Transmission Ballistic Blankets

[Byrdman]

For the few of us that are racing trucks with stock manual tranny's:
If you've never seen a clutch explode and come up though the body of a truck, it's like a hand-grenade going off under your vehicle blowing chunks of hot metal up through the cab. I've seen a 7SX truck's clutch explode- and it was not cool- and thankfully none was hurt.
After testing this week-end, my brother told me he wouldn't ride with me anymore unless I protected our feet. Since a "scatter shield" is not available for my truck-I went to Diest Safety and got a Kevlar Ballistic blanket or "Tranny Blanket" to help this problem. It will hopefully keep the "explosion" from blowing up into the cab. It is a way simple deal, Basicly a nylon blanket with multi- layerd Kevlar inside about 1/2" thick - I had bought a universal Ford blanket for about $160- and did a little work to it keeping it away for the exhaust -nylon sucks around heat- but you can spend the extra $$ and get it aluminum coated. I'm going to try this set up and see how it works. At the worst I'll melt it and have to replace it or I'll make a heat shield for it.

This is one thing that is almost always over looked with trucks running sticks. Protect your feet. $160-$300 and a little work fitting it right so it lasts is alot cheeper than trying to fix your foot or worse. Even if the blanket only lasts one or two races because of the extreme heat we encounter in Desert racing- it's $$ well spent!

[mudhound72]

I have seen a clutch explode on a Jeep at a mud drags once on a stock motor. When it let loose it went threw the floor then the dash, pices then flew 20-30 feet in the air. The only one that was injured was some dumb ***** that tryed to pick up the pices right away and burned his hand.

[JESSE_at_TLT]

That's a good suggestion. If the blankets don't hold up well, wouldn't it also be pretty easy to just make your own scattershield though?

[NoBrakes Drake]

Might be some war surplus Kevlar available soon!

[Byrdman]

I''ve made a 3/16" steel plate that wraps around the top on my old tranny, but it was a nightmare to get to all the bolts to pull the tranny. The blanket removes really easily (seat belt strap) so you can get to the bolts. On a long race, the less amount of time in changing parts and less frustration the better. I installed the blanket today, and used an fiber/aluminum heat material around the areas close to the exhaust. If it works out- I'll let you know.

[baja619]

Dj Safety manufactuers several option for transmission blankets.

http://djsafety.com/TransBlanket.html

I recommend all their products and am very pleased with the customer service and durability of all the components.

[knucklemeat]

here is a thought, what about putting snaps on the blanket and fasten it to the tunnel section in the truck's interior? would the distance from the tranny affect the blankets protective ability? it sure would make the blanket last longer, cut down on the heat retention,insulate the floor a bit,and take away the hassle of wrestling with a dirt filled blanket while laying under the truck in the silt! i grew up around drag racing where scatteshields and tranny blankets are mandatory equipment and have seen firsthand the ability of these saftey devices prevent injuries. kudos to you for thinking saftey beyond what is mandated.

[FABRICATOR]

You can also fashion a steel or aluminum shield that stays on the body underneath. The better it fits the less it will be in the way during maintenance. It's face should be kept fairly perpendicular to the "scatter", otherwise it can ricochet.

[mike.t]

its funny how NHRA requires these(scatershield and trans blanket) and score doesnt even recommend them.

[Byrdman]

SCORE asks for a flywheel shield only if your running solid lifters! But I've never seen any one check for them, or solid lifters for that matter. I'm going to run the blanket in the next BITD race (Vegas 300) and am planning on ducting a litte air around the blanket to pull some heat out of it. We actually considered mounting the blanket in side the cab on the floor, but was worried about material flying into the blanket-thumping the blanket into our feet. Old Jim Diest said the blanket would be good up to 200* for a short period of time and then it's strength will start falling off. I've never measured the temps on a manual tranny, but I know they get damn hot.

[Byrdman]

Well as of right now the blanket worked great! No signs of heat damage (although it wasn't very warm out there). We ended up a DNF after 62 miles with either a blown clutch or input shaft in the tranny. Still have yet to tear her down, but nothing escaped the blanket so I am stoked! Get one, they might save your feet or legs..