Tailshaft Loops

[Jono]

Hi,

 

I'm just wondering how many people (if any) have put a tailshaft loop in their car? I'm getting hassled a bit to get one and while I can understand their importance in a high powered drag car, I'm wondering how necessary they are on simple engine conversions?

 

Jon

[Dan]

It all depends on what you plan to use your car for mate.

 

The last thing you want is a tailshaft to let go at 100kays an hour. I know of a fair few cars that have been written off because of it, a mates falcon let one go last week and its messed up the underside of his car very bad. Lucky it didn't do any more damage than it did.

Its also very dangerous when they let go, you can lose control of your car very easily when they hit the ground..

 

For the limited amount of time that it takes to put one (or two) in, it is definately worth it. It doesn't cost much to do either.. just some chain and a couple of good, high tensile bolts and she'll be right :y:

[Jono]

yeah, i give it a good thrashing so it might be worth it. i think the front chassis rails go back past where the front uni-joint is so i guess i could bolt something to that.

[Dan]

The ones in the speedway car have been bolted straight to the floorpan.. on both the KE20 ex-racer I had and the KE55 coupe

[Jono]

were they chains? i'm guessing you could here a jingle-jangle when you go over bumps?

[Dan]

You probably could, but its a speedway car, so its only supposed to be driven on the track, anyway, if you could hear it over the exhaust then the cars either off or upside down :y:

 

The bolts did have nuts on the other side, and washers on either side of the floorpan... just read my last post and thought shit, people probably think I'm some kind of maniac

Edited December 27, 2006 by Dan

[MRMOPARMAN]

i use the same system as dan. i got 2 hi tensile bolts, and bolted the largest gauge chain i could find to either side of the tailshaft tunnel.i used 2 large washers to brace the floor, which you will have to do.

 

to stop the jingle jangle, i usually wrap mine tight before bolting up, then wrap in cloth tape, then again in PVC pipe.. the PVC is a bit of overkill though. on my race car i also used it for an exhaust brace, bolting up to a nearby flange. very handy!

 

thats how some rally guys do it, gets through scruteneering no worries, as did my race car at winton.