SFI 30.1 Flexplate Shield?

[bgreen776]

Does anyone make an SFI 30.1 flexplate shield that will fit the cummins 47re/48re?

 

[bgreen776]

Quick status update:
I looked through all the 30.1 manufacturers websites listed on the SFI Foundation website, none of them list a shield for our application, so I emailed the SFI foundation via the link on their website. The Vice President of the foundation responded within the hour and suggested I contact the folks over at Browell Bellhousing Custom Builds Aluminum and Steel Bellhousings, (they were on the list, and they dont show one for our application on their website, but they do offer custom work) and if they were unable to help, that she would send me the information I need to have a design of my own certified.

I've sent Browell's an email, but if I don't hear back by tomorrow afternoon I will call them.

If anyone has any leads I would be thrilled to hear them. If anyone is running fast enough, or knows someone running fast enough, to be required to have a 30.1 flexplate shield, please let me know.

NHRA

Comp, Super Comp, Super Gas, 9.99 or quicker E.T. cars, and 135-mph or faster E.T. cars using an automatic transmission, Lenco Drive, or BRT must be equipped with a flexplate meeting SFI Spec 29.1 and covered by a flexplate shield meeting SFI. Spec 30.1.

IHRA

FLEXPLATE AND SHIELD: SFI 29.1 Flexplate and SFI 30.1 Shield are mandatory on
entries running 9.99 or quicker 1/4 and 6.49 or quicker 1/8.

NADM

All vehicles with the engine running 4500 RPM or
more and using an automatic transmission must be equipped with a flex plate meeting SFI Spec 29.1 and be covered by a flex plate shield meeting SFI Spec 30.1.

NHRDA

SFI 29.1 flexplate / 30.1 flexplate shield (AT equipped cars) running 9.99 seconds or quicker; or 135 mph and faster

(This one almost makes me think NHRDA might pass if you had a blanket that went from the bellhousing back)

 

[rockjeep73]

Idaho Rob has info on one that will work for a 47/48. I'm sure he will chime in or try searching if you haven't yet.

I also think I have seen a bellhousing blanket for the 47. I want to say it was made be Stroud.

 

[joefarmer]

I made my own based on the TCI design. I realize this doesn't really help you other than the fact that one can be made.

 

[SmokeShow]

I made my own based on the TCI design. I realize this doesn't really help you other than the fact that one can be made.

Does anyone make an SFI 30.1 flexplate shield that will fit the cummins 47re/48re?

There you go, you need/want something and this guy can make them. Problem solved.


Although, I suspect, based on the pics of your work, you have no trouble fab'ing stuff yourself!

 

[bgreen776]

Browells was very helpful, but ultimately, they were unable provide a solution. They suggested I contact Taylor Motorsports but I haven't had time to call them yet. Haisley Machine has a very nice Stroud 4.1 blanket that covers the bell housing area, but its not 30.1 certified. Sheid Diesel is checking into it. Stroud was willing to build a 4.1 blanket for anything I could dream up, but still, no SFI 30.1 cert. After Sheid calls back, and I contact Taylor Motorsports, I'm done looking.

Update:
While typing this post I stopped and called one of the two technical directors for IHRA. (the only sanctioning body in Alaska) The conversation went something like this...

Me - 37 year old kid from the great cold north :"blah blah 30.1, blah blah blah, SFI, blah.

Him - 60? year old southern good old boy: "Weeelll, I'd just get some plate and weld somethin up that looks like one of the pictures on the internet"

 

[TheBigNasty]

Guess it's a good thing our engines will never spin the converter/flexplate higher that what a stock gas engine could do.

 

[IdahoRob]

I believed I used a 727 torque flite shield. Since I have a duraflite, I have a big aluminum spacer which is different but still should work. It took some "messaging" to get it to work. Basically anything built or cut won't be technically legal for SFI but we have no options so I made one work that carried the correct sticker. It's not any less safe now then it came from the box, so I don't sweat it.

 

[bgreen776]

Thank you Rob. I think I might have even read a post on this forum suggesting that very thing, but I don't recall for sure. It seems there are a few very acceptable solutions, even though they may not fit the letter of the law, they definitely fit the intent.

I'm not sure what I will do at this point, but I'm not going to loose any sleep over it, that's for sure. lol. I think I will make a few more calls, hoping to get something in writing, or an email at the very least. I am very curious about the certification process so I will head down that road as far as I can afford. My ultimate goal is to convince a manufacturer to build a reasonably priced, correct to the letter of the law, solution... Ya, I know, pipe dream. LOL

From an ultimate safety standpoint I really like the look of the Haisley/Stroud option even though Stroud says they do not make any products that satisfy SFI 30.1.

http://haisleymachine.com/product_info.php?products_id=2473

PDP sells a 4.1 Stroud blanket as well...

http://puredieselpower.com/seals-and-misc/dodge-automatic-transmission-stroud-bellhousing-blanket.html

 

[IdahoRob]

I run a stroud tranny blanket but it doesn't cover the bell housing well enough. On my set-up the 1" thick aluminum spacer covers the flex plate and is way more coverage then any flex plate shield, but I have both because of the rules.

After over 30 years of racing and seeing the aftermath of flexplate/clutch/tranny explosions, I want protection as it can get ugly. On my El Camino, I built a full 1/4 plate steel dog house around the bell housing and tranny even though I already have the required shields and blanket. I decided to take the weight hit and be able to walk away from a failure.

 

[bgreen776]

I'm with you. The older I get, the less I like being injured, and the more money I am willing to spend on insurance. I'm definitely going to build something, not sure what yet, and not sure if I will get it certified. But I definitely want to know what it will take to do so.

 

[jlibert]

Thank you guys for doing the work on this. I'll be needing to figure this out as well.

 

[Chris Tobin]

Desert race guys have had some bad flexplate blow outs and now I believe shields are required, but they generally use much smaller transmissions than us like the Turbo 400, C4 and 727...

Come to think of it more, it may not be a requirement, just sound advice that most are now running serious shields. Many of which they fabricated using thick plate...

 

[bgreen776]

So... $1500 to get a design tested and certified. If we get a group of 10-15 guys that want a certified shield, I'll make a run for the price of materials, splitting the fees equally among the group. I won't make any profit.

 

[jlibert]

What material are you planning on using?

 

[bgreen776]

My first thought was to use Stainless so it wouldn't need paint. It would significantly raise the cost though. Aluminum would be great, but I don't think there is enough room around the bolt heads to get enough material in there unless I machined the tab out of some fairly thick material which would also significantly increase the cost. So I'm down to cold rolled mild steel or 4130. The easy answer is to use 1/4" mild steel as we already know it has passed the test. I need to do some calcs and some destructive testing of my own.

 

[jlibert]

If stainless or aluminum, i'm in.

 

[bgreen776]

Not a fan of 4130? I don't know for sure, but I'm thinking I can make one 25% lighter than what's on the market, if I use chromoly.

 

[jlibert]

Chromoly would still need to be painted. I guess it would be ok, but stainless shouldn't really add that much to the cost. I'm in as long as it isn't mild steel.

 

[bgreen776]

Material options at this point are various grades of stainless steel, 4130, mild steel, A500, 6061, 5053, Kevlar, Dynema, and Aramid. I'll do some research and calculations around cost, resistance to penetration, weight over the next week or two and report back.