I just ordered one to put on my small block case 727, any suggestions on the installation of this shield are much appreciated

I've never put one in a truck, but on my cuda I had to do some surgery on it to make it fit. There is a hump that runs across the shield at the very rear of it...probably 1/2" high, 1" wide, and atleast 4" long. I had to cut out this section b/c it was up against the floor and wouldn't let the trans go high enough up in the car to get the crossmember on.

See it in the picture on top of the shield b/t the edge of the belt and rear edge of the shield itself.

You have to cut off the mount lugs on the side of the bellhousing for the stock shifter linkage too.

edit...no tech inspection at tracks here, but even when I have had it teched, no one checked it.

I didn't use the little aluminum bracket for the belt either...wouldn't clear my headers if I recall correctly.

I have one ontop of the 727 in my Charger 1970. Had to beat on the floor to get enough room because of the hump. The strap thing is a joke and interferes with everything. I had to cut off the transcase mounts. I also did a little surgery on the shield itself to get it to fit. The bolts that come with the kit are to long, if you have a midplate then the bolts are the correct length.

No track official has ever taken any closer look at the shield, they just ask if its there...

/Tom

Aluminum transmission tunnel so the floor won't be an issue but thank you for the heads up.

I was wondering about the shifter linkage and the strap deal, thanks for telling me about that. I will fit it on the transmission while I have it out, I will be running a mid plate also.

I built a better bracket for the strap than the supplied one. It bends up so the strap clears shift linkage. Took a couple tries to get right, but it worked out great. Everything clears but it is close.

Do you mind me asking how much ? I would like to get one some day to replace my trans blanket. Ron

I had one on my Dakota, tons of room compared to my Dart.

Check linkage and stuff like you said, there's a trans "ear" you have to trim if i remember correctly.

i'm surprised you had fitment problems as i used one on my 71 cuda & it fitted easy, not touching the tunnel at all. When i put it on my A body it was tight, but still managed to get it on without hacking it up, only having to hammer the firewall/tunnel pinchweld flat to make it fit.

After shipping $450.00 I purchased it directly from CSR, no one had one in stock and I wasn't waiting a month from summit to save $10

Thank you , Ron

Hopefully you have a aluminum or billet drum as that shield is not meant for a car without a stock floor as it does depend on the steel floor for your protection as well. Their is a reason why the name changed from CSI to CSR. I was told if you have an aftermarket drum listed above then your ok.

I have a steel drum and ultimate sprag and my T brake VB is low band apply. I been thinking about going to the "full metal jacket" aluminum drum though.

All these post about 727 issues make me think I need to upgrade some of my parts. I am running a stock 727 with the only aftermarket part being a reverse manual valve body. I have a transmission blanket I got from Al I guess I need to put on it.

Had to drill open the holes where the shield meets the trans bellhousing and bolts to the block. The shield sat up a bit too high on the trans placing the holes too high to get the bolts in straight to the engine block.
Also the things mentioned above with the drivers side bell crank boss needing to be cut off, and the strap bracket.

....or put that money toward a 904 based trans. Smaller rotating mass of the smaller trans doesn't have the issue the "dump truck" trans has. Was thinking about this as I was assembling my pig of a trans for the third or forth time in the last year and a half.

I am running a stock 727 as well. Member "Big Squeeze" built it for me about 16 years ago. It did spend a long spell in the garage but it has been flawless for years of street driving, drag weeks, and lots of passes. I know if I put my low gear 904 back in that it will pick up some but I keep loving the reliability of this dump truck trans lol.

...and that is why there is a 727 in our Duster. Wanted a "set it and forget it" combo for when my dad had the car. Unfortunately since I've had it, it's been a parade of let downs some self inflicted, some head scratchers. Latest being broken pump drive lugs. Just installed an aftermarket gear with larger lugs. Everything else I've broken behind the pump seems to be in ok condition... it's become a quest to make it live. I have the gut feeling that the new clean N trans brake over the previous Griner has something to do with it... but can't prove it. on to our regularly scheduled program.

I run a CSR shield and also threw that belt bracket in the trash. hold down strap runs under my shift cable with no interference.

You might be on to something there.

Mine is very stock also. I worked at a Dodge dealer for 24 years and did trans work along with other work so I have a few parts saved over the years. I used all the stock Mopar clutches and steels and seals. I did put a bolt in sprag in and use the Turbo Action reverse manual valve body. Course I dont race much as I have only been going once a year as I believe you race alot more then me and your truck is alot lighter then my car. I do have a blanket on my trans but I want to update the front drum and put the carbon fiber shield on in the near future. And I also run a 9.5 Dynamic converter. If you have the stock drum still in it I would want to at least get that blanket on it. I have never blown a trans or even seen anyone at my local tracks blow one but we hear about it enough that made me want to at least get the blanket on it for some kind of protection just in case. Ron

I've said this many times before. Eddyville IA June 2013, 65 ply trans blew and the carbon shield did nothing. Person almost lost the foot in this mess. The shield looked like a yellow ball of yarn (that was the Kevlar). The gas pedal did more than shield.

I will never use one and will continue to use a blanket. I find it hard to believe something as hard and thin as a shield could absorb that kind of energy. I guess they do, but I'm never going to gamble on one. Not from what I saw.