B&J or Lenco??

Over the winter my plans are to put a clutch and 3 spd in the dragster. Years ago I ran a B&J so I'm familar with them. I'm curious about the Lenco, what would be the differences between the too? Just looking at options if a Lenco became available.

Thanks.......................Blessings...................Ron Clevenger
Top Eliminator West

 

B&J's are larger in diameter. So, make sure you have the room first and foremost. Most dragsters don't have a problem, but when you get into narrow funny cars and altereds, you do see it. I really like Dave and the guys at Lenco, but unfortunately, I am a B&J guy through and through.
First things first. What rear do you have in the car? For some reason, the larger rears are harder on sprags. When people step up past a standard 9 or 9.5", it starts to hit hard on the transmission. They seem to spit the big dollar sprags out like water. When you get to that, the triple sprag B&J will outlast the lenco by quite a large amount.
Also, some of the doorslammer guys say that there is less drag on the B&J over the equivalent lenco. We will be doing some dyno testing on that in late March to early April, but just have opinions of the racers that have crossed over for now.
Then the biggest for me is the help you get from the Strasburgs. They have been absolutely invaluable again and again!
But you do run into one issue, is that there are more Lencos at the track, and if you need to borrow a spare from a fellow racer, by sheer numbers, there is a better chance someone will have a lenco part. But I just carry a few spares for my own deal and that solves that. Whichever way you decide, good luck with it.

 

LENCO b+j

What WOULD YOU SAY THE WEIGHT DIFFERENCE IS BETWEEN THE TWO? Thanks Don

 

lenco

i have run a lenco for 30 yr in a car wont work in a boat sprag to week had to run a owens no sprag owens has 2 clutch packs lenco is also working on thisfor a boat

 

Drag boats are weird on transmissions. Especially hydros. The partial load of the prop backlash the gears like the thing is shaking the tires all the way down the track. They throw out sprags worse than some of the TAFC were a few years back. Scotty builds a nice unit, more for boats. But certainly look to the boat guys and ask what works in boats. Cuz the car stuff just does not live.

 

sprag

when i quit racing hydros and went back to funny cars scotty said he would build me a spragless 3 spd that would live forever

 

Thanks for the response. Run the 9.5 rear deal. Several other guys we run with use the B&J's and since I'm familar with them will probably stick with them. Was just curious on the lenco in case I run upon an exceptional deal.

Blessings.........Ron.

 

Mike at B&J has a "used" tripple sprag B&J three speed with reverser that has never once been down the track or even bolted into a car, but since it was sold, and returned to him, it has to be sold as 'used'. (If I remember correctly, it will be delivered to him tomorrow.) I think he will change out gears to whatever ratio you want. May want to call him. Get the best there is at a really fair price.

 

Couldn't really tell you the difference and I've heard good things about both companies. Mike at B&J has been super helpful with me and gone way out of his way to accomidate my needs. I gotta stick with B&J.

 

Mike is definitely a great guy to deal with.....top notch product and service.

 

Lenco

I have never run a B&J but I do run a Lencodrive and I can not complain about service from Lenco !
Matt Moore and the rest of the guys at lenco are great guy to deal with !
I did have an issue with my reverser last fall and Lenco stood behind it %100 and replaced the questionable parts free of charge and they even payed the freight !
The rear part of the lencodrive is a CS2 and I will tell you this... it is simple to work on .

 

i have had some sort of lenco in my cars for the last 30 years
i felt old after typing and reading that
but like i was told way back
buy which one you think you want, but remember if you need parts at the track
which one is more likely to available then
your pit neighbors might have what you need

 

Trans

I second the B&J, Mike Strausburg and his family are the best ever. And as far as spare parts from your nieghbor, you have to break it first, for that to even matter.
Ken