Drive-Shaft Loop

[xtweakerx]

lookin for a place to find a two piece drive shaft loop for the stock 07 shaft that is two-piece without spending a fortune.. i mean BMR"s package is $229, a lot of money for flippin drive shaft loop.

i dont plan on changing the shaft out for awhile due to money to a single so i have to stick w/ the double for now.

This summer, 4:10's and U/C & L/C arms are going in.

So i expect to get into the 12's this fall when my track re-opens w/ new surface.

 

[DarkFireGT]

Really, all you need is a front loop. If you drop the rear of the driveshaft, it'll just drag on the ground. If you drop the front, that's where you would have troubles. I've only seen a handful of people running a rear loop.

 

[xtweakerx]

ah, ok.. i thought it was the rule if you went 12's w/ a two piece shaft to have a rear loop?

i kno my track is pretty loose on the rules so i wanted to get one just for safety purposes. any recommandations on an easy front loop then for the stock shaft w/ no drillin?

 

[DarkFireGT]

Technically, you're supposed to have a front and rear with a 2 piece, but I've never heard of anyone getting busted for it, and if you think about it, there's not much safety risk if the rear drops. It's just going to dangle and drag against the concrete. If you break the front without a loop, you could hit a bump and lift the front end up, or it could put street on the middle joint, break off, and fly off, hurting someone, busting a tire, etc... It sounds like you plan on eventually going with a one piece driveshaft, and right now you're not pushing a bunch of HP, so you shouldn't break the DS anyway.

The BMR one requires no drilling and is simple to install, but I would recommend making a 1/4" spacer between the loop assembly and the bracket. The loop hits the bottom of the shifter arm in 1st, 3rd, and 5th with the stock shifter. It only hits in 1st with a Hurst shifter. But you can easily make a spacer for it. Otherwise, the rest of them require drilling.

 

[xtweakerx]

are their any that do Not hit the shifter arm?

even if they do require drilling?

What about the one , on steeda's web site?

Shown here -
http://www.steeda.com/products/driveshaft_loop.php

161-M-5478-S197
Driveshaft Loop - '05-'08 $109.95

 

[xtweakerx]

or what about these, any of these will hit the shifter arm?

http://www.jegs.com/i/Ford Racing/397/M-5478-S197/10002/-1
(ford racing)

http://www.jegs.com/i/Granatelli/467/GMDSL0507/10002/-1
(granatelli)

http://www.jegs.com/i/Roush Performance/832/401876/10002/-1
(rousch)

 

[xtweakerx]

i spoke to steeda they use the ford racing one... urghh

i wish i could find someone who has used it to know if it bangs the shifter arm.

 

[StonePony]

Dont believe for a minute that if you blow a rear u-joint that the driveshaft will just drag on the ground. I dont know where Darkfire GT came up with that idea, but let me tell you what happened to my car when the rear u-joint blew and I had no loop:
1967 GTO running through the gears at the track. I shift to 4th and somewhere aroung 110 MPH my drivehshaft u-joint let go. The driveshaft slammed in to the ground and back up in to the car and took out my whole drivetrain:
bell housing (cracked)
transmission (case cracked in half)
shifter (linkage bent)
driveshaft (twisted)
12 bolt rear-end
6 teeth off ring gear
pinion bent
axle bent
axle tube busted
damage to entire floorpan

I was lucky the car did not go in to the wall.
So if I was you i would put on two loops and bite the bullet and just pay for them because it is a cheap insurance policy.

 

[xtweakerx]

Dont believe for a minute that if you blow a rear u-joint that the driveshaft will just drag on the ground. I dont know where Darkfire GT came up with that idea, but let me tell you what happened to my car when the rear u-joint blew and I had no loop:
1967 GTO running through the gears at the track. I shift to 4th and somewhere aroung 110 MPH my drivehshaft u-joint let go. The driveshaft slammed in to the ground and back up in to the car and took out my whole drivetrain:
bell housing (cracked)
transmission (case cracked in half)
shifter (linkage bent)
driveshaft (twisted)
12 bolt rear-end
6 teeth off ring gear
pinion bent
axle bent
axle tube busted
damage to entire floorpan

I was lucky the car did not go in to the wall.
So if I was you i would put on two loops and bite the bullet and just pay for them because it is a cheap insurance policy.

do you know if the BMR Kit, would interfere w/ the stock shifter arm?

is it a fact it it will bang?

or what about the ford racing kit?

 

[DarkFireGT]

Meh.. it's not nearly as dangerous as not having a front loop. Even with a 1 piece and a front DSL, or two-piece and a rear DSL, you're going to have damage if you break something. It's the nature of the beast.

Obviously, it's most safe to have both. But the front is more critical than the rear. And as I stated, few people are running a rear DSL on a lightly modified car.

I can tell you with most certainty that the BMR piece hits the shifter. I have it. But as I stated, it's an easy fix. The CHE piece requires drilling, but it's all done under the car, so you don't need to pull up the carpet or anything.

 

[xtweakerx]

I dont have a problem drilling if i dont have to deal w/ the bangin or anything..

do you know if the CHE has had any clearance/bangin issues?

 

[kooldawg6]

I could see having a F/R loop for the OEM 2-piece...in case the middle joint breaks and the back half drops down(not really different than having no loop and the front of a 1-piece dropping, just shorter).

 

[xtweakerx]

I'm leaning towards the granatelli kit right now, cuz for Front and Rear its only 180 and the design looks old school as it should not cause any rubbing or banging also a local guy sent me pictures of his setup and he says it does not bang or rub.

 

[DarkFireGT]

I would never buy another GMS product personally. Too many bad experiences out there. Also, is it just me, or is that rear loop really far forward? That'd be fine for a 1 piece, but it doesn't look like it would do a whole lot of good for the back half of the shaft anyway.

The CHE piece does not hit the shifter. As far as I know, the BMR one is the only one that has had complaints.

 

[xtweakerx]

hmmph, im maybe leanin towards the CHE frontal loop.

i mean hell i have no loop now so having one would be safer than none

And as time goes on ill replace the two piece for a single.

 

[StonePony]

I have the GMS kit. It is very easy to install. It mounts using the existing shield studs and is in two pieces so there is no need to remove the driveshaft.

 

[xtweakerx]

Stone pony, what do you think about the GMS kit? Is it good, a lot people bash GMS.

Are you using the stock 5 speed shifter and/or shaft? Have u had any problems of banging?

 

[DarkFireGT]

Honestly, if the items fit fine as he said, I wouldn't worry about it. It's not a component that sees stress like suspension and other pieces. But because of the quality (more like lack of) of their other pieces, I choose not to give my money to GMS.

 

[NastyStang113]

It's a good idea to have both but without a doubt the front is much more important than the rear. The driveshaft, if you don't have a rear loop, will hit the ground and just as quick bounce up and hit the bottom of your car and whatever else ends up in it's path.

 

[DarkFireGT]

This is true, but if the front drops, it's going to put a lot of force back on the car, which could cause you to lose control, or the front end to lift. There's no doubting that both is best, even with a 1 piece. But if you are only going to get one, it's safe to assume the front is the one to get (which is why most companies only make the front one).