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My Custom Drivesahft Safety Loop

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Old Jan 9, 2009 | 05:01 PM
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Default My Custom Drivesahft Safety Loop

Since I couldn't use my Lakewood DSL with my new Midwest Chassis 9" w/ the long TQ arm, I decided to fab up my own, went to a steel yard and picked up 2 2x1/4" 12" long steel plating and a 2" wide 5" inside dia. steel pipe. After some welding and some torching and bending, this is what I came up with.....fits real nice too.











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Old Jan 9, 2009 | 05:11 PM
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Very Nice! You should market that.
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Old Jan 9, 2009 | 05:19 PM
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haha...yes, i make alot of **** like that too. why spend 80 when you can spend 10
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Old Jan 9, 2009 | 05:22 PM
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Originally Posted by The Batman
haha...yes, i make alot of **** like that too. why spend 80 when you can spend 10
Thats right, parts only cost me around $10 and took about 2 hours of my time. Plus it feels better when you can tell someone.......ya i made that.
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Old Jan 9, 2009 | 07:19 PM
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Great job!
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Old Jan 9, 2009 | 07:54 PM
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That looks pretty good. good job
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Old Jan 9, 2009 | 08:00 PM
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I'm going to learn how to weld so I can make all sorts of cool stuff.
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Old Jan 9, 2009 | 08:26 PM
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Originally Posted by jetlag
I'm going to learn how to weld so I can make all sorts of cool stuff.
It's not hard at all, just take your time and practice, practice, practice.
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Old Jan 10, 2009 | 01:10 AM
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^^^having a welder as a friend helps as well. most of the guys around here are lazy and just ask me to do it for em. OP great job!!!
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Old Jan 10, 2009 | 06:42 AM
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Hey Ande..this is Jay with your Lakewood loop...nice job on the custom piece..looks good.
Can't wait to install the Lakewood one.
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Old Jan 10, 2009 | 07:59 AM
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Originally Posted by omcar
Hey Ande..this is Jay with your Lakewood loop...nice job on the custom piece..looks good.
Can't wait to install the Lakewood one.
Thanks jay and to everyone else as well.

Hey jay that Lakewood will be a great bolt-on for ya, it's a great safty peice.....i know from experiance, it's just too bad I couldn't use it on my app.
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Old Jan 10, 2009 | 03:44 PM
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Very nice, I need to do that also but I have the DS, the Torque arm and a 4" exhaust pipe in that tunnel to go around...thats why I havent done it yet.
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Old Jan 10, 2009 | 03:56 PM
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i wish i had your skills. my DS loop rubs because i have a 3.5 incher and i'm lowered. i'm running without one for now. or until i can figure out what to do
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Old Jan 10, 2009 | 11:32 PM
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nice job man make some more and start selling them on here
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Old Jan 11, 2009 | 12:43 PM
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Nice job, it looks factory made.

If that shaft broke right behind the loop, would the rear piece of the remaining shaft drop and still be able to hit the ground?

Seems as if the loop should be further back, to a point where there isn;t enough length if a breakage occured that it will touch the ground.

Maybe I just can't see that in the pics.
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Old Jan 11, 2009 | 03:08 PM
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^^^^yeah i noticed that too. seems like it should be further back.
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Old Jan 11, 2009 | 03:55 PM
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Originally Posted by 01ssreda4
^^^^yeah i noticed that too. seems like it should be further back.
Yeah, my stepfather is making mine. We measured the distance with the DS hanging down towards the ground while on a lift, then backed that spot up 3 more inches, thats where DS loops need to be. A breakage anywhere forward of that and it'll just drag along or be held up by the loop even if the breakage is just a few inches from the tranny.

Might even do a forward loop that will assure that no part of the DS can touch the ground no matter where it breaks.
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Old Jan 11, 2009 | 04:26 PM
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The NHRA rules require a driveshaft loop within 6" of the front U-joint when your car is capable of 13.99 quarter mile times with slicks or 13.00 with street tires.

Granted I'm more like 8-9" from the front u-joint......plus two things you have to think about here....most driveshafts will break on the launch which means for the most part the back part will stop spinning right there where as the front part will continue to spin becuase you are still in gear, this is where the DSL plays another role here and that is not letting the driveshaft spin out of the area of the DSL, which if wasn't there would most likely break your tailhousing off and spit trans fluid all over the track.
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Old Jan 11, 2009 | 04:37 PM
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Originally Posted by DiabloFormula
The NHRA rules require a driveshaft loop within 6" of the front U-joint when your car is capable of 13.99 quarter mile times with slicks or 13.00 with street tires.

Granted I'm more like 8-9" from the front u-joint......plus two things you have to think about here....most driveshafts will break on the launch which means for the most part the back part will stop spinning right there where as the front part will continue to spin becuase you are still in gear, this is where the DSL plays another role here and that is not letting the driveshaft spin out of the area of the DSL, which if wasn't there would most likely break your tailhousing off and spit trans fluid all over the track.
Thats true, but I'd be more concerned with ME and my car, I could care less about fluid on a track. If the DS breaks 2-3 seconds after launch or when hitting 3rd gear, in the right place you could flip the car. Thats why, really, 2 loops are needed if you want to satisfy the track rules and save your life. Track rules are flawed for not requiring 2 loops. Saving of the life is priority for me. I think I'm gonna go with 2 loops but if I go with just one it'll definitely be within 7 inches of the rear-end u-joint. 100% safe in all breakage situations. I do roll runs from 50-180, so I need the loop to keep my car from getting launched end-over-end if it breaks.

Hell, make another one for up rear, that one turned out real nice.

Last edited by LS6427; Jan 11, 2009 at 04:53 PM.
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Old Jan 11, 2009 | 04:44 PM
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Originally Posted by LS6427
Thats true, but I'd be more concerned with ME and my car, I could care less about fluid on a track. If the DS breaks 2-3 seconds after launch or when hitting 3rd gear, in the right place you could flip the car. Thats why, really, 2 loops are needed if you want to satisfy the track rules and save your life. Track rules are flawed for not requiring 2 loops. Saving of the life is priority for me. I think I'm gonna go with 2 loops but if I go with just one it'll definitely be within 7 inches of the rear-end u-joint. 100% safe in all breakage situations. I do roll runs from 50-180, so I need the loop to keep my car from getting launched end-over-end if it breaks.

Hell, make another one for up rear, that one turned out real nice.
I see your point and maybe in the future I will fab something up to attach to the rear section somewhere for a DSL.
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