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Thanks for the comment and opportunity to clarify venting. A drive shaft yoke is never vented regardless of transmission type (automatic or manual). For example, on your 700R4 the vent tube is on top of the transmission, just behind the bell housing. Venting any lower on the case...especially at the shaft level and below would work in leaks like the one I fixed in the video. BTW...still no leaks on my repair as of June 2023.

What jb weld you use?

The JB Weld seals the leak. Transmission fluid is leaking past the press-in center cap on the drive shaft yoke.

My sway bar was an incorrect unit installed at the factory. They used a BMW Z3 sway bar instead of a sway bar for the 325i. The Z3 bar has a shallow dip in the middle and it hits the frame on the car. The 325i sway bar has a deeper dip and clears the frame. No idea why the factory used the wrong bar except that it fits...but doesn't function well.

Not when you're shifting a manual... 😜 I drive mostly left handed, especially going into or out of corners. I use the right in hairpins, or to go through a right corner.

Hahaha...you noticed.🤣 I'm 6'5" tall, so fit is always a challenge. A larger cockpit is one of the primary reasons I chose a Backdraft over the others. FWIW, I am working a better seating option (Kirkey Series 55s) for myself this winter that will better position me in the car. Once I have things done, I'll post a new video. I will gain about 4 inches of leg room in the car once I have everything finished.

Prep is critical when doing this fix. One must deep clean the yoke with brake cleaner (or equivalent) before applying JB Weld or it may continue to leak because oil residue is preventing the JB Weld from adhering where it matters. I'm 3 years into this fix with many, many laps (30-minute sessions) around Mid-Ohio and Putnam Park with zero leaks to date.

Safety wire is ONLY there as a visual indicator. Safety wire will NOT hold a spinner on and prevent it from loosening. Just like witness marks are is a visual indicator.

@@cobralife3761 Safety wire is designed to keep a fastener from loosening. We put it everywhere when building airplanes.

​@@cobralife3761 You are correct. In the case of a Cobra, the wire does not secure the wheel. As you mentioned, it serves as a visual indicator; if you see the wire pulling apart, it means the wheel spinner is beginning to loosen.

Thanks Jeff! You never know where we might end up. I am in contact with some folks over in the CT, NY, NJ area and a track weekend next year would be awesome (just need their sponsorship). Over the winter, we will be preparing the cars for track action by doing some roll bar/cage upgrades, as well as adding a HANS device, and Kirkey racing seat for the driver. Other than the safety mods, these cars are pretty dialed in from a handing perspective....striking a nice balance between street and track. If you make it to the mid-west, you might find us at Mid-Ohio during their track days.

Glad to help!

Glad it was helpful!

Thanks for the comment! I did see that the bezels are now available. I plan to order a set ASAP and install them. This simple, low buck mod makes the dash look so much better than the cheap plastic units!

Ride height is completely adjustable by spinning the threaded adjuster ring that's on the lower part of each strut (ring up = lower car)...you will just need to take weight off the wheels to do it. Adjusting ride height can be hit and miss, so be prepared to raise and lower the car multiple times until you get things evened out. Camber plates...many RT3s came with a -2.5 degree fixed camber setting from Backdraft. I wanted adjustability and the abilityto to get my car easily set up for track days and back to a more friendly street setting. Parts selection: I went with Brian Linke's recommendations on parts. Brian is co-owner of Vintage Motorsports...one of the smartest guys on the planet when it comes to Backdraft cars bar none. Brian is the brains behind all the mods and improvements they do to these cars. He turned me on to the high quality camber plates from Poland direct from the manufacturer. These are sold in Germany as well and if its available on the German market it has to be TUV certified (similar to United Laboratories). Bottom line...the camber plates I bought are super high quality...not sure where Iconic gets theirs. The struts with camber plates installed on the RT4s look good, but I've heard some folks have had complaints ranging from sloppy installation and quality of the goods themselves (probably made in China). Bottom line...if I were doing it all over again, I wouldn't change any of my decisions on parts selection.

My opinion, handling improved...much more "crisp" and predictable. Almost feels original until I put her through the twists...then the improved handling becomes very evident

Ride quality is pretty much the same (not harsh or bouncy), but you will feel the railroad tracks a little more

That's what I'm looking for. Thanks for the reply.

Thanks for the view and comment! This install was an enhancement, not a required parts replacement. Why? I service my brakes with new fluid every year. I also "pre-flight" the car with a walk around and fluid checks. Accessing the fluid reservoirs deep inside the fender well is both difficult and frustrating...especially the clutch reservoir. Installing the remote tanks makes my task much, much easier and faster. With regard to Backdrafts coming stuffed with top notch components, that's a matter of perspective and what options you order the car with. I bought my car off the showroom floor and was so excited I forgot to scrutinize the spec sheet (stupid me). I failed to notice the transmission was a T5. The T5 transmission is a top notch transmission until you put it behind a pissed off 427 and drive in a "fun" manner...then it becomes a ticking time bomb. Now that same T5 transmission behind a mild 302 pushing 300ish horsepower will live a happy life. It's all about parts suitability and reliability for the intended application. For the record, I do NOT agree with Backdraft's choice to install T5 transmissions in their 427 powered cars. So if you are considering adding a Backdraft, I highly recommend a TKO series transmission...mine is now equipped with a TKO-600RR (which I love) as a replacement for the T5.

Thanks Jeff! Actually, I'm not sure and never paid too much attention to it. My average running temp is about 195 degrees Fahrenheit. It does come on from time to time...especially when it's hot and I'm stuck in traffic. I did have a fan fuse blow this year and she got a little warm but nothing serious. My car is out of state right now for some performance and suspension updates. I'll do a a data call with the folks at Vintage Motorsports and see if they have sone insights. For the record, I've never had an actual overheating problem and I drive it pretty hard, hence why I never worried about it. I also run water wetter in my coolant to help temps, but with my car I think it's ot necessary.

@@cobralife3761 Awesome thanks for the reply. I actually bought my car from Vintage Motorsports. Had it delivered by Jay at the beginning of this crazy pandemic. So yea my fan goes off after only 10 mins of driving. It goes away during highway driving. But in town that thing is on all the time.

Nice video I have only had mine for a couple months but the snake loves these Texas back roads threw hill country

Isolating the issue was the biggest challenge. With regard to the JB Weld...I get it that welding might be "better" assuming one actually knows how to weld or wants to find someone to weld it for them. As you saw in the video, I thoroughly cleaned and prepared the surface of the yoke and plug. The yoke does not see load or significant vibration, so in this situation, the JB weld is absolutely suitable for the repair. To prove my point, after repairing the leaking plug in the yoke with JB Weld, the car saw LOTS of hard driving and MANY runs over 100 mph...everything stayed in place and no leaking (GOAL!!!). Now, the rest of the transmission is another story. A T5 behind a pissed off 427 is NOT going to live for long (and mine was going south fast) if driven hard, so now I have a TKO-600RR installed that should handle the toque loads of the 427. Plus the gearing of the TKO-600RR is more favorable to my style of driving...

@@cobralife3761 This is a common fix on the 1st gen Tundras and Sequoias, they all leak at the plug. The JB weld has proven to be a one time repair, good for the life of the vehicle.

@@electropentatonic I JB welded in my tundra and fail after two years In Pennsylvania weather I had to say

Glad you like them!

Good question! I'm ditching the T5 and installing a TKO-600RR in the next few weeks. I'll give it a shot during that round of upgrades.

Glad you enjoyed it

Thanks Chip! That bridge is about 20 minutes from my house. Might need to post my Southwest Ohio Covered Bridge and twisty road map for others. Got some good places to eat along the way as well....Clifton Mill and Young's Jersey Dairy to name a few.