What's the deal with it. I know it helps, but a friend of mine warned me not to. He shredded the gears on his 454SS a few years back. I'm just wondering if 10 years worth of technology have made a difference in the strength of the gears. Y'all always talk about power braking, so what's the deal?

DUCK

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Build the Hell outta Bonfire 2000!

 

The computer on the Lightnings releases the rear brakes when the load gets too high to avoid just that problem. However, I dont know what the stress threshold is before break-away.

Nathan

 

Nathan:?

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Red 99.5 Lightning,
#0975,
Born 5/6/99...Adopted 5/27/99
SuperChip,
PSP Filter,
2 Chamber Flowmasters,
Water Wetter,
13.498@102.69

 

Ducko1
it doesn't take a lot of brake to power brake the Lightning. just a normal amount of stopping pressure and a lot of gas will get the rear wheels started and then just drag the brakes a little. the rest is smoke, and burn. Good bye tires!

 

This is certainly not my area of expertise, but... A computer that can release the rear brakes? This one definitely deserves further explanation to me. Thank You.

Later, Jake

[This message has been edited by Baby Jake (edited 03-30-2000).]

 

Duck01...

Just make sure there aren't any cops around to find you... even if you are in a parking lot....

 

My tires will break loose at 1800 r.p.m. while power braking...

 

I think what Nathan was trying to say was, A.B.S.brakes would let the the rear brakes go free (system trying to prevent a skid). On older F trucks with 2 wheel ABS, it would let go. On a 4 wheel ABS, they do not let free. I know this from tranny testing with trucks on the rack.
Anyway,the L's come with 4 wheel ABS and they don't let the wheels free spin for power braking.
As for the nut with a 454SS, what do you expect it's a 10 bolt rear(CRAP). You will not break your 9.75 diff. If you were able to see the 2 rears apart, side by side you would be LOL at the 10 bolt.

 

If by powerbraking you mean pushing on the gas and brakes at the same time, my tires also spin at around 2000 rpm, regardless of how hard I push on the brakes. I bring up the revs everytime at the track, I find the higher I can bring them up without losing traction at launch, the better my times. I hope I'm not destroying my gears though.

Mike

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99.5 Black Lightning
PowerSurge Cone Filter
JBA Jet-Hot coated headers
Flowmaster muffler
So-Cal Lowering Kit; Cal-Tracs traction bars
Watter Wetter
Lo-Jack

 

Hey Guy's:
You will not break this rear end. What you will have problems with is the tranny. When your power braking, your loading the whole drive-train system. That's everything from the engine to the brake pads.

 

Why powerbrake in the first place?

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99 Lightning black #2022, cd,tow package,bed rug,roll-n-lock, stock
(13.73 @ 99.74)
98 Cobra coupe laser red
best stock et 13.43 @ 103
one run w/ 3.55 gears 13.34 @ 102 no other mods
former Chevy fan still have a few
72 SS454 11.6 @ 116 (slicks open headers)
68 Camaro 12.2 @ 116 (street tires closed exhast)

 

A 454SS never had a ten bolt rear. I know I had one. It was a heavy rear end from a three quarter ton pickup. You would never break one from powerbraking. I worry about someone who doesnt know about powerbraking. I learned what it was with my 69 honda 90. After several thousand dollars of tires later its still fun!

 

Power braking is great for impressing people but completly worthless for racing. He who spins the least lockup first wins the race. We proved it last weekend at the strip with two stock Ls. By judicious use of the gas pedal, I was able to pull to other L a 1/2 truck length off the line and he was never able to get it back. Spin the tires and ask "Who loves ya baby?" answer--Goodyear.
Cigar

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99.5 Red Ligntning, Syn Oil.
70 Vette LS-6

 

Wouldn't powerbraking, without spinning the tires, get you into your peak power quicker?

Mike

------------------
99.5 Black Lightning
PowerSurge Cone Filter
JBA Jet-Hot coated headers
Flowmaster muffler
So-Cal Lowering Kit; Cal-Tracs traction bars
Watter Wetter
Lo-Jack

 

Open mouth, insert foot.

BadPit, you were right. I'm wrong. The SS did come with 14 bolt corp. rear end with 5 lug axle and 4:10 gears. So, the nut with the SS couldn't have broke that big mother from power braking!! Either had a problem from day 1 or somebody changed out gear ratio and didn't know how to set them up correctly. So, in conclusion, SS truck has a beefy rearend, it's just that the rest of the truck is crap! It's too bad chevy didn't put some of their good parts from the parts bins, then they could have had something to compete with.