Drag Racing Tech - ? about driveshaft loops

Long story short, I'm buing a stock aluminum ds to replace my steel one. Don't think I'll brake it since I'll only probably see mid to high 12's. Don't want to take chances so I'm getting a dsl.

Most of the dsls replace the tunnel brace and only a couple look like they'd be strong enough to act as a tunnel brace and a dsl. The G2 looks like it would be the most sturdy. $120 is kinda hard to swallow though.

Am I worring too much about this? All of the dsl's should offer the same if not more bracing than the stock tunnel brace right?

Also, I'm a paranoid person, reading through the posts here I am seeing broken ds's and the thought of pole vaulting the rear of my car into the air makes me kinda uneasy. What choices do I have about putting a dsl at the rear of the ds? I was thinking about just having a loop welded torward the rear of the ta since the front dsl is only about 6" from the front of the ds.

Thanks.

The LS1 aluminum DS is a pretty sturdy piece. I ran in the 12's for 3 years and finally cracked the 11's this past season with no problems. I have a Spohn TA with the front driveshaft loop installed too. You can never be too paranoid about safety and $120 for a tunnel brace/DS loop is a good price and well worth it. You never know when a driveshaft or u-joint will break and if it does can cause serious damage to a car and possibly it's driver.

I had the guy that did my roll bar weld one up for me. $100.

Make sure the loop you buy is approved by the sanctioning body of your choice (i.e...NHRA, IHRA). I know that the SLP unit for fourth-gen f-bodies is NHRA-approved. That way you won't have to replace it again when you really start dipping down into the lower numbers.

You won't need a dsl at the rear, only the front. If the front breaks, you can pole vault.

But if the rear breaks, you'll only drag the driveshaft. And it will most likely fall out of the back of the transmission too, leaving it laying on the ground.

But what if it breaks after the dsl?

http://mywebpages.comcast.net/jm8881/dsl.jpg

Ha, yeah no shit. :jest: I don't think they break at any other places than the welds. ;)

Get the UMI performance one it is $69 and is just like the BMR. They are a site sponsor. ----->

Get the UMI performance one it is $69 and is just like the BMR. They are a site sponsor. ----->

I saw their dsl but it looks as if it reduces ground clearance quite a bit.

You won't need a dsl at the rear, only the front.

But if the rear breaks, you'll only drag the driveshaft. And it will most likely fall out of the back of the transmission too, leaving it laying on the ground.

I wasn't so lucky. A couple of years ago I snapped my rear U-Joint and the DS got lodged between the body and torque arm @ WOT. Something had to give... Planetary gears were FUBAR.

But what if it breaks after the dsl?


That's a good point... I've never seen one fail in the middle, only at the ends. But anything is possible.

The driveshaft is 48" from u-joint to u-joint, which is definitely enough length to worry about pole vaulting, if it was to catch the pavement just right.

If it breaks behind the dsl, it will be a lot shorter, so it's very unlikely it would do anything except swing around to one side.

If you were to make a rear dsl, it would have to be a tall oval to allow the rear axle to move up and down.

lol...gotta love that diagram. :)