Bellhousing Experience Quicktime vs Lakewood

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desmo900

desmo900

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I want to start a thread that will consolidate the pro’s and con’s of the different available aftermarket Big Block bellhousings specifically the Lakewood and Quicktime units. Brewer’s is wealth of information on the factory units but doesn’t have as much on the aftermarket bellhousings. There a various threads on this site and others where people seem to have problems with both. Many of them do not go into too much detail or mostly relate to header fitment.

Available bellhousings:
Lakewood 15330 (discontinued but still avail new and used)
7.5” depth, 4.807” bearing register (bore diameter)

View attachment LAK-15330.jpg

View attachment lak-15330_w.jpg

Lakewood 15335 (appears identical to 15330 but w/larger bearing register )
7.5” depth, 5.125” bearing register (bore diameter)
View attachment LAK-15335.jpg
View attachment LAK-15335_AT_xl.jpg

Quicktime RM-6073 (more expensive and lighter than either the above)
7.4” depth, 5.125” bearing register (bore diameter)
View attachment qti-rm-6072_w.jpg

To anyone who has installed either of these in 67’ to 69’ A-body:

Did you have to clearance the tunnel?
Which Clutch Fork did you use? Did it give trouble?
Which Fork Pivot?
Which Ballstud Bracket?
 
I don't have any personal experience with the units you listed, but I do with a QuickTime for an automatic which really doesn't help you any. One thing I do know is that Lakewood bought out QuickTime a few years ago, so things may or may not have changed on the different part numbers.
 
I have the Quicktime installed on my 74 440 Dart. I used Brewers Big Block A body clutch linkage and it all worked perfect. The only thing that I had to correct was where the bearing retainer fits into the register of the bell. It was a little tight and I had to have it machined open a few thousands. Not a big deal. All in all I'm very happy with it.
 
I don't know about a big block but here is what I ran into with my quicktime small block. I used the ring adaptor to convert the 5.125 hole to the smallest hole (4.35?) and it worked fine. I used my stock clutch fork but the pivot that came with the bell housing was too thick and in the wrong place. I bolted the pivot from my old bell housing in and it worked fine.

When I bolted my stock ball stud onto the bell housing, the z bar was not aligned straight across from the ball stud on my car so I had to drill another hole for the ball stud on my car to get it straight.

I also had to cut and offset my z bar to clear the headers. Also, my original boot that fits around the clutch fork is much too large. I don't know if they sell one that fits. I spent a lot of time but after all the "adjustments" it works great.
 
I Have used the small block Lakewood on both an E body and A Body with no problems.
 
I have been cutting and welding on lakewoods for years they work on everything.
 
I'm using a Lakewood on my big block Demon that I'm building. The ball stud bracket did not line up at all so I made an adaptor bracket for it.
Did they sell an A Body specific bell housing?

Ted
 

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Happened across this thread doing a google search. I just installed a Lakewood scattershield and for some reason the clutch fork isnt in line with the pushrod. When the pushrod is attached to the z-bar and inserted into the fork, it is angled way down. Its like the fork needs to go down to level out the pushrod. Has anyone encountered this? I bought the scattershield used so I though maybe it had the wrong fork fork pivot so I looked on Brewers website and I am certain I have the correct one. Any thoughts?

This is on a 440 with a 18 spline tranny.
 
Is your z-bar lined up straight across from the frame rail? Has it been modified (extended)?
I believe there are pivots available that can change the fork angle.

Remember as the z-bar rotates it will change the angle of the adjust rod as it travels along the arch.
 
This is on an e-body. My 2 1/8 inch TTI's would not clear the passenger side of the scattershield, and I had to grind reliefs in the bellhousing flange to let them clear it. I ground even more after this pic to smooth out the notches and clearance the upper and lower pipe.

If any modifications are done on the bellhousing, it clearly states it looses it SFI rating right then and there.
 

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Daves69 said:
Is your z-bar lined up straight across from the frame rail? Has it been modified (extended)?
I believe there are pivots available that can change the fork angle.

Remember as the z-bar rotates it will change the angle of the adjust rod as it travels along the arch.
Click to expand...

Yes Dave, the zbar is straight and has not been modified. Worked well on the cast bellhousing. As it is right now, the angle of the pushrod is extreme. The fork is too high to line up level with the mounting point on the zbar. Fork needs to be lower.
 
Daves69 said:
This pivot?................
http://brewersperformance.com/proddetail.asp?prod=FP263

Are you sure your fork is all the way in on the pivot and bearing pads? I'm thinking the top of the fork is on the pad and under the clip but the bottom may not be in all the way.
Click to expand...

Yes its all the way in, but I think I figured it out. Look at the pics. The pivot on the factory bellhousing is lower than the one in the Lakewood housing. :banghead: I spoke to a tech at Lakewood and he couldnt tell me why the pivot mounting was in the wrong place:banghead:

So now Im going to have to remove the trans/bellhousing and try to reposition the pivot mount or go back to the factory bellhousing. Not sure why Lakewood mounted where they did, seems they did not do their homework on these.
 
With Quick Time RM 6073 cannot run an 11" clutch with an 143 tooth flywheel. Limits you to a 10-1/2" for what it's worth.
 
Ok I just got an email notification on this thread, so since I am here I will add to my last post.

I ended up using the fork pivot out of the cast bellhousing to make this set up work. I also just installed a McLeod Twin Disc and I love the light pedal pressure. Havent opened up all 800 hp on it yet as it states to drive normal for first 500 miles.
 
I was able to redrill the pivot and move it down. The pushrod is now level and correct angles. But the fork ends up close to the opening in the housing. Can't use a boot.......can't remember if I welded a tab to the pivot either! Damn.
 
Here's what I did. Redrilled the mounting pad. Did this 15 or so years ago. Still hooked up to the trans. A clutchflight. Markings are all about not distorting the adapter plate. I have a Lakewood 2 piece scattershield I'am going to check if I did the same to it.
What happened to my stinking photos?!?
 
hangn0ut said:
Here's what I did. Redrilled the mounting pad. Did this 15 or so years ago. Still hooked up to the trans. A clutchflight. Markings are all about not distorting the adapter plate. I have a Lakewood 2 piece scattershield I'am going to check if I did the same to it.
What happened to my stinking photos?!?
Click to expand...
bringing up this post from the dead. Nice to see someone with a clutch flite. i haven't installed mine yet, and nervous- do you street drive it? how has it held up-i've heard they can be leakers at the input shaft, etc. Im not afraid of how it behaves, just curious about it being OEM reliable regarding reliability/leaks, etc.

Thanks,
Rick
 
Old thread so I'm not sure how relevant the information is. I've used both and I've had problems with both. If you own a machine shop you can make either one work. If you don't own any tools then good luck, you'll never get either one to work correctly. Lakewood has been making their bellhousings wrong for at least 50 years! So at least they are consistent. I thought the QT stuff was cool when it first came out and they do have some cool applications in the catalog, but when you go to install them there are always issues. Pivot in the wrong spot, no support for the starter nose, lever doesn't fit correctly, etc.

DSC_3451 (Large).JPG
 
I think Rick brought this thread back from the dead to talk about the reliability of the Clutchflite transmission?
 
BrianT said:
I think Rick brought this thread back from the dead to talk about the reliability of the Clutchflite transmission?
Click to expand...
True, but I'm glad AndyF posted his info. I would love to find the old Lakewood Smallblock scatter shield, since it appears they discontinued it after buying Quicktime. Brewer's told me that there are issues with a weak fork pivot on the quicktime and recommended hydraulic throwout bearing only-but that limits you to a diaphram clutch only according to their advertising. But maybe with a twin disc the hyd t/o bearing will survive.
 
We tried to install a Quicktime bellhousing in my buddies Road Runner. Very frustrating day! The install went okay but the pivot point in the bellhousing was too low so we couldn't get the clutch to work. We had to pull everything back out from the car and I had to custom machine a taller pivot point. Nobody at Quicktime was able to help so we had to build our own solution. I don't think I took a picture of the custom pivot, but here is the car that we were working on.

DSC_4437 (Large).JPG
 
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