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I was wondering if any of you guys had a uni joint fail on your drive shaft whilst driving?
I've had two classic vehicles over the years and never had this happen.
After seeing people discuss safety loops, I started to wonder if it's something I should consider? What do you guys think?
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I've experienced exactly one u-joint failure in my lifetime. My buddy's '95 Lighting kept making this noise on take off and I told him likely it was a bad u-joint. Of course I didn't know what I was talking about, until a month or two later he tried to pull out onto the highway and the rear u-joint let go. Trashed the aluminum driveshaft too.
I think if you inspect the u-joints regularly the odds of one failing is pretty slim. Safety loops are for racing, where cars running fast with 5,000 RPM clutch dump launches or coming off the line on a trans brake shock load the drivetrain to a degree never seen on the street. I have seen u-joints fail at the strip and its is not pretty (catapults the car if its the front, etc.). IIRC NHRA mandates a loop for cars running 13.99 or quicker, must be within 6" of the front u-joint, and must be a minimum of 1/4" thick x 2" wide or 7/8" x 0.065" wall tubing. Mounting criteria is not specific. I've run faster than that at the strip without one and never broken one, and the tech inspectors are pretty lax at my local track.
Last edited by TKOPerformance (4/06/2024 6:01 AM)
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I’ve never broken one in a mustang but I’ve never had enough traction in a mustang to break anything. My current build will be sporting a 315 tire out back and has 500 plus HP. I’ll be installing a safety loop just so I can occasionally run it down the track once or twice a year.
Now in all my younger days and 4x4 trucks, I’ve dropped a few drive shafts and more. Lol
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I have one in my Lightning, but it's only because I was going to run it at the track with sticky tires every so often. On the street with street tires I really do not think it's necessary.
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Fair enough... It sounds like they aren't needed if you aren't on a track.
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I wonder if the plate used for the convertible floor pans can be used as a safety loop? I already added a heavy piece of bar stock to the front of it.
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RTM wrote:
I wonder if the plate used for the convertible floor pans can be used as a safety loop? I already added a heavy piece of bar stock to the front of it.
If it meets the criteria I posted earlier I would think so, but that is the criteria tech inspectors go by, so its got to meet it to qualify as a DS loop at the track.
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Although I also believe a driveshaft loop is likely unnecessary for a street car, if one installs one make sure that it is a 'loop' around the driveshaft. You don't want that driveshaft coming up through the floor board.
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Maybe one day I’ll find out if I ever finish this build and make it to the track. Lol
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