Is a scattershield required?

[DaveR]

There is a picture of a Tremec 6 speed behind a small diameter clutch on an SPF in the Cobra gallery (search keyword clutch), and a comment that a scattershield isn't necessary because of the small diameter. I am at the point in my build that I need to make clutch decisions and I would appreciate input on why this is true. Most people on this forum think a shield is cheap insurance, and based on the concensus here, I just received mine from Mcleod yesterday, but it is very heavy and I'm curious if there is a safe way to keep this weight off the vehicle. Can I assume that if the Oltoff's are doing it, that it must be OK? I have a 408W, TKO, Ford 9" Truetrac, 315x35x17 tires, will not drag race, but will do occasional road racing.

[ST]

Since you already have it, use it. A clutch or a flywheel that comes apart at speed can cause some very serious damage.
That extra few lbs. is cheap insurance to keep your limbs intact.

[PatBuckley]

I went through that whole thought process myself just recently. On the one hand I am throwing things out like the entire wiper assembly, carpeting, windshield etc....I am replacing the drivers seat with a Comp fiberglas seat - and then I picked up the bellhousing and started to think.

Sure it is safer than a regular bellhousing - but then again if I want to be safe I should buy a Subaru - I looked at the side impact protection and thought that if I ever get t-boned I am dead meat. I checked out that 40 gallon gas tank with nothing for protection....being on fire never has appealed to me...

I thought about the engine - almost 500 cubes and designed to make power in the low to mid range - so why would I ever spin it to 7500? Missed shift? It has a rev limiter. Missed down shift? Possible I suppose. Chances of it revving so high that the aluminum flywheel comes apart are pretting faqing remote I would say.

So I put the damned thing on anyway - b*tching all the while.

I also hated addiing all that other weight like the engine and all that gas....weight is bad.

Put it on.

[DaveR]

PatBuckley,

Thanks for the input, I've thought through all those other risks myself, reaching the same conclusion as you. I will, however, offer a couple of thoughts on side impact that may give you a tiny bit of piece-of-mind. Most of these cars have a metal support for the windshield that vertically intersects the drivers mid leg, so a side impact will probably be stopped by this support and the rear wheel. The gap between is fairly sizable, but not as wide as the front end of most cars. Also, there have been a couple of side impact wrecks reported on this board where people were not injured. The most extreme was the wreck a Willow Springs last year. This pics from that incident support my theory, based on the damage done to the rear wheel. OK, have I done a sufficient job of rationalizing this topic?

[PatBuckley]

So you're going to leave it off then?

[BB427]

They are your legs. If you don't want to keep them thats up to you.

Brent

[DaveR]

Pat
No, I'm not going to leave it off. As I said, I reached all the same conclusions as you, and I am way too fond of my lower legs to take even a small risk. I just felt compelled to share my thoughts on side impact, since I had given that considerable thought, and am still considering a temporary side impact bar for those twice a year visits to Willow springs. As of right now, the hydroformed anvil will become the center of gravity on my car.

Dave

[john gyann]

I had a clutch explode last summer. It was a liteweight puck style racing clutch and it let loose at only 4500rpm for no apparent reason. Fortunately I had a Lakewood scattershield because you wouldn't believe what size dents were in the shield. If it had been aluminum I am sure the pieces would have gone thru.

[BB427]

I had a flywheel come apart in a SS Baracuda and it shattered the windshield when parts went flying through it.

BAD DEAL

Brent

[aumoore]

I started with a T-5 and a stock aluminum bellhousing because it was what I had. I was always worring about the flywheel being so close to my right leg with only about 1/4" of aluminum, a 1/8" piece of fiberglass and a little carbet and padding for a barrier.

I busted the T-5 and upgraded to a McLoed bellhousing and now I can drive with one less worry.

Keep in mind that most flywheel/clutch explosions happen when you drop the clutch from a standstill at high rpm.

If you plan to drive like grandma and never take the car to a drag strip or road course then you probably can get by with a stock bellhousing.

I have heard of a Fox body Mustang having a clutch explosion during a hard launch and the flywheel went straight up(fortunally for the driver) and cut thru the dash and broke the windshield. That takes a lot of energy to do.

[Dan Semko]

The reality of a side impact accident is the g force will probably snap your neck, or by the time they pry you out of the cube, you'll wish it had but those are unpredictable and unavoidable. Why sacrifice a potentially avoidable limb loss for a few pounds and a few dollars? It's the same logic of properly insuring your cobra for theft or fire. You hope it never happens but if it does, at least you have some recourse.

[Specialk]

You guys worry too much! Skip Hudson had a flywheel come apart in a race Cobra and he just had to wear a cast on his foot! Oh, and he missed out on a few races, but no big deal.

[DaveR]

Specialk,

Great picture!

Dave

[Mike Simard]

Ballistic sheating like a trans blanket may be a possibility. I think blanket material on the inside of an aluminum bellhousing would be nice.

[ENTDOC]

I thought Lakewood made the only sanctioned scattershield available.I guess just because one is not sanctioned does not mean it is not worth using. chuck

[RACER X #99]

Dave,
A Lakewood bellhousing costs about $300. I have no idea how much artificial legs cost and I don't really want to find out.
I'll stick with the heavy bellhousing.

Just my opinion,
Cranky

[aumoore]

McLoed is sanctioned as well. From what I have read they are built to better tolerances

[Agingracefully]

Guys-

I once had a flywheel let loose in a gt-350 WITH a scattershield. The scattershield was only partially intact after the incident, but I was o.k. I can't imagine trading weight for the safety of the shield. Parts fail all the time and if it happens to be a part rotating at 5or 6 k right by my legs I want some protection.

I also became concerned about side and rollover protection in my Cobra. I concluded that it could eather look "right" or it could be safe. A roll cage or bar that would be effective does not fit the image that most of us have of a real cobra they had crappy roll-over protection and no side impact protection and putting those things in alter the look. Since I wanted to race, I reluctantly sold my cobra and started racing a full caged Porsche. I will do another Cobra, but probably a datona and build it to race and be safe. If I were going to do another open cobra it would have a full cage (damn the looks) AND a scattershield--Just my two bits

Drive safe, Rick

[era427tp]

A guy I went to school with lost half his right foot in a clutch explosion.Take a good look where the bellhousing lines up with your body in a Cobra.You could lose a lot more than a foot.