Driveshaft hoop pics?

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Cope

Cope

Fusing with fire
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I'm starting building new frame connectors and a drive shaft hoop. I'd like to see pics of how you folks did yours.

My old frame connectors were less than stellar, I welded them outside in the wind with the car on jackstans. So the welds weren't the best. My new set is 1 3/4 .120 wall tube. It looks super clean. I'm not super worried about even having them as the car is fully caged and very stiff but they do make a great spot for the driveshaft hoop.

I'm thinking about forming the hoop out of 1/8x1" plate in a big oval. I was not gonna make it removable. Was planning on just dropping the shaft from the rear and sliding it out of the hoop?
 
Well looks like the rules say 2x1/8. For the hoop.

No one has pics of there hoop?
 
Cope said:
Well looks like the rules say 2x1/8. For the hoop.

No one has pics of there hoop?
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You know I'd run and grab you a picture no sweat at all but it's just that cheap one for 20 bucks I think you get from Summit that you bolt together and bolt to the floorboard nothing spectacular here.
 
sum-g7900.jpg
 
NHRA rule is 1/4 thick 2”wide no further than 6” from the front u-joint ,would suck to spend a bunch of time to fab something up and not pass tech.
 
Mine is a modified us car tools bolt in so no help. Just remember to clearance for full exhaust.
 
Biff said:
NHRA rule is 1/4 thick 2”wide no further than 6” from the front u-joint ,would suck to spend a bunch of time to fab something up and not pass tech.
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I BUILT AND BENT MY OWN, MUCH LIKE THE ONE IN THE PICS. 6'' FROM THE REAR U JOINT, WELDED TO THE SUBFRAME CONNECTORS, , THE BACK BUCKET SEAT BOLTS GO THRU IT ALSO...
 
Mine is the kit pictured above. Had to shorten the hoops to fit. One bolt is actually the bucket seat holddown, plus a couple of extras.

IMG_2089.JPG
 
famous bob said:
I BUILT AND BENT MY OWN, MUCH LIKE THE ONE IN THE PICS. 6'' FROM THE REAR U JOINT, WELDED TO THE SUBFRAME CONNECTORS, , THE BACK BUCKET SEAT BOLTS GO THRU IT ALSO...
Click to expand...
No need to yell I’m not deaf.
 
Biff said:
6” from the front u joint
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lol, not yelling , keyboard adds stuff ,including caps, u wouldn`t believe what I have to delete or change WHEN PROOF READING.

yeah my bad, 6" from the rear of the trans !
 
20181030_160808_zpsnohascn7.jpg


Here's the start.

I got another 180 degree bend, I'm gonna cut them down, bevel the ends and make an oval hoop.
 
famous bob said:
lol, not yelling , keyboard adds stuff ,including caps, u wouldn`t believe what I have to delete or change WHEN PROOF READING.

yeah my bad, 6" from the rear of the trans !
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LOL.:poke:
 
Talk about getting lucky, the bender die for 1 1/4 tube is just about the perfect radius for the trans tunnel!
 
Cope said:
Talk about getting lucky, the bender die for 1 1/4 tube is just about the perfect radius for the trans tunnel!
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a little too ritzy for me , I used 1/4" x 2" flat metal, lol .
 
The drive shaft hoop drama continues..

Got the hoop welded up and tacked in place.

20181102_124143_zpsskf6xuy4.jpg


20181102_134611_zpstmraau2n.jpg


As you may be able to see the tail shaft is not centered in the hoop... so gotta fix that.
Then I go to slide the drive shaft in and dam it it wont yo in. Gotta raise the hoop up about an inch or so. Only problem is the hoop is already tight to the top of the tunnel...

We Fu#k it let's cut out the tunnel, and make the hoop part of the floor.
I scribe the hoop to the floor and son of a biscuit the nut certs for my shifter are in the way, not only that but those nut certs aren't in the floor they are in a section of plate that is welded to the tunnel for my shifter.

Super glad I just painted the inside of the car... out comes the death wheel and cut out my fleshy painted shifter mount plate...

Cut hole in tunnel and beat hoop up through the tunnel... now I gotta remake the fish mouth on the left side outrigger and make a full new outrigger for the right side..

20181102_134616_zpsyx2nidrm.jpg


You'd think by now I would just expect everything to fight me, all the way, every time but for some reason I'm always like, " shut, didn't see that coming".....
 
Easy and simple aren't realy my get down..

I'm more about stupid amounts of work and reengineering the wheel...

:):lol::rofl::BangHead:
 
I had a drive shaft come through the floor. It was a front shaft on a 4x4. My buddy in the passenger seat got real lucky to sittl have both feet and the transmission ended up with a hole in it you could stuff a football through. That was at @ 50MPH.

I just saw another one let go at 60 MPH on a 1,000 HP LS. That one broke the 6 speed in half and did serious damage to a very nice chevy...

Think about that sucker letting go at 150 MPH with a direct connection to the rear wheels...

so yeah, I'm over building this.
 
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Seems a carbon fiber driveshaft is what you need. When they break they don't thrash your tunnel. Or bust up your trans. Or pole vault your car.(main reason for the hoop.) They simply disintegrate into splinters. Plus you save weight. Rotating weight. And save weight cause you wouldn't need a hoop. Questionable. No,I don't have one. (Do have a coupler in one car.) Got this off a manufacture website.
 
Carbon fiber drive shaft, not in my budget for now.

Drive shaft hoop made from stuff out of the steel bin, free and I got to spen more time with our bender.

Wants a carbon shaft cost? If its 4-500 then it may be in my budget, if its 1,000 then no for now.
 
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