r/Drifting • u/TurboLamik • 7d ago

Driftscussion Thoughts on automatic transmissions in drifting

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sbpCJpKatGg

3 Upvotes

56% Upvoted

23 comments sorted by

14

u/taschnewitz 7d ago

It's a cool experiment for party cars, but FD bans non-manual transmissions

2

u/Mac-Tyson 6d ago

Out of curiosity is there any specific reason they outright ban it?

5

u/taschnewitz 6d ago

To my knowledge they were banned to create a cost ceiling so higher budget teams couldn't "buy advantages" over other teams. Similar bans are in place on carbon fiber brakes, carbon fiber wheels, center lock wheels, air jacks, and pressurized refueling systems.

2

u/Traditional_Dust_90 6d ago

In europe Samsonas was a title sponsor and lots guys were running them so they banned them.
Here I belie it was to ban all the expensive electronically actuated sequentials. Nobody suspected you can take an ordinary sedan trans and do the same magic as the expensive gearboxes could do.

2

u/ThinkSupermarket6163 6d ago

Wait, does the car still have a clutch pedal?

8

u/iR3vives 6d ago

The setup uses a DBW throttle pedal to act as a third pedal, and sends a signal to the controller, which will actuate the clutches in the DCT

3

u/ThinkSupermarket6163 6d ago

Ah word, I saw the driver using their left leg and was kinda lost. I feel like after a 3rd pedal is added, it’s hard to say that the car is automatic. Even if it’s not needed to operate the car normally. Cool car though

1

u/Traditional_Dust_90 6d ago

Not DCT
Its an ZF 8HP automatic like ones in BMW M3 and hellcats etc.

2

u/iR3vives 6d ago

Ahh my bad, I didn't click the link, just saw the e92 in the pic

3

u/Lexicon101 6d ago

The turbo lamik 8hp swap allows for a clutch by wire pedal... or at least one or more of the 8hp swaps do, I don't remember if the turbo lamik kit is one of em. High torque handling and a very tunable clutch action, as well as the option to just put it in auto mode for traffic sounds like a great weekend warrior, tbh.

2

u/ThinkSupermarket6163 6d ago

That sounds like extreme overkill by my definition of weekend warrior, but shit, if you’ve got it like that I guess lmao

1

u/Lexicon101 6d ago

Lol yeah, fair

1

u/Traditional_Dust_90 6d ago

i dont agree, These outlast T56s and CD009s
Do it once and be done

1

u/ThinkSupermarket6163 6d ago

How much does one of these swaps cost? And how do they integrate with other engines? Do you need a standalone?

Edit-Wait just saw your other comment about the trans controller

1

u/Traditional_Dust_90 6d ago

Around $2500 plus the gearbox. Some 8Hp boxes from charger/challenger can be found for $500 and they can take around 1000 hp
any engine, modern, old, carb, even diesels
It just needs 3 things from the engine, RPM, MAP and TPS
Modern cars and/or standalones it talks over CAN bus.

2

u/ThinkSupermarket6163 6d ago

Yeah honestly that’s not bad at all. If your car has the sauce to break T56s or CDs on the regular you can def afford that.

2

u/Traditional_Dust_90 6d ago edited 3d ago

Turbolamik has a clutch for sure and they have the best system to control them. Full standalone trans controller.

2

u/Lexicon101 6d ago

I can see not allowing paddle shifted dct cause it reduces control and technique, no clutch kicking, etc.. but the turbo lamik 8hp conversion allows for a clutch. It's clutch by wire and uses either the internal clutches of the transmission or the electronically controlled TC, sure, but so what? Seems you can do all the manual things except maybe skipping gears without clicking your shifter multiple times, so I don't see what the problem with this kind of conversion would be, from a functional perspective.

I'm guessing FD just made the rule when doing all the manual things wasn't something you could do with an automatic? Or maybe it's like the formula 1 thing where it might allow money to give an unfair advantage in some way? Idk.

2

u/Traditional_Dust_90 6d ago

I think in US, FD wasn't aware of TurboLamik and 8HP and it was easier to make the manula rule.
In Europe I think Samsonas was a title sponsor and 8HP was everywhere in european drifting so they banned it as it was cutting into their sales.

1

u/Lexicon101 6d ago

Interesting. Didn't know it was so popular over there.

2

u/Traditional_Dust_90 6d ago

yes. Very. Because for a fraction of the cost you have something that outperforms any gearboxes and they last. Another "automatic" drift car
https://www.instagram.com/reel/DHqt11SxE_L/

2

u/Lexicon101 6d ago

Yeah, I know I've been interested in the swap, and I know people have done it to some extent, I just didn't know it was ubiquitous over there.

1

u/Traditional_Dust_90 6d ago

Couple more years and it will be popular here as well
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WAkVA_gcXBs