Not strong enough to keep the clutch from comming through the floor/firewall and chopping off your feet/legs!!

 

Has any one ever actually seen that happen? I hear it a lot but have never seen proof?

We should have Myth Busters try it.

 

Dude, I'm watching Mythbusters right now!!!

 

It's thin cast aluminum dude, it'll shatter all to hell and back. The clutch will go through it, through the floorpan, through your legs, and out the side of the car. Try driving with no legs.


Get yourself a steel bell if your afraid of blowing up the clutch (usually from 8,000+ RPM dumps off the line).

 

its not strong enough....i saw it firsthand. i revved it to 7000 and sidestepped the clutch, the disc blew....destroyed the pressure plate...shattered the bellhousing...the part that came IN the car went thru the top of the tunnel and straight through the dash...made about a six inch slice in the floor. as soon as it was back home i was ordering a new trans and a lakewood bell.

 

I just bought a used lakewood bell, I have to send it back to get recerted.. $225 it's worth every penny to keep my feet/legs

 

I guess the question is...

Do you want to be the one to find first hand?

$400 seems like a cheap price to pay to know you will still be able to walk the monday after a race...but, that's just me...

Besides, even if it doesn't take your legs off... Do you think you can fix the damage to your car for less than $400?

 

Besides, even if it doesn't take your legs off... Do you think you can fix the damage to your car for less than $400?

Good point

 

I have seen this happen. the clutch gave out and launched pieces through the bell, through the floorpan, through the dash, through the windshield, and then the pieces landed IN peoples cars parked in the parking lot of the track (through their windshields).

LUCKILY the driver was not hurt.

 

It will crumble to pieces that are the size of marbles! I have first hand expierience in this. The pressure plate actually went up through my hood instead of my legs - Thank God!
Jim

 

This was basically a stock 88GT with exhaust and slicks at the track.
Jim

 

The stock bellhousing is designed for just that , stock stuff . There are lots of people running them but if something were to let go , it would surely come through the cabin of the vehicle and probably into your leg . The scatter shield bell housings are a real pain in the ass with long tube headers but worth it if you are racing the vehicle for sure .

 

The scatter shield bell housings are a real pain in the ass with long tube headers .

NOW you tell me.. :hammer: :blam: lol!

 

Look into the Quick Time Scatter Shields. Looks like a nice product. Maximum Motorsports sells them.

 

I looked at their website and I do not see them on there. Do you have the link for it?

 

Buy a good sfi bell and be done with it. 3 months ago my buddy was messin around in his 69chevy c-10 with a built up small block and was pulling a couple of holeshots and blew the clutch thru the floor and shattered his ankle. Regardless to say he had 4 pins put in his foot and still has less than 60% movement. Do the right thing and save yourself the worries.

 

why is it a pain to install with long tube headers? Not enough clearance?

 

Helped a friend take one off the back of a 427 side-oiler that had a flywheel explosion. That lakewood took a lot of work to remove, but it contained one from that beast of an engine. I will personally NOT run a car with slicks without one...

Funny thing is, if you were to ask the majority of terminator owners out there that have serious cars I would bet you less than 25% have scattershields.

For us 3650 owners, we can forget it...we have to buy another transmission altogether to have a blowproof...the stock bellhousing is not serviceable...

 

At what point should you buy a new bellhousing? Only when you're dumping the clutch at 5000 rpm or when you run slicks? What if it's a street car that doesn't see slicks or one you always slip the clutch to start?

 

The point at which the car hooks...If you are leaving without wheel spin, the shock load thru the drive-line is more than what the factory parts were designed for. The likely-hood of it happening at stock power levels is less but it still is possible.

My personal preference is to use one anytime a slick is used. Some drag radials would likely qualify as well.

Think about it another way. If you are making enough power to splatter an axle, once you put the heavy duty stuff in look for the next potential weak spot...

 

would a scattershield be safer than a sfi steel bellhousing?

 

When my clutch came apart at an 1-2 down shift instead of a 2-3 upshift, the stock bellhousing contained it.

When I split the block/broke the crank it broke the bellhousing. I had planned on buying a Lakewood bell housing over the winter.

 

They make a kevlar blanket designed for just this purpose.

 

More info on this kevlar blanket.. My buddy has an 04 with the 3650..

 

i agree 100% with LT1HAHA and others. we all spend a lot of money on parts but are cheap on safety items like this and helmets, belts, etc. spend the money now to be safe if/when it ever happens. be smart so we can enjoy our hobby forever.

 

How much does a Mcleod or Lakewood bellhousing weigh? I'm trying to compare the difference in weight from a Quicktime.

 

the lakewood I just got with block plate was shipped at a 44lb weight... it's not the lightest thing in the world that's fore sure..