Re: V8Chopper service?
Posted: Mon Oct 27, 2008 1:22 pm
WM,
At the risk of oversimplifying here, I'll give you a few thumbnail versions answering your questions regarding the tranny. I welcome any of the other V8Chopper guys to check in and enhance them (Dave, Chris, Neil, etc)...
There is no frame to split, none of the grusome BS I used to go through on the Boss. The frame on my big block had been split 8 times. Charlie during the same period 11 times. Yes we were rough on them, yes we raced them, no we didn't figure we'd have to baby the shit out of them and no one, dealers, factory, etc, let us know that high rpm shifts were taboo. There's been much learned and some hardware enhancements on the Boss since then but back to the subject at hand.
The chopper gear set can be exposed by removing the back plate to the tranny. This is very easily accomplished by removing back wheel and there it sits fully accessible. Although Stan is using a new ring & pinion gear that is much stronger than original versions, one could access the gear set easily if there were a need. I will tell you that there has been a LOT of significant HP trying purposefully to queer these new gears and we have all been unsuccessful. I don't know how much more can be done to them outside what David Ward does with his 639 hp chopper or Gary pouring 625 HP (with nitrous) to his. They have been street and track raced without mercy and zero problems.
I haven't personally had to go in and do any tranny pump or clutch work but again, removal of the entire tranny is a rather painless and quick process. Again, splitting the frame and redoing all the electrical on the Boss is something we don't have to deal with on the chopper. I have had to adjust pump pressure and that is VERY easily done. Remove an allen bolt from the right side, screw in a gauge, check the pressure at idle. If adjustment were needed, remove an allen bolt from the left side, use an allen wrench to adjust the allen adjuster screw, reread pressure 'til appropriate, screw both bolts back. All done. A 5 minute procedure.
We don't use a belt but rather a chain. I have had zero problems with mine and chain replacement when necessary will be a quick, no problem effort. New chains do stretch and the adjustment is a few allen wrenches and a garage, parking lot, or trailer and about 5 minutes total if that. We did David's the other day knowing we were going to give it hell and it was a 3 minute process. The chains are a sealed o-ring and don't throw any oil. I love them personally. I broke 2 belts on my bigblock Boss and it was a pain in the balls to change.
I use the BH as a reference or comparison as that's what most of us had prior to the V8Chopper and we suffered through these experiences. Again, not throwing any mud just using this reference for comparison sake.
The V8Chopper is a much more simple, better engineered piece of eqpt with respect to the above mentioned fixes.
Els
At the risk of oversimplifying here, I'll give you a few thumbnail versions answering your questions regarding the tranny. I welcome any of the other V8Chopper guys to check in and enhance them (Dave, Chris, Neil, etc)...
There is no frame to split, none of the grusome BS I used to go through on the Boss. The frame on my big block had been split 8 times. Charlie during the same period 11 times. Yes we were rough on them, yes we raced them, no we didn't figure we'd have to baby the shit out of them and no one, dealers, factory, etc, let us know that high rpm shifts were taboo. There's been much learned and some hardware enhancements on the Boss since then but back to the subject at hand.
The chopper gear set can be exposed by removing the back plate to the tranny. This is very easily accomplished by removing back wheel and there it sits fully accessible. Although Stan is using a new ring & pinion gear that is much stronger than original versions, one could access the gear set easily if there were a need. I will tell you that there has been a LOT of significant HP trying purposefully to queer these new gears and we have all been unsuccessful. I don't know how much more can be done to them outside what David Ward does with his 639 hp chopper or Gary pouring 625 HP (with nitrous) to his. They have been street and track raced without mercy and zero problems.
I haven't personally had to go in and do any tranny pump or clutch work but again, removal of the entire tranny is a rather painless and quick process. Again, splitting the frame and redoing all the electrical on the Boss is something we don't have to deal with on the chopper. I have had to adjust pump pressure and that is VERY easily done. Remove an allen bolt from the right side, screw in a gauge, check the pressure at idle. If adjustment were needed, remove an allen bolt from the left side, use an allen wrench to adjust the allen adjuster screw, reread pressure 'til appropriate, screw both bolts back. All done. A 5 minute procedure.
We don't use a belt but rather a chain. I have had zero problems with mine and chain replacement when necessary will be a quick, no problem effort. New chains do stretch and the adjustment is a few allen wrenches and a garage, parking lot, or trailer and about 5 minutes total if that. We did David's the other day knowing we were going to give it hell and it was a 3 minute process. The chains are a sealed o-ring and don't throw any oil. I love them personally. I broke 2 belts on my bigblock Boss and it was a pain in the balls to change.
I use the BH as a reference or comparison as that's what most of us had prior to the V8Chopper and we suffered through these experiences. Again, not throwing any mud just using this reference for comparison sake.
The V8Chopper is a much more simple, better engineered piece of eqpt with respect to the above mentioned fixes.
Els