As part of my off-season endless spiraling of things I need/want/don't need to change in the off season I find myself hung up on wanting an adjustable transbrake button. I changed from an old full tree transbrake to a pro tree transbrake late in the season trying to tighten up my reaction times. It worked but I find myself going red at times now, which is the desire for an adjustable button.

I started reading reviews and looking for forum posts on the 2 common buttons (Biondo and JIT) and I find a lot of comments about inconsistency and wear being issues with these.

Just looking for comments and opinions on the adjustable buttons. Am I better off sticking with the button I'm using now and just "figure it out" or is there truly a benefit to consistency with the "fancy" adjustable buttons?

I've been using a Biondo Terminator for many years. I don't adjust reaction times with the shims. I use it with most of the shims still installed, but it is still considerably slower than your typical short throw button.

Once I have it in the ballpark, I use starting line RPM to fine tune. I did a bunch of practice tree testing with different numbers of shims, but didn't notice a ton of difference. When you take a shim out, you can depress the button further but you also increase the tension on the return spring.

The only issue I've ever had with it is that on cold fall mornings (temps in the low 40s), the button has stuck down for me due to the aluminum housing shrinking. It has made me panic on a few occasions, but by the time I've warmed everything up and gotten to run it has worked fine.

I believe the quickest button will be the most consistent, but you gotta do what you gotta do to stay green. I feel that the button is at least as consistent as I will be, anyway.

I've used a Biondo Terminator for years without issues. The current housings are made of a plastic material and I've raced in temperatures from the low 40's to over 100.

quote:

Originally posted by Lenny5160:
I believe the quickest button will be the most consistent, but you gotta do what you gotta do to stay green.

^^^This^^^

I have the Biondo Terminator button, keep as many shims in as possible. In my experience using the button, the more travel; more the variance in reaction times.

2BKING

quote:

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I also use a Terminator, but mine has no shims on it. That usually puts me about right, and Like Lenny I adjust starting line rpm from there.

Adjustable buttons can be tricky. With a fast spring as in what a Terminator uses or the Red Spring on the JNT which is our fastest spring and similar to a Terminator, .019 "delay" is a much as you can get out of it. You can basically mount it any which way you want, anywhere you want, and not have any issues, but .019 is as much delay as you can achieve.

When you start going with slower springs, in which the terminator does NOT offer, but we offer 5 additionally slower springs, mounting becomes more critical. Where, how, etc., but certainly achievable to slow you down up to about .090. As like our competitor, the JNT has won numerous World Championships. Both are good products, just depends on what you're looking for.

SL...

I don't like the mushroom buttons.
I like a button like this:
https://www.summitracing.com/p...JFoMAmxoC3DYQAvD_BwE

It's adjustable but not like ones with shims. I have it adjusted for feel. I place my thumb on it and let up on pressure without releasing. I don't push off the button, I just pull back.

It works for me. It's a slow car that only uses 1.000 to 1.010 in the delay box which works w/o a box on a .500 pro tree.

My son, a close friend and myself all use the Terminator. As others have said we get close with shims and adjust launch rpm from there.

quote:

Originally posted by M120:
I don't like the mushroom buttons.
I like a button like this:
https://www.summitracing.com/p...JFoMAmxoC3DYQAvD_BwE

It's adjustable but not like ones with shims. I have it adjusted for feel. I place my thumb on it and let up on pressure without releasing. I don't push off the button, I just pull back.

It works for me. It's a slow car that only uses 1.000 to 1.010 in the delay box which works w/o a box on a .500 pro tree.

Do you have a plastic piece on it for a button or just the metal piece? I've used that button with just the metal and the top is rounded and you can slip off the side a little when you put pressure on it.

Just the metal from the switch. A mushroom button is larger, so more inaccuracies in my opinion.

I'll show pic tomorrow if I can.

quote:

Originally posted by M120:
I don't like the mushroom buttons.
I like a button like this:
https://www.summitracing.com/p...JFoMAmxoC3DYQAvD_BwE

It's adjustable but not like ones with shims. I have it adjusted for feel. I place my thumb on it and let up on pressure without releasing. I don't push off the button, I just pull back.

It works for me. It's a slow car that only uses 1.000 to 1.010 in the delay box which works w/o a box on a .500 pro tree.

I also use this button and love it. It definitely helped me hit the .370 tree

https://www.summitracing.com/parts/ded-pbs-rtd

I've used that switch and changed to this one. I like the concave button that my thumb sits in. I never tried a mushroom style. I might try the Biondo with the big red concave button next.
As far as adjustment goes, I need one that speeds up instead of slowing down.

Isn't he asking about hitting the bottom though? Neither of these two would help that.

quote:

Originally posted by Eman:
I might try the Biondo with the big red concave button next.

That's what I've been using in my dragster the last couple years. I like it better than the mushrooms for sure.

https://www.biondoracing.com/product/double-o-button/

In my experience, a long throw button won't slow a pro-tree set up car down consistently enough. Maybe if your car is .480 it'll help but not if it's much faster than that.

2 instances with the JIT, the button was stuck in while on the limiter on the starting line. The two step vibrations caused it to stick I assume, but that can't be consistent.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: Yellow Ticket,

quote:

Originally posted by Yellow Ticket:
In my experience, a long throw button won't slow a pro-tree set up car down consistently enough.

I agree with your statement, but the OP is only trying to offset the impact of moving from a standard TB to a quicker pro tree brake. That's usually about .030 and that's roughly how much slower a Terminator is from a standard quick button, even with all shims installed.

quote:

Originally posted by Yellow Ticket:
In my experience, a long throw button won't slow a pro-tree set up car down consistently enough. Maybe if your car is .480 it'll help but not if it's much faster than that.

2 instances with the JIT, the button was stuck in while on the limiter on the starting line. The two step vibrations caused it to stick I assume, but that can't be consistent.

I think how it's mounted can be a problem when trying to slow the button down. I always thought they had to be mounted horizontally to work right when slowing reaction down.

quote:

Originally posted by Eman:

quote:

Originally posted by Yellow Ticket:
In my experience, a long throw button won't slow a pro-tree set up car down consistently enough. Maybe if your car is .480 it'll help but not if it's much faster than that.

2 instances with the JIT, the button was stuck in while on the limiter on the starting line. The two step vibrations caused it to stick I assume, but that can't be consistent.

I think how it's mounted can be a problem when trying to slow the button down. I always thought they had to be mounted horizontally to work right when slowing reaction down.

Mine is as flat as it can be. The button might be more consistent once the throw is shorter, but once you go "max throw" it sticks.

quote:

Originally posted by Lenny5160:

quote:

Originally posted by Yellow Ticket:
In my experience, a long throw button won't slow a pro-tree set up car down consistently enough.

I agree with your statement, but the OP is only trying to offset the impact of moving from a standard TB to a quicker pro tree brake. That's usually about .030 and that's roughly how much slower a Terminator is from a standard quick button, even with all shims installed.

Totally understand, just wanted to give my opnion since the title is "adjustable transbrake buttons" in case anyone else was curious.

I have used several different types of slow release transbrake buttons.
I believe the Just in Time button is the best of them and I have bought 4 of them through the years. But I was not able to ever reliably get any where near .090 delay as was mentioned earlier. I could kill .020-.040 reliably and consistently. What I use them for is Nostalgia racing (Pro Tree)where we use a transbrake but can not use a delay box. My cars will go red with out it, I try to set up to get as good of reaction time as possible with out ever going Red.
I briefly tried more for No-Box racing (Sportsman Tree)and it simply was not working and had to go back to foot braking for that.
Also in my opinion as you set them up slower them become more inconsistent. They work good if you are going .020 -.030 Red and want to slow it to .01X. The further you get from there the more inconsistent it was for me.
One thing about the JNT button is I check it usually a few times during race day and make sure the button and the back cap are tight. They will loosen up sometimes and I do not want to tighten them too much.