Are Neutral Drops always a bad Idea? Can they really screw up your trans?

 

At 5000 rpm the input shaft is spinning at around 5000 rpm. The output shaft is spinning at 0 rpm. When you drop it in gear something has to give...

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350 with stealth intake, holley carb, 470 lift cam. 700r4 with .5 boost valve, vette servo, tci lock-up kit, B&M megashifter. Richmond 3.73 gears, powertrax locker, timkin bearings, synthetic lube. Custom 3 inch single into 2 2.5 pipes. 1 1/2 drop springs, 1 5/16 solid front sway bar, 1 inch rear bar, custom subframe connectors, custom LCA relocation brackets. Kobel ground FX, currant red metallic paint. Lots of other stuff...
82camaro

 

Yeah dude, I can't think of a time when they are not bad. I did one at 4500 in my old Chevelle and broke the rear end yoke. My father did one at 7,000 (on accident) and broke the driveshaft, and the yoke. Never a good thing.



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Joshua Johnston
1991 Z-28


350, T-5, K&N, Ported Vortec heads, Edelbrock RPM, Holley 750 D.P., HEI, 11.07:1 CR, Comp Cams Roller-.510"/.520"-282*/288* dur., Shorty Headers, Dual 2.5 Exhaust,Dynomax Bullet Mufflers, T&R Motorsports custom air intake

 

Automatic transmissions are not standards with a clutch. They use a torque converter to transfer power from the engine to the tranny. Neutral drops will do nothing for performance except break parts. Breaking driveline parts is cheap compared to having to replace a transmission. If you want to leave at a higher rpm then invest in a good torque converter or swap in a standard transmission but even then a stock clutch, pressure plate and flywheel and only take so much abuse. Also a T5 tranny can't take that much abuse either before it breaks.

Do a few more neutral drops. I'd love to make some money from you by replacing your tranny as would anyone else who does repairs for a living.

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Follow my racing progress on Stephen's racing page
and check out the race car

87 IROC-Z SuperPro ET Bracket Race Car
461 naturally aspirated Big Block

Best ET on a time slip: 11.242 altitude corrected to 10.89
Best MPH on a time slip: 121.52 altitude corrected to 125.89
Altitude corrected rear wheel HP: 497.9
Best 60 foot: 1.546

Racing at 3500 feet elevation but most race days it's over 5000 feet density altitude!
Member of the Calgary Drag Racing Association

87 IROC bracket car, 91 454SS daily driver, 95 Homebuilt Harley

 

And aren't they embarrassing anyway? I know I get a kick out of seeing someone go.." .rrrrrrrRRRRRRR Clunk! Erk..." (Hehe, as amusing almost as the verbal description of it.)

 

I have seen people break there tranny or rear end by doing that. Why would you want to do this anyway? If you want to peel out just slam the gas.

 

They are never a good idea. I always thought they were a substitute for power. You know, there isn't a snowballs chance in Hell that you can spin the tires so you do a neutral drop.

 

Might be suitable in a rental car, but you didn't hear that from me.

 

Sounds like something that automatic equipped rice "rockets" would do. LOL!

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Ron Strayhorne
91 350 V8 T.A./ MSD ignition box & wires;Flowmaster cat-back exhaust;K&N filter;Crane perf. coil; semi-polished engine;Random Technology cat sitting in the garage til I can afford the other one;Pro-built stage 3 tranny in the mail...cant wait!!!

Best 1/4 mile time: 13.8@ Speedworld Motorplex (used to be called Phoenix Raceway Park). I was so excited I forgot the mph.

http://members.tripod.com/strayhorne/car.htm

 

if it's tire spin you're looking for, just do a brakestand. granted this isn't the best thing for your car, but i would imagine slamming it into drive at 5000rpm's is 100 times worse.

 

A brakestand is really only hard on your rear brake pads and rotors. Guess what, those are a LOT cheaper than tranny pieces.

 

Those are really fun in a beater like my first car, a $150 1971 dodge coronet station wagon. Before driving it to the junkyard I used to go about 25-30mph in drive, hit neutral, floor it, hit reverse and sit there smoking the one tire going forward with the car in reverse, after about 10 times it still drove the same.