Competition front drive shaft loop

[smittybuilt]

who has pics or can tell me what i need to do to make my front drive shaft loop for my truck. i'm trying to get ready to race next month. final step in the process. any help would be appreciated.

 

[DHRA]

I wish I had a diagram.

Looking at the Differential cover, take a bolt on the upper left side, and one on the upper right side out. Make an "L" bracket that is drilled out for those bolts. Have the L facing rearward, extending to the drive shaft. Build a compete 360 degree loop around the shaft and weld the straps to the loop. The material must be a minimum of 2" wide and 1/4" thick. I prefer to see a metal, like aluminum or steel. The loop itself must be within 6" of the front u-joint.

 

[ob1kobi]

Jsmith1,



How did you do the driveshaft loop for the rear?



Thanks,

Ted

 

[jtisdale]

Yeah, Lets see some PIX...

The pulling season is almost here, and I need some loops!

 

[smittybuilt]

i haven't made a loop for the rear. i don't believe i have to have one for racing. do i eric? correct me if i'm wrong i took it as i only had to have one for the front. :-{}

 

[DHRA]

Every drive shaft. That means if you are racing 4x4 the front drive shaft needs one, the rear drive shaft needs one and if you have two rear drive shafts connected with a carrier bearing, that second shaft needs one also. All within 6" of the forward u-joint.

 

[csutton7]

driveshaft loops aren't the most fun thing to do--I've been working on them for too long--front one is done--it was fairly easy as I have CONFER axle truss---I welded a bracket to the bottom to hold a 1 1/4" pipe--on the the crossmember I took a pc of plate drilled two holes in it where the two existing bolts are in the skid plate and welded another bracket to the plate to hold a 1" pipe and bolted it to the bottom of the skid plate---the 1" pipe fits inside of the 1 1/4" pipe to provide a slip joint(make sure you cut the 1 1/4 pipe short enuff to move(compress) and the 1" pipe long enuff(18") so it won't fall out or compromise stability) onto the 1 1/4" pipe I welded my 6" long can for the ujoint and another loop ----you could weld a bracket to the bottom of the pumpkin also or do what DSP said with the bolts and bracket---





the rear--yikes--I was almost finished when I've now decided I don't like it---but I may stick with it since it's so close---it's too big to really duplicate though, so if I do change I'm going to weld a bracket to hold a 1 1/4" pipe on top of the pumpkin, weld another to hold a 1" pipe onto the carrier bearing bracket and then weld loops onto the 1 1/ 4" pipe----I would then weld a bracket to hold a 1 1/4" pipe on the transmission side of the carrier bearing bracket and maybe fab some bracket off of the crossmember or add another crossmember to hold a bracket to hold a 1" pipe and then weld the loops to the 1 1/4" pipe---remember to allow for compression and extension as the axle moves ----the 1" pipe would fit inside and be maybe 12" shorter than the 1 1/4" pipe to provide the slip joint and stability-- all hoops would be two pc for ease of removal----have fun--- chris

 

[MCummings]

No Pictures?



I'd like some pics too.



Merrick Cummings Jr

 

[smittybuilt]

i finally got mine built and will try and post some pics this weekend. Oo.

 

[csutton7]

here's the only pics of mine so far--chris

http://www.diesel-central.com/photogallery/view_ad.asp?Ad_ID=90

http://www.diesel-central.com/photogallery/view_ad.asp?Ad_ID=90

 

[MCummings]

oooooo Man,, These are the coolest looking things EVER!. I spent 4 hours last night looking for that pic.



Front loops. .



Did you custom make these yourself? or is it a Kit from somewhere?



#ad




Rear Loops...

Same question. Kit or Custom?

If it's Custom do you have "plans" for making it?

Whose Ladder ars are you running?



#ad




This is the coolest paint job. I've been in love with this paint since I first saw it. .



#ad




Thanks,



Merrick Cummings Jr



EDIT: csutton7, Are you going to Muncie?

 

[csutton7]

I made the loops myself---those ladder bars are L&L--they've been cut up ***** canned cuz they weren't doing the job with my current HP--I doubt Muncie will see my shining face--I'd love to go, but work is not overbundant at the moment, so it's hard to play if there's no money coming in---somewhere I wrote about the bars and how I fabbed them--I'll try and find it---chris

 

[csutton7]

here's the thread where I 'splain what I did on the loops--chris



http://www.diesel-central.com/forums/thread.asp?ForumID=33&TopicID=845

 

[HoleshotHolset]

I'm diggin' the 'garden hose' sized AN braided lines/fittings coming out of the stock tank's sump... ...



Sweet loops - now I have something to look at when I fab them up.



So - we need to loop just the front joint on the rear shaft and the front joint on the front shaft?



Matt

 

[csutton7]

depends what you're looping for--drag racing or sled pulling--I don't remember the exact details for the racing end, but a quick review of the rules will set you straight--for sled pulling the worse is Missouri, I believe, with 3 loops on every shaft(9 total) and 6" long cans around every u-joint--no more than 2" away ---my setup has 7 I think, maybe eight, I don't remember if I did 3 right after the t-case or not, but I know I only did two at the front shaft as it was too much of a pain in the arse to do the last can---chris

 

[HoleshotHolset]

Wow! Looks like I'll need a lot of stock before I start fabbing up a set for pullin'.....



Time to look at some rules.....



It may be overkill, but there's no reason a fan in the stands should take a shot in the head from excessive post carnage drivetrain failure movement.



Matt