Family Software Newsletter #12 - March 18, 2001

Topics

1. Hints and Tips - New Shorty Covers Can Spell Transbrake Woes
2. Hints and Tips - Simple Tire Gauge Modification for Shocks
3. New! High Temp Gun-Style Infrared Thermometer
4. FREE Software Download
5. REAL World Technical Support
6. Most Accurate Digital Altimeter

-- Hints and Tips - New Shorty Covers Can Spell Transbrake Woes --
If you have a 'Shorty' Glide and decide to install one of the new shorty covers that are available, you may be asking for trouble! TCI part #746401 (which is the new cover with a needle bearing instead of a bushing) is slightly different than the old unit. The output shaft hole in the cover is too large in diameter and will not seal all of the cavities in the rear of the trans. If you are using a "dual port" design transbrake, you will lose most of your pressure out of the crescent shaped cavity close to the output shaft. The car will roll through the lights, not want to back up, and eventually burn up the rear clutch pack.

This problem also occurs if your cover has been modified for use with a 4-link car. Some transmission builders are machining the output shaft hole (on the transmission side of the cover) to a slightly larger diameter for additional clearance for the front yoke. This practice removes the sealing area necessary for the cover gasket to seal the crescent-shaped cavity. Even if you do not have a "dual port" valve body now, the case may have been modified to use one in the past. Look inside the crescent shaped cavity. There is a passage leading to the valve body. This is normal. However, if the case has been modified, you will find another passage leading to the reverse piston.

There are a couple of cures. If you want to keep the second port functional, the only cure is to make a plate to seal off the back of the trans and then machine the back of the cover by the thickness of the plate. Or, use an unmodified, older style cover. If you have a "dual port" valve body, but the case has never been modified for it, then you only have to plug the passage leading from the crescent shaped cavity to the valve body. Remove the valve body and drill out the passage in the case to accept a 7/16" core hole plug. The Peb Boys have one under Part # 362602. Coat the plug with JB Weld, Devcon, or similar epoxy and drive into the port. On my transmission case, I then back filled the entire passage with epoxy between the valve body and the newly installed plug.

-- Hints and Tips - Simple Tire Gauge Modification for Shocks --
If your car's shocks have air/nitrogen reservoirs, and you use a standard gauge to check them, you won't ever get the pressure right. There is so little volume inside the reservoir, that if any air escapes when using the gauge, the pressure will change dramatically. From my old motorcycle days, I learned to use a pencil type tire gauge. Install an additional O-ring of the correct diameter in the port of the gauge. You will no longer lose any pressure. Now, before the tip inside the gauge port can release the pin on the valve, you have to compress the O-ring which seals off the valve stem perfectly. Result? No more loss in pressure and accurate pressure settings.

-- New High Temp 'Gun-Style' Digital Infrared Thermometer --
We now offer another Digital Infrared Thermometer with Laser Sighting, Part # IRT4. The new Gun Style unit has a temperature range of 0 to 788 degrees F, has a backlight, an 8:1 Optical Resolution, and an Auto-Off feature. The introductory price is just $99.95! That is about what you would pay for a unit WITHOUT laser sighting and with a lower temperature range. Comparable prices for a unit with these specifications is about fifty or sixty dollars more.

-- FREE Software Download -- The DOS version of our DataMaster Analyzer software, Version 2.0, is available to you as a FREE download on our web site. (The Windows version is too big to download because of all the associated Windows Dll's and other MicroSoft files that have to be installed.) You don't need a data recorder to test the software and see exactly what a DataMaster Sportsman Computer does better than any other data logger system in the world! Yes, better than the most expensive data logger in the world. Only, ours is not expensive. If you have any older version of this software, download this as a FREE update.

-- REAL World Technical Support --
With Family Software, you'll get better technical support than anywhere on the planet. Why? Because, we design and/or use all of the products that we sell. All of my 30+ years of racing experience and knowledge is available to you and our other customers. Try to find that kind of information at any one of our competitors. You won't be able to, I guarantee it! Family Software cares about the racer and his/her success as a racer. The other companies just want your money!

-- Most Accurate Digital Altimeter --
We have in stock, the best digital electronic altimeter that we have ever seen. It has a resolution of just one (1) foot. This unit is just $149.95. You just can't beat that! Using this gauge and one of our CMM880 Digital Temperature/Humidity gauges, you'll get better air readings than ANY other weather station/trailer station on the market, guaranteed. To read the specs on this unit, just go to the Products page on our web site and click on Digital Altimeter.

-- Secure Ordering --
You can safely order directly from our web site. All of your information is handled on our Secure Server.

Bob Kodadek
SC 1596
Family Software - Drag Racing Computers and Software
http://www.iFamilySoftware.com - 610.497.5561(Voice/Fax)

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