, you take your foot off the brake and release the button at the same time and away you go.

A more automatic way of installing it is to mount a switch on the brake pedal. When the brake is applied, the 2 step is activated restricting engine rpms. You're not going to be accelerating down the track with your foot on the brake so there's no need to worry about having it come on while driving.

The downside of this setup is the slight delay it takes for the brake pedal to release.

 

correct me if im wrong stephen, the 2 step allows you to have your gas pedal to the floor once is activated which would help your reaction time right, while a regular footbraking you still have to mash the gas all the way that where you loose time. will i pick up in e.t. with a 2 step?

 

without using it in conjunction with a transbrake, no, you will see no gains. it'll probably screw up your reaction times more than help because you just added another step to your launching teqhniques.

honestly, if you're wanting to run an 11.0 class, you need to be running 10.7x's and slow the car down. it sounds like to me that you simply need a little more power.

you will only be able to put your foot all the way to the floor if you have enough brakes to hold it still. the transbrake holds the car by engaging reverse and first simultaneously, so there's on worry about wether or not the brakes will hold it because the brakes aren't even in the equation.

wether or not you have a two step, running footbrake on a .400 protree is going to give you a SERIOUS disadvantage over the guys running a transbrake. there is less distance between your hand and your brain than the distance between your foot and your brain, which is one reason why you'll see better reaction times with the transbrake.

i'll be looking at the new 4l60e transbrakes soon enough.

 

A 2 step without a transbrake won't allow the engine to go any higher than what you're already doing by holding the brakes because without a transbrake, you still need to hold the car with the vehicle brakes. The only advantage to using a 2 step and foot brake racing is being able to launch at the same RPM every time. It won't make you faster.

I agree that if you're running in a index class race, you need more power than what's required and always slow the car down to make the index. As the air changes or you go to different altitude tracks, the car can speed up or slow down. You always need enough HP to run the number in the worst conditions.

I have no idea what your 11.00 index class is all about but it's close enough to the Super Street/Hot Rod index class or 10.90 which is corrected for altitude at higher tracks. All cars run as close to 10.90 as possible without going faster on a .500 full tree. Many, but not all, are capable of running low 10's and they throttle stop the car to slow down to 10.90.

 

thanks guys for your responses. well looks like i have to install a tran-brake to run with these guys on a prootree light there cutting .412-.430 lights is the best i saw last night. my best on foot brake is .480s . me and some guys that are footbraking had a little discussion with the promoter about the 11.00 class making it footbrake and no electronics but of course hes not budging because hes gonna lose car count because 80 % of the guys running 11.00 and faster are running trans brake and 2 steps oh well time to move on. thanks again.

 

yeah stephen the rules are no throttle stops and delay boxes.

 

There's ways around that. Once you install a transbrake, you can install an adjustable button. I use the Moroso one, and adjust it to adjust your reaction times slightly. A poor man's throttle stop is an adjustable bolt somewhere on the throttle (under the pedal or on the carb) that limits how far WOT is. Reduce it slightly and the car slows down.

Again, with a transbrake, you'll only be able to launch up to the converters stall speed. You'll never know what the converter can stall at without a transbrake.

My converter stalls at 6000 rpm but I launch at 4500.

 

time for some head porting or maybe get a little better set of cylinder heads. that'd really wake that car up. the worlds are just so outdated compared to what's available now...

 

To be consistent on a protree, you'll need a transbrake. Still with a transbrake, you might have to roll the car in a little bit to get down in the .400-.410 range being an 11.0 car. So you'll need to be able to run atleast a 10.95 staging shallow.

 

for what your wanting to do, i would for sure run a 2 step, and probably run it off the brake pedal switch. the car will operate like its got a transbrake in terms of putting the gas pedal to the floor and waiting for the tree to come down. youll just have to setup the 2 step according to whatever rpm your car launches best at. my car likes to be flashed as opposed to "stalled up".
i would think consistency would improve with this setup.

 

be careful with that , know a guy who did it that way and the brake pedal didn't come up fast enough. cutting .6xx lights on a sportsman tree

 

BUT IF I DO CONNECT THE 2 STEP TO THE BRAKE SWITCH WOULDNT IT BE ENGAGED EVERYTIME I STEP ON THE BRAKE??????

 

if you dont want it to, put another switch in series with it so you can disable/enable it on the dashboard. (so you can do a burnout without a line lock) if you have a line lock, you wont have any issue, unless you normally floor the gas when slowing down for red lights. lol

 

he could try adjusting the switch or a micro switch maybe?