Any reasons why I should not use the horn ****ons on my steering wheel to control the line lock? Thanks
I'd advise against it - in the event you have to steer your car once it catches traction, you may drop the line lock and go careening into something.
I wouldn't think that's the best location for it ? If our going to race it remember don't change lanes after you p*** the tree.
i think a more appropriate place would be to wire it into your FM radio, KPOW 101.9 on your dial. welcome to our little group.
It would put your hand too far into the center of the steering wheel to control the car if it starts to move sideways during the burnout Your other hand should be on the shifter at that point.
I have done this very thing on my OT Chevelle that I bracket race. The factory steering wheel has the horn ****ons at 3:00 and 9:00. I love it, I can simply hold the left ****on with my thumb. I don't see how it could cause any safety issuses (sp) if you accidently hit it while driving. It doesn't apply the brakes, it is just a valve that closes. You have to apply the brakes with your foot, push and hold the line lock ****on and lift your foot, now only the front brakes are applyied until you relese the ****on. Pushing the ****on going down the highway or track does nothing.
It might not be the best place. But, FWIW, a buddy, Bottle Bob had a HUGE nitrous system (Frankensqueeze) hooked to his horn ****on. I'm talkin, a 12.20 car going 9.80 on the unit, and no issues. He drove it regularly on the street. Just sharing. I wouldn't do it. He let me drive it at the track like that. Very hard to hit the juice and steer with 3 fingers
I did not give enough info, I use a three spoke pontiac wheel, three ****ons close to the rim, so control of the wheel will not be an issue. Both hands should be on the wheel by the time the burnout is over. The horn ****ons should be like a transbrake ****on on an aftermarket wheel as far as location My ****on now is on the shifter, but am changing to an art carr shifter, the way the reverse lockout is, it will not be easy to put it on the shifter handle. I just wondered if the horn ****ons would be too slow to release. but this is only the line lock for burnout, not a brake. Sorry for the confusion, trying to get on here between things at work(and not get caught) thanks
why would you be worried about the horn ****on being too slow to realease? do the ****ons stick? they're just like any other switch; when you press them down it closes the circuit......when you release the circuit is open.
I say do it!!!! I use mine for the burn out, but when I use to run a 4 speed I had the line lock AND my 2 step on my horn ****on. I would pull up to the line left foot on the clutch, pump and hold the brakes, press the horn ****on with my left thumb, take my right foot off of the brake and mash the loud pedal to the floor, lights come down and (hopefully) relese the clutch and ****on at the same time, and hold on!!!!! 2 step was usually set at 5500 rpm. Never let off the gas just pull another gear till its over!!!! OK now i'm getting a small chubber. Sorry. Anyway it was VERY easy to wire, simply ground the one wire from the line lock and run the other to the horn relay. I see NO safety issue at all. Unless someone runs infront of you, you will probably kill em cause they won't hear your line lock clicking.
I build Powerglides for some of the local bracket racers. One fella, who's disabled, and in a wheelchair, and is paralyzed from the waist done, has a 67 Cougar with a SBC in it. He bought it as a bracket car, and added his hand controls. He had a TH350, and it was all too much to line lock it, trans brake, shift, and steer all at the same time, with hand controls. When the TH350 took a vacation, I put together a Glide with a Trans King internal electric shift; he uses the Cougar sqeeze-the-wheel horn switch for the trans brake, and we wired the electric shift into the tack shift light. All he does is stage, release his grip a little to release the trans brake, and when the tach light comes on, it shifts on it's own. For a burnout, with the line lock, he uses a ball mounted shifter switch. Works for him, and he likes it better than when he ran the TH350. So, it can be done. I thought about doing something similar using a hi-lo beam headlight, floor mounted switch for an electric shift; just to be sneaky. Butch/56sedandelivery.
I did that with my O/T drag car, but being as it used the horn ****on to ground the horn, I went with that. Ran a fused hot wire to one side of the line lock solenoid, and ran the ground through the horn ****on. Works like a charm. I see no reason one couldn't use it to operate a relay, then use the relay for both a trans brake activation and line lock activation. One wheel-mounted ****on to do both jobs. Roger
I like the idea. You could actually pick it up right at the relay. Would be super simple and all the current would be going through the relay, not the switch. Piece of cake. You have given me ideas! And I love the dimmer switch thought. Other ideas, on later model cars, would be the turn signal stalk dimmer switch and even the cruise control switch. anyway, go for it.
I like the comment that said 'don't hit the switch while going down the track or you will end up in the other lane'........hahahhahhah I've had them hooked to my steering wheel rim, horn ****on(s) and a ****on on the shifter. I guess its all just a matter of preference. What ever you do...(see above quote) rofl
I used to run that set-up on my wagon with a toggle to switch it off for normal driving and also to have the horn function. Mine had a pretty ****py contact (ie: sweet spot) so it would occasionally push through and I eventually ditched it. I think it's a great idea still for a street car if you can make it work right. Do it
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