Line lock or leave as is?

[demon322]

Some of you may have seen my post about this a couple of months ago.

71 Demon. 340/727. 90% street driven but may take it to the track a couple of times a year just for fun.

The brakes don’t seem to hold enough to do a burn out so I had thought about adding a line lock to help with that. Still would launch with foot on brake.

The question is, I plan to swap to a five speed in a year or so. Can line locks also be used for burnouts on manual shift cars? How do you stick guys launch at the strip?

If the line lock is something I won’t be able to use once I swap transmissions I’ll probably just keep it as is and go without burning out when I go to the track.

Thanks and I hope this isn’t a dumb question.

 

[Frank Mopar]

You need a line lock to to do a burnout with a stick.

You also need it to hold the car on the line when staged

 

[Alaskan_TA]

4-speed T/A, I would launch at 2000 RPM in 2nd gear & the tires would hook.

No line lock or burnout needed.

At 2200 RPM, car would go sideways for drifting.

 

[68Dart500]

Well I just went drag racing this weekend for the first time at the Nats with my Dart 4 speed car and I didn't have a line lock although I'll be putting one on soon. The first 3 passes I just did a 2nd gear burnout and when I started moving let off. That didn't do a long enough burnout to heat the tires up properly so on the 4th run I dumped the clutch in 2nd gear and then quickly hit the brake with my left foot to hold the car. Not ideal but it worked and I was able to get the tires hot enough. I didn't find that I needed to hold the brake at the line. I seemed to sit there just fine with my foot on the clutch and the gas.

 

[yellow rose]

Some of you may have seen my post about this a couple of months ago.

71 Demon. 340/727. 90% street driven but may take it to the track a couple of times a year just for fun.

The brakes don’t seem to hold enough to do a burn out so I had thought about adding a line lock to help with that. Still would launch with foot on brake.

The question is, I plan to swap to a five speed in a year or so. Can line locks also be used for burnouts on manual shift cars? How do you stick guys launch at the strip?

If the line lock is something I won’t be able to use once I swap transmissions I’ll probably just keep it as is and go without burning out when I go to the track.

Thanks and I hope this isn’t a dumb question.

Keep the line lock. Think about getting a two step. The hardest thing to do with a stick car is consistent RPM at launch. And if you race with dicks and automatics they will jack you around at the tree.

The two step fixes all that.

 

[340demon]

Put a line lock on my 340 demon 4 speed when it was new works great at the track for burn outs and staging also a big plus when you are at a stop light on a hill like we have in Washington state would not want to drive a stick car without one

 

[68Dart500]

Keep the line lock. Think about getting a two step. The hardest thing to do with a stick car is consistent RPM at launch. And if you race with dicks and automatics they will jack you around at the tree.

The two step fixes all that.

Yes the 2 step was definitely a life savior. I was so pumped up being my first time racing my Dart that I had to use the two step so I didn't just dump the clutch at 6k rpm every time.

 

[AJ/FormS]

There are also a few times that lin-loc comes in handy for a streeter
Like being a hill holder, so you don't roll backwards into the tailgater behind you at a redlite.
Plus it can be a blast at a lite, when the punks in their tuner cars pull up beside you with their big bad stereos pumping out the bass. I just put the line-loc on, stuff it in second and wind her up. ...... What? what's that? Talk louder I can't hear you. You say my tires are on fire? Again? Yeah that happens every now and then; they're allergic to loud thumping bass in import tuner wannabe cars, with ****-can resonators. Green means go! so seeya.

 

[demon322]

You need a line lock to to do a burnout with a stick.

You also need it to hold the car on the line when staged

Thanks. So it will serve the same purpose for the burnout it sounds like.

So for staging you just turn both bulbs on, set the line lock real quick, hold in the clutch and bring rpms up (but not too much)?

 

[demon322]

Put a line lock on my 340 demon 4 speed when it was new works great at the track for burn outs and staging also a big plus when you are at a stop light on a hill like we have in Washington state would not want to drive a stick car without one

This sounds good. So are they plumbed the same way for both auto and manual setups? The idea is still to simply lock the fronts right?

 

[demon322]

Yes the 2 step was definitely a life savior. I was so pumped up being my first time racing my Dart that I had to use the two step so I didn't just dump the clutch at 6k rpm every time.

I get the idea of a two step but that would be one more thing to add for just those couple of track trips a year. I don’t run a rev limiter at all at the moment.

I agree though that it will take some practice to find and be consistent with a launch rpm that works best.

 

[demon322]

There are also a few times that lin-loc comes in handy for a streeter
Like being a hill holder, so you don't roll backwards into the tailgater behind you at a redlite.
Plus it can be a blast at a lite, when the punks in their tuner cars pull up beside you with their big bad stereos pumping out the bass. I just put the line-loc on, stuff it in second and wind her up. ...... What? what's that? Talk louder I can't hear you. You say my tires are on fire? Again? Yeah that happens every now and then; they're allergic to loud thumping bass in import tuner wannabe cars, with ****-can resonators. Green means go! so seeya.

lol. I like the way you think. I bet you get some funny looks from the other car ha.

 

[Cope]

I do the same thing at the red lights. Linelock on, two step on. Hold the button on the shifter and mat the pedal!

I have my two step set just below the stall so no tire spin but it leaves like a striped *** ape with its *** on fire!

When I wanna use linelock to heat (or melt) the tires I just flip the two step switch off.

 

[yellow rose]

This sounds good. So are they plumbed the same way for both auto and manual setups? The idea is still to simply lock the fronts right?

Yes, plumbs the same. I think even for a couple of track days and just playing around on the street. Once you get the hang of using it, you'll be using it every time you're at a stop sign and a ricer pulls up.

 

[TrailBeast]

This sounds good. So are they plumbed the same way for both auto and manual setups? The idea is still to simply lock the fronts right?

Nobody happened to mention the fact that if your brakes don't hold the car the line lock isn't going to help.
All it does is either locks front brakes on or block rear brakes off so you are only using the fronts with the pedal.
It won't make your brakes work better.

 

[demon322]

Nobody happened to mention the fact that if your brakes don't hold the car the line lock isn't going to help.
All it does is either locks front brakes on or block rear brakes off so you are only using the fronts with the pedal.
It won't make your brakes work better.

I had the same concerns and I know you mentioned this on the original thread also
Brakes won’t ‘hold’
I may have misunderstood but I thought the consensus there was that my brakes seemed to be working fine for normal braking but not burnouts (which they aren’t designed to do anyway.) Admittedly I know very little about line locks but by locking the front only would that then free the rears to spin with no rear brakes applied? Again. I may be off base here.

 

[TrailBeast]

I had the same concerns and I know you mentioned this on the original thread also
Brakes won’t ‘hold’
I may have misunderstood but I thought the consensus there was that my brakes seemed to be working fine for normal braking but not burnouts (which they aren’t designed to do anyway.) Admittedly I know very little about line locks but by locking the front only would that then free the rears to spin with no rear brakes applied? Again. I may be off base here.

If the car is trying to roll with all four brakes on it would makes sense that only the fronts being on won't hold it either.
Once the tires are spinning the line lock should hold it though, and if your tires are in a water box they should spin pretty easy anyway.
I can't imagine your car can't light the tires right off, so maybe you are easing into the throttle too much instead of just nailing it a bit harder to break them loose more suddenly so it doesn't get a chance to push through the brakes.

 

[TrailBeast]

Also, I don't know about your state but here in AZ a line lock on the street MUST activate your brake lights.
If this applies to you hit me up about a real easy way to do that without having to cut into brake lines to install a pressure switch.

 

[Cope]

I'd be less worried about the breaklights and more worried about the going to jail for exhibition of speed, racing, public indangerment, reckless driving and what ever else the cop wants to throw at ya....

 

[AJ/FormS]

Excessive spinning of tires $359.00C
Everything is $359.00C, now, one size fits all.

Ok maybe not all, exactly but it sure seems like it, I better start paying by check for the paper-trail,lol.

But I don't get it, Who determines if it is or is not excessive? I mean first gear or second,even third
Sometimes I just put the line loc-on, shock the tires loose, and sit there just above idle in first gear, with the BFGs barely turning;moaning and howling. Same ticket!

 

[demon322]

If the car is trying to roll with all four brakes on it would makes sense that only the fronts being on won't hold it either.
Once the tires are spinning the line lock should hold it though, and if your tires are in a water box they should spin pretty easy anyway.
I can't imagine your car can't light the tires right off, so maybe you are easing into the throttle too much instead of just nailing it a bit harder to break them loose more suddenly so it doesn't get a chance to push through the brakes.

Also, I don't know about your state but here in AZ a line lock on the street MUST activate your brake lights.
If this applies to you hit me up about a real easy way to do that without having to cut into brake lines to install a pressure switch.

I was just running my street BFGs so I just tried to back into the tracks coming out of the water box rather than roll all the way into it. You are probably right though. I just eased into the throttle rather than nailing it for the burnout. It did make a couple of revolutions before the roll forward. Maybe the combo of more throttle plus the line lock will hold it in the spin a bit longer.

I actually don't know what the laws here in AR are about line lock activating the brake lights but I for sure will be in touch if I find out that I need it to. It might not be a bad idea even if not required, especially after the 5 speed swap.

 

[TrailBeast]

I know I can light tires immediately without the line lock being active, so we may be onto something about getting on the gas quicker.
Sometimes I'll hold all the brakes just until the tires start spinning then let off the pedal and let the lock hold the fronts.
It seems to not try to push though the front brakes as much this way.

 

[AJ/FormS]

I was just running my street BFGs so I just tried to back into the tracks coming out of the water box rather than roll all the way into it. You are probably right though. I just eased into the throttle rather than nailing it for the burnout. It did make a couple of revolutions before the roll forward. Maybe the combo of more throttle plus the line lock will hold it in the spin a bit longer.

I actually don't know what the laws here in AR are about line lock activating the brake lights but I for sure will be in touch if I find out that I need it to. It might not be a bad idea even if not required, especially after the 5 speed swap.

As soon as the tires are spinning it will require LESS throttle to keep them spinning. That doesn't mean you have to back out of the throttle. As the tires heat up, they'll drag the rpm down some.

Point of note;FWI
My 235 crappy front BFGs, with the line-loc on, Easily hold my Barracuda with either rear tires I run; The BFG 295/50-15 radial T/As, or the BFG 325/50-15 Drag Radials. And I don't actually have to shock the 295s . I just modulate the clutch and throttle until the tires slip.I have never actually looked at the tach as I do this, but I estimate the 295s will slip on concrete at about 1800 or so in first gear, Maybe less. The 10.97 starter gear really helps.

 

[Cope]

I cant say what's excessive, that's not my call...

I can say line lock is great. Why melt your rear shoes or pads? It's one wire and one cut in the hard line. Two step is also awesome. It's two wires VS how ever many thousands of dollars you have in your engine to not have to worry about over revving and launch at what ever RPM you chose. What's a two step cost, 45 bucks? That's a no brainer for me...

 

[TrailBeast]

I cant say what's excessive, that's not my call...

I can say line lock is great. Why melt your rear shoes or pads? It's one wire and one cut in the hard line. Two step is also awesome. It's two wires VS how ever many thousands of dollars you have in your engine to not have to worry about over revving and launch at what ever RPM you chose. What's a two step cost, 45 bucks? That's a no brainer for me...

It's one wire and no cutting into lines the way I do it.
The rest of your post I totally agree with.