727 Valve Body

What can be damaged by racing with a forward pattern manual valve body?

I see of the Turbo Action manual valve bodies can be used in forward for racing.

Cope has a manual shift forward pattern valve body that says forward pattern is NOT for racing.

Turbo Action says you can, and Cope says you can't.

Just looking for some input.

Turbo Action is a quality product. If They say it can be used for racing,it can be. We have used their products for many years..since 1977.

I’ve been running the TurboAction forward manual LBA valve body for a few years with no issues. What makes you think it would damage something to race with it?

I’ve raced a cheetah forward pattern manual VB for years without issue.

Shift pattern is irrelevant, potential damaged depends on whether the VB has LBA. Without LBA, lots of stuff can be damaged; see recent threads here.

I’d say buy the T/A one then.....
cope isn’t saying you CANT race with a forward pattern transmission, they’re most likely just saying that particular product they make is not necessarily aimed at a race-only application.

I think Brett races with a forward pattern valve body and he’s been well into the 8s

I'd call Cope

I called Paul at Turbo Action when I wanted to buy a FM valve body. He asked me some questions about my car, what had been done to the trans (bolt-in sprag, steel drum, etc.) and my burnout technique. He recommended his "race" FM VB without LBA, instead of his "Pro Street" FM VB with LBA, because he said it would be quicker. That's what I bought & used, FWIW.

I've been using a Turbo Action FM VB for the past 10 or so years without any issues. I tried a reverse pattern for a yr and just didn't like having to down shift to get back to neutral (I use a B&M ratchet shifter).

Wasn't real sure, figured if it was a problem somebody here would sound off.
Do have the Ultimate Sprag and Billet forward drum.

i have a old jvx transbrake trans with a forward valve body in it,no problems

I think John's statement comes from the fact that a forward pattern valve body usually isn't a purpose-built valve body, but is instead a modified version of a factory type valve body. As a result, the line pressure you can use/achieve to apply the clutches is significantly less than what you achieve using a purpose-designed reverse patterned body. As a result of lower pressures, trans life would be shortened versus a reverse patterned build. I don't know if that holds true for Turbo Actions version, but that is the way I understood it from the version I was going to purchase from John before he talked me out of it.