I got a driveshaft loop for free so I'm thinking of putting it in my car. I know it holds the driveshaft up in case a joint breaks, but what end of the driveshaft should it be closest to? Is it necessary- vague question but I like opinions on this. Also, how do I fasten it to the chassis?

 

Is it one made for our cars or just a one fits all loop? If it's one for our cars, you should be able to find the spot it bolts up to no problem, the metal is bent in such a way it follows the shape of the floor. Should be about 5-6 inches away from the tail shaft of the transmission. If it's a universal loop, it probably wont fit due to the torque arm being in the way. I think you need one if your car is running 13.99 and quicker. Might post a picture of mine later on tonight.

 

well im not sure about this but it seems like it should be closer to the tranny considering if it breaks near the rear end it should just slide right out but if it breaks near the tranny without a loop where would it be going......thats right straight in to the ground with the rear end still attached (bad news). and i think that if you plan on going for big numbers in hp/trq its a great idea but then again i dont see why stock cars woudnt benefeit with a little extra insurance. as for mounting i really couldnt help you their.
----------
you must have been typing while i was pecking

 

A front loop is manditory at a specific ET or MPH. A rear loop isn't required. The front loop as mentioned above, keeps the driveshaft from dropping down into the ground if the u-joint fails. It's also protecting the driver by keeping the front of the driveshaft from coming through the floor. A failed rear u-joint can be just damaging but normally after it hits the floor or ground, the driveshaft just falls out the back of the tranny.

My daily driver is a 454SS truck. It runs the 1/4 mile in the high 80 mph range at only 15.0. Although a front loop isn't required, I still have one because I don't want to see what happens if the front u-joint fails at almost 90 mph.

Also as mentioned above, it's best to get a driveshaft loop specific to third gens. The generic loop will be very difficult to mount because of the shape of the floor and the torque arm getting in the way. The loop needs to be installed within 6" of the front u-joint.

To install the loop properly, you need to pull the front seats and carpet for access to the mounting bolts. Even if you don't want to pull the carpet and just run the bolts through the carpet, you'll still need to pull the front seats.

 

typing class way back in high school has really helped me out.

 

Thanks for all the input- very appreciated. C'mon though, its a driveshaft loop it can't be THAT hard to bend it to fit. Of course I say this before looking where others have been before so don't hold me to that statement! FWIW the loop came from a second gen, not that it does me much good.

 

Lakewood does make a loop specifically for the floor pan of our cars. It fit fine on mine, until I installed a 3" driveshaft, and a Mufflex "Y" pipe. Then it took about 2 hours of cardboard templates, and trail fitting, then finally welding, to modify the loop that is MADE for our cars. Biggest problem will be working around the TQ arm. But we will not hold you to that statement, though.... ... J/K.

 

Couple days late but here's what I'm running.

 

That be da one..

 

where do those middle bolts mount to? i can assume the outside most bolts on each side mount under the area of the seats; but it looks like at the top left of the loop part there are 2 bolts going up; is that under the center console? do we gotta pull that too ?

can someone do a brief installl run thru? is it bolt on ? or do i have to bend?

MOST IMPORTANTLY? do you HAVE to remove the driveshaft? or can the bottom of the loop be put on ? remove driveshaft?

 

Post from the dead

The loop comes in 3 parts and all those parts are bolted together, that's what those two at the top are for. They don't go through the floor, only the outer ones do. You don't have to take out the driveshaft when installing but it might make it nicer with the more room. You might have to tweak the parts so they bolt together. Mine weren't bent enough and the holes wouldn't line up right.

 

awesome, thanks for the reply; are the holes int eh floor of our car already drilled? for the outside bolts where it mounts up? are they part of where the seats mount to?

 

I was lucky when I installed my first loop. I had no interior. As mentioned above, the loop comes in pieces. The main parts are bolted through the floor and the lower part completes the loop around the driveshaft. The parts that bolt to the floor have 4 bolts each. The best way to install it is to remove both front seats and carpet to keep from drilling holes through the carpet and so the bolts are installed under the carpet. You don't need to pull the center console but need to pull the carpet up on both sides.

You can take another option and buy an aftermarket torque arm that has a driveshaft loop fabricated into the torque arm or tranny crossmember. It might seem more expensive but what's your time worth to pull seats and carpet to drill holes through the floor?

 

^^ true; thanks

im probably guna go with the lakewood one

the one from spohn hangs down LOW; and my car is 2" lower than stock, so tht would be a probem .

thanks for the help guys; ill prob do the lakewood one, pull interior parts out, drill it, rustproof holes, bolts, etc. prob in a month or so

 

sorry to bring this thread back from the dead. but can we just purchase a driveshaft loop made to fit our cars and just take it to a friend or a shop with a welder and have it welded so we can avoid taking out our interior?