I'm a little confused about how a Two-Step works. Up until now I have not had one and 90% of the time I just launch off the foot brake by stalling near 3500 rpm. If the track is well prepped I sometimes try the t-brake. When I press the button and go 100% WOT, the rpm go up to my stall speed, which is 4900 rpm, then I let go of the button and off I go.

Now I have a two-step but I don't know how I should have it wired or exactly how I should use it. Isn't the T-Brake effectively doing the same thing a Two-Step will do? Or will the two step allow me to leave off the t-brake at an even higher rpm? Or should I only use the two step if I launch off a foot brake? Should I wire the two-step to the t-brake button? Problem with that is I will never be able to use the two-step with a foot brake launch. Can somebody explain to me how to use the two-step?

 

some people like to set the 2 step like 3-500rpms below what the converter will go to on the transbrake, that way when you let off it will flash the converter differently then just leaving on the converter all the way on the brake. its all in preference how you would like to do it.

 

Great topic! I hope we get some useful info on this matter as I am curious myself. What I don't understand, is why your RPM's only go to your stall speed? I know there is a "load" on the motor/drivetrain when the T-brake is enguaged but I would think the RPM's would climb to the limiter without a 2-step? My thinking would be that you would wire the 2-step to activate when you push the T-brake button, so you can launch at a pre-set RPM level to help with consistancy. Am I off base?

 

Well what if you just want to leave by foot braking? How are you supposed to use the two step without using the t-brake? And if I don't wire the switch to the same button as my t-brake then how am I suppose to use the t-brake AND the two step? I'd have zero hands on the steering wheel because they'd both be on a button! See my problem here? That's why I think I'm not understanding something right. Maybe the two step is only used for foot braking and not needed for t-brake launches.

 

You can wire the two step and trans brake to their own relays off the same button and just a use a switch to cut off the brake or the two step if you dont want to use either/or.

Cool thing about a two step is if your converter is too loose and you need to use a trans brake your ET wont suffer. A 'perfect' footbrake converter wll generally be a little loose for a WOT transbrake leave and the car may slow down, 2 step can be a good tuning tool if you are looking for the best 60' possible. Not to mention the 2 step is way easier on parts, holding a big HP car wide open against a brake waiting for the tree makes a lot of heat real fast..

 

OK, good info! Thanks Man. So am I assuming correctly, in that you would NOT use a T-Brake AND a Two-Step at the same time? The T-Brake would be used alone? In other words, the Two-Step is used only for footbrakes?

Finally, do people typically set their Two-Steps above their stall speed or below their stall speed?

 

You want to use the transbrake and two-step at the same time. The nice thing about the two-step is it controls the rpm you launch at, as opposed to launching with your foot against the gas pedal and trying to hold it steady. Stock eliminator racers will sometimes wire their brake pedal to use a two-step, and this allows a wide open throttle without leaving at the converter flash/stall speed, plus it allows for better reaction times.

So the two-step can be used with either a footbrake or transbrake.

From my experience and what a few converter companies tell me, leaving against the converter on the brake is very hard on the trans and converter, and is not recommended. I have a two-step wired for use with my transbrake, and just like when you footbrake, you want the converter to flash some instead of launching at or near the flash rpm, as this "pushes" the car out of the beam more than allowing the suspension to do it's job when the converter can "flash." My converter flashes to about 4600 rpm, and my two-step is set at 3400 rpm.

Hope this helps!

Derek

 

Basically a two step is a "rev limiter" that you can put at any rpm. While stalling up you can't rev past your converters stall speed. When you t brakwe it and mash the gas thats as high as you can stall no matter what. so if you set the 2 step at 5000 rpm's (using your 4,900 stall) the 2 step will litteraly do nothing.

 

Like the others said you use them both at the same time, only time I wouldnt use the two step with the brake was if the converter was too tight and you were trying to improve your 60' a little. You would just set the 2 step slightly under your max stall if the converter is just right, even lower if the converter is too loose generally. Its best to experiment a little but setting it above the max it will stall at WOT on the brake kind of defeats the purpose of the two step.

 

Awesome. Thanks guys! I think I'll take Derek's recommendation and wire the two step to the brake pedal. That way I can use it with both foot brake and trans brake. Only problem I see with this is when I want to use the trans brake I will have to do quite a few things at the same time (foot on brake, foot on gas, thumb on button, release button and pull foot off brake at same time). That may make it hard to be consistent off the trans brake.

For the guys that use both trans brake and foot brake launches, how do you have yours wired?

 

you could have a master switch to turn the two step on and off (flip switch) and have a trigger switch wired to the brake and trans brake.

 

This probably the best idea if you think you'll actually use the two-step with the brake pedal. Most just wire it to the transbrake,as I have mine

Derek

 

Where can I get and how much is a 2 step? I need to do this on mine.

 

Any wiring diagrams for a 2 step and T Brake button? I would be interested on how you wired a Harlan 2 Step into a functioning T Brake button.

 

This is what I'm looking for! Can you give me more specific info? The guy who is wiring the two step for me needs more info on how to do this.

Thanks!

 

I'm assumming the 2 step has a ground and power leads that need to be wired right?
Well i would put a regular on off switch to provide the ground to the 2 step and the brake pedal/tran brake to provide the power.
Should be pretty easy to hook up.

 

Harlan 2 step does not have a power circut. Just ground.

 

So does this mean I can not do what SUX2BU is suggesting above? I really think this is the only way to go (brake pedal as one trigger and trans brake button as another trigger).

Anyone know what my chances of getting a hold of Harlan are? We are going to try to call him and see what he says.

 

if need be you can always piggy back the MSD 6010 and have a 2 step and nitrous retard function... there is one now in the 4sale section that is 300 shipped... brand new

 

Well i'm sure you can use the rpm signal wire for the master switch and the ground for the transbrake/foot brake switches.