[Johnny406]

Originally Posted by screamingchief

What sorta loop were you running?

I'm just curious because I've always had a theory about those "no drill" loops that use the trans mount as the mounting point.

Personally I've chosen to run front & rear loops to hopefully try and reduce any additional damage should the shaft/yokes/joints fail.

Sucks about the trans damage.

Bret P.

I was running one of those F-body performance front loops, the type that attach to the trans mount. In the past, I couldn't figure a way to use the lakewood universal loop I had for the rear. I was just looking in my Quarter-Max catalog at diffrent rear loops and even tunnels. Yeah, this sucks but it's part of the game. I'm just trying to learn from it and share my "luck" in hopes to help others not to have the same such luck.

[screamingchief]

Well,I''ll fill you in on my "theory" about those "no-drill" loops.

It long been my suspicion that those no-drill loops tend to do exactly what happened to you when there is a shaft failure,my feeling is the just translate all those forces from the shaft failure,right into the trans case itself,and thus they often end up breaking the trans case/tailshaft housings when there is a failure.

That's why I prefer the loops that mount either to the body,or to the frame itself,and not to anything directly tied to the trans itself (like the trans crossmember).

I plan on using the Metco front loop for the front of my '72 bird,I got one of their loops for the front of the '70 Lemans/GTO race car,and I gotta say I really like that piece.

Not really sure if I'll run a rear loop on the firebird,as it's mostly intended as a street car...

For the rear loop on the race car,I reworked one of those universal Lakewood loops that was on the front of the race car when I bought it as a roller.

Anyhow,Those are just some thoughts that passed thru my mind when I read that post of yours Johnny,I had a feeling it was a loop like that,thought I might share my thoughts to give you something to mull over when you ponder this whole event.

Bret P.