Drive shaft rips through floor hitting driver in head!

[2quick]

Found this on you tube and thought I would share. Pretty crazy stuff...

 

[dvw]

That's our local track.
Doug

 

[biomedtechguy]

I have the Mancini bolt in driveshaft safety loop.

 

[biomedtechguy]

Wow! I just watched the video, and he had a safety loop!
Now he has FIVE driveshaft safety loops, and made the new transmission tunnel out of steel plate! His arm was tore up from the floor up! 8 surgeries and enough hardware to open a True Value!

 

[biomedtechguy]

Oh, and the 70 440 Charger he was racing in his 'marrO was winning and took the win!

 

[NOSTRT980]

wonder, what make was the driveshaft? how thick was the shaft metal.

 

[biomedtechguy]

wonder, what make was the driveshaft? how thick was the shaft metal.

 

[biomedtechguy]

I am about to replace my factory style driveshaft with an aftermarket replacement. 4.10 ring and pinion gearset and a .68 5th gear, currently 26" diameter rear tires means the driveshaft is spinning a lot faster than Chrysler could have forseen.
The 4 wheel drive shop that has done and is about to do a LOT of work on the Roadrunner and GTO recommended an aluminum driveshaft. My thoughts were chrome moly steel.
Both cars are manual transmission overdrives, both are mainly cruisers, but both are going to be beat on, HARD, at the drag strip. Both have performance mods to the engine, and I am going to be at 6XX-7XX HP and torque with my future stroker motor.
So, what driveshaft material can you recommend, and who is the best source for them?
Thanks

 

[Bill Monk]

The Lord was looking out for him, lucky to be alive after that!

 

[33 IMP]

Bio, i had a 3 1/2 (maybe it was 4" i would have to crawl under the car to make sure) aluminum shaft with yokes for a 1350 joint made for my car. Leaving at 5500 off a transbrake, with 14/32s, high nines, no worries. I had it made at a local shaft shop, i dont remember who exactly, and i was pleasantly surprised at the cost. I dont think the price i paid is available anywhere anymore. I think their decal is still on it, i would have to look.
If you feel more comfortable with a chrome moly shaft, by all means go that way . Probably stronger, probably cheaper, and the weight difference is inconsequential on a street car. Mine is under 2400 lbs with me in it. I was somewhat weight conscience.

 

[threewood]

Holy ****!

 

[33 IMP]

As for the driveshaft in that camaro, a loop is intended to keep the shaft off the strip if the front u-joint breaks. It oviously wont contain a shaft the gets twisted into pieces. If the drivetrain locks up, as stated in the video all kinds of busted parts will be going everywhere!
They stated that the trans locked up. I wonder if the transbrake engaged down track, or if maybe he got first instead of neutral trying to shut it off and get a plug reading? I'm surprised the trans didn't come through the floor too!

 

[slepr1]

So, what driveshaft material can you recommend, and who is the best source for them?

https://www.strangeengineering.net/product-category/driveline/strange-driveshafts/

https://www.summitracing.com/int/se...ortOrder=Ascending&keyword=strange driveshaft

 

[67dart/cuda]

I am running a QA1 carbon fiber in my Polara. It is a 440 4 speed 4.10 Dana

 

[biomedtechguy]

I am running a QA1 carbon fiber in my Polara. It is a 440 4 speed 4.10 Dana

Durability?
Thanks

 

[67dart/cuda]

Durability?
Thanks

It has been great so far. I am going Calverts and mono leafs this year as I was having issues with wheel hop even with the pinion snubber tight against the floor. I bent the pinion snubber where it was rubbing on the pinion yoke.

 

[Lefty71]

Who was just askin' if they should bother with a driveshaft loop?? Well, YEAH!!

 

[biomedtechguy]

Even...with the pinion snubber tight against the floor. I bent the pinion snubber where it was rubbing on the pinion yoke.

Me too! First run, I noticed a slight scraping sound after the run, and had lots of wheelspin.
2nd run, it was so bad I didn't stay in it, jacked the car up in the pits, and I had to remove the snubber so I could drive it back home. See pix:

I sent Mancini those same pix at their request and told them that was 1 full out run, and one launch and aborted 2nd run.
After that email, I heard NOTHING from Mancini. No "It's not our fault" or "Your springs are shot" or "We don't like to talk to people, we only sell stuff, and F off"...
Nothing!

 

[67dart/cuda]

Me too! First run, I noticed a slight scraping sound after the run, and had lots of wheelspin.
2nd run, it was so bad I didn't stay in it, jacked the car up in the pits, and I had to remove the snubber so I could drive it back home. See pix:
View attachment 895860 View attachment 895861 View attachment 895862 View attachment 895863
I sent Mancini those same pix at their request and told them that was 1 full out run, and one launch and aborted 2nd run.
After that email, I heard NOTHING from Mancini. No "It's not our fault" or "Your springs are shot" or "We don't like to talk to people, we only sell stuff, and F off"...
Nothing!

Yes mine was an old NOS Direct Connection one that I had. My car also had newer HD rear springs that were made for the previous owner (not cheap) and I put a bend in the main leafs

 

[33 IMP]

That's interesting. I had a homemade (not by me) adjustable snubber on my 62 (braced a LOT stronger than that mancini!) with the stock springs, using four homemade (this time by me!) spring clamps on the front of each spring. Video showed that even with the snubber against the floor, it wasn't doing anything. With the setup I had then , the body lifted so much, the shocks topped out ,causing spin. There was at least five inches of rear lift, probably could have thrown a chicken between the floor and the snubber.
New super stock springs solved the lift and the shock problem. Body lift is now two to three inches, depending on launch rpm.