c6 billet drum

[Drew Pojedinec]

http://www.429-460.com/t22351-c6-billet-aluminum-direct-drum

I'm not a vendor, and it is non FE, so i dumped it here.  Anyone that is into racing with a c6, this seems like a step in the right direction.

[thatdarncat]

I haven't tried Franks drum ( mostly because I didn't know about Frank at the time ), but I bought TCI's C6 billet Aluminum drum, which cost about the same, and tried it in my racecar C6 a few years back. Although yes, it is much lighter, it made ZERO difference in my et. TCI's drum is anodized which should give it a hard surface, but I found that it wears very fast. I rebuild my trans every 300 runs, mostly to send the convertor back to be freshened, but the sealing rings had worn into the drum so far as to make it difficult to take apart and also found heavy wear on the band surface and from the clutch pack. Had I run it any longer I'm sure I would have started to have issues. Just my experience, but I'd say the money is better spent elsewhere. If a person does try the aluminum drum I would advise taking the trans apart for an inspection after say a season of racing.

[Drew Pojedinec]

Strange Kevin..... he said he's been running one for awhile.  Guess we'll see what happens.
I'm really surprised it didn't make any ET difference.  Thanks for the info!

[thatdarncat]

Here are a couple pictures. This is TCI #423900, which they may not make any longer. TCI says made from 7075-T6 Aluminum billet and anodized. In the first picture if you look above and below the oil passage in the center you can see the grooves starting. It may not look like much but with the rings engaged in the grooves it acted like a lock in trying to take it apart, to the point I was starting to think I'd have to cut it off. It's a little hard to see but the front selective thrust washer was wearing into the surface of the drum as well.



Second picture you can see the band surface.



I would ask Frank what material he uses and about any heat treating and anodizing, then maybe ask Jay what he thinks since he's getting plenty of experience with aluminum these days. Again just my experience, but I saw no improvement in ET. It did turn the fluid into a very unnatural color from the suspended aluminum particles.