Driveshaft safety loop install

[John Ibele]

I'd like to get some more eyes on my Metco safety loop install, just to make sure I only have some tweaking ahead of me tonight, and that I'm not just totally off somewhere in my setup.

Background: Dart block, T5, pre-2015 IRS, already shimmed for proper driveshaft angle. I had to put a set of washers under the IRS aluminum mounting spacers to get all the angles to work right, but I have less than 1/2" of shims under the trans mount. So maybe the driveshaft is on the high side of average in terms of height above the frame, but I don't think anything's out of the ordinary there.

My problem is that the top side of the safety loop interferes with the top of the driveshaft. It's not much interference but it's there, and any interference is obviously a no-go. Part of the problem is height of the shaft w.r.t. the loop; the other part is that the loop is forward of the middle of the shaft, so it's not aligned with the narrowest part of the shaft:

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52000779072_25d5dd0618_b.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/2ne8zWq)
Untitled (https://flic.kr/p/2ne8zWq) by John Ibele (https://www.flickr.com/photos/familycobra/), on Flickr

The support bracket is about 5/8" forward of the middle of the 4" cross member when I slide it back as far as I can go:

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52001857178_6d57d9c340_b.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/2nee7qs)
Untitled (https://flic.kr/p/2nee7qs) by John Ibele (https://www.flickr.com/photos/familycobra/), on Flickr

The transmission "A" mount is mounted above the frame, with the bolt heads on top. The manual says this can be mounted below the frame "if more clearance is needed", but that would simply lower the height of the Metco unit at the same time, so I'm not sure that helps much.

I can buy myself at most 1/2" by flipping the mounting bolts for the transmission mount around so the heads are on the bottom, which I plan to do tonight. The benefit will actually be less than that, though - you can see in the previous photo that the front set of fasteners, the ones that go through the shims and into the Energy Suspension part, are already close to the front end of the slot.

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52002325645_14e5f4393a_b.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/2negvFt)
Untitled (https://flic.kr/p/2negvFt) by John Ibele (https://www.flickr.com/photos/familycobra/), on Flickr

So my current plan is to flip those bolts around tonight and see if that buys me enough clearance (... and I'm not sure how much is enough ... 1/8"? ...). I can add shims between the Metco support bracket and the loop itself, but that just gets the loop even more into the e-brake cables which it's touching already, as you can see in the top photo.

That's the plan, but let me know if you see anything missing or just totally off somewhere.

[JohnK]

It's not uncommon to have to add some spacers to get enough clearance for the safety loop. Here's my setup. I just used some hardened washers

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=152416&d=1629478844

[John Ibele]

Thanks, John.

See all those words I wrote there? That was mostly to put off admitting I was going to just get further into the e-brake cables. That e-brake design is just the gift that keeps on giving :)

[Papa]

Mine fit without modification with the 3-link rear.

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=94617&d=1538592041

[JohnK]

LOL - sorry, can't help you with the e-brake. I ditched it entirely, based on all the "glowing reviews" of it.

[egchewy79]

John, I had the same issue. I used some SS spacers, maybe 1/2" length, to get clearance I needed. I ended up running my ebrake cables insidethe safety loop. I figure if the safety loop is needed and is effective, I'll have bigger issues to worry about than my ebrake cables. There's plenty of clearance between my driveshaft and the cables too.

[John Ibele]

Mine fit without modification with the 3-link rear.


Thanks, Dave. Looking at dimensions it looks as though the TKO bell housing to cross member is something like 15 1/4", whereas the T5 is only 14 1/4". That would explain why your bolts are further back in the slots of the mounting bracket. You also have your bolts holding the "A" frame piece point up, which I'll plan to do ... and see if that's enough to get me where I want to be.

[boat737]

I'm running the Metro safety hoop, with a TKO and 3 link (Mosier M9-Ford 9 inch).

I made a couple of spacers out of 1/2 inch (or maybe it was 3/8 inch, I can't quite remember) aluminum stock. I also did just a very slight bend in the long horizontal piece, to help with the adjustment as well.

It's still close at or near full rear-end suspension compression. It looks as if it's even touched the drive shaft a couple times, but over all it's fine. There is enough "give" in the hoop mount, that if it does momentarily touch, there is little or no abrasion or resistance.

Moving the hoop up higher, presented a new problem with a slight interference with the parking brake cables. To minimize that issue, I put a slight chamfer on the edge of the hoop where the cables barely touch. (Can't see that in the photos.). Actually, they just just miss touching the edge of the hoop.

[John Ibele]

I'm running the Metro safety hoop, with a TKO and 3 link (Mosier M9-Ford 9 inch).

I made a couple of spacers out of 1/2 inch (or maybe it was 3/8 inch, I can't quite remember) aluminum stock. I also did just a very slight bend in the long horizontal piece, to help with the adjustment as well.

It's still close at or near full rear-end suspension compression. It looks as if it's even touched the drive shaft a couple times, but over all it's fine. There is enough "give" in the hoop mount, that if it does momentarily touch, there is little or no abrasion or resistance.

Moving the hoop up higher, presented a new problem with a slight interference with the parking brake cables. To minimize that issue, I put a slight chamfer on the edge of the hoop where the cables barely touch. (Can't see that in the photos.). Actually, they just just miss touching the edge of the hoop.

Hey good images and suggestions, thanks boat. I hadn't thought of the slight bend which would help with the top of the hoop placement and the cable interference a bit as well. Now I think I've got a way to massage things here and there so it all works.

[GTBradley]

You can do a simpler one that doesn’t attach to the transmission support. I bought a generic one and it worked really well. When I say simple, I mean the device; however, it was a lot of labor.

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=119268&d=1576899960

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=119270&d=1576899986

[phileas_fogg]

I have nearly the same setup, with my T-bird IRS differential raised about 1/4" under the aluminum bushings to get the pinion angle where I wanted it. I made a 1/2" spacer for the safety loop, which - as you've found - exacerbated the interference with the parking brake cables. My solution was to fabricate an aluminum bracket to change the angle of the cables. Of course, I found out about the interference after all the aluminum panels were installed, so I wasn't able to make the bracket pretty. But unless you're under the car & looking for it, you'll never know & I'll never tell. ;)


John

https://live.staticflickr.com/4300/36123030332_918448733b_b.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/X34YpN)IMG_3369 (https://flic.kr/p/X34YpN) by jhsitton (https://www.flickr.com/photos/91016165@N07/), on Flickr

https://live.staticflickr.com/4303/35455966264_a3f6025762_b.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/W286vb)IMG_3550 (https://flic.kr/p/W286vb) by jhsitton (https://www.flickr.com/photos/91016165@N07/), on Flickr

[John Ibele]

You can do a simpler one that doesn’t attach to the transmission support. I bought a generic one and it worked really well. When I say simple, I mean the device; however, it was a lot of labor.

Thanks GT, another good option … I’m taking a break from the ‘lot of labor’ path this time :)


I have nearly the same setup, with my T-bird IRS differential raised about 1/4" under the aluminum bushings to get the pinion angle where I wanted it. I made a 1/2" spacer for the safety loop, which - as you've found - exacerbated the interference with the parking brake cables. My solution was to fabricate an aluminum bracket to change the angle of the cables. Of course, I found out about the interference after all the aluminum panels were installed, so I wasn't able to make the bracket pretty. But unless you're under the car & looking for it, you'll never know & I'll never tell.

Hey, good idea John. I’ll take a look at that if I need it.