Short Version

1. Safely lift the front of the car

2. Remove the Drive shaft

3. Remove the two inner crossmember bolts

4. Place the crossmember plate in position and install the crossmember bolts

5. Place the “Z” support in position

6. Mount the loop to the “Z” support

7. Install the drive shaft

Long Version

Thank you for purchasing the finest Bolt-in Drive shaft loop available. Magnum HP takes great pride in selling the best tools and products possible. If you have any questions about one of our products or a suggestion for how we can make something better, please do not hesitate to call. You can also call just to say Hi, or tell us how the installation went. We’re car folks too!

Safely lift the front of the car

If you have access to a lift, installing the bolt-in Drive shaft loop can be easily done with your car on a lift, either a frame lift or a four post drive on style. If you do not have access to a lift, it is best to raise the front end of the car in the air to provide adequate access to the transmission crossmember area. Please use jack stands and wheel chocks (for the rear tires) and be safe.

Take a moment to look at the area around the transmission crossmember, the front U-joint, driveshaft and exhaust system. Visualize how you will install the components of the driveshaft loop and look for any potential tight spots. Can you get all the parts in without dropping the exhaust system? Also consider any routine maintenance that might be best performed now. Do you need to change the front U-joint? This is the perfect time!

Remove the Drive shaft

Before you actually take the drive shaft out of the car, have something to put into the tail shaft of the transmission. When you remove the slip joint from the tail shaft extension housing it will leak fluid. Not might or maybe, it will leak! This is by design to lubricate the slip yoke, so have a drain pan handy

Remove the drive shaft by disconnecting the rear U-joint at the rear yoke. Depending on the type of U-joint you have, it will have bolts or straps. Remove the bolts or straps and place them someplace you won’t lose (like in a zip lock bag). Push the drive shaft forward a little so the rear U-joint will clear the yoke and then pull the drive shaft out of the transmission. Transmission fluid will begin to run out of the transmission when you do this, so be sure to have a pan handy.

Note: You may not have to remove the driveshaft, some folks have had success just sliding the loop over the back of the driveshaft and sliding it forward – it will depend on your exact installation – but it is nice not to spill any transmission fluid!

Remove the two inner crossmember bolts

Locate the transmission crossmember. It is held in with 4 bolts. We are going to remove only the innermost two bolts. Never remove all 4 bolts without properly supporting the crossmember or it will fall out, allowing the egine and transmission to drop down some. Remove the two inner bolts.

Place the crossmember plate in position and re-install the crossmember bolts

Place the crossmember plate against the crossmember so the holes in the plate line up with the boltholes in the crossmember. We supply two (2) new Grade 8 - ½” or 3/8” diameter long flange bolts and lock nuts for mounting the crossmember plate to the crossmember. If the original bolts are long enough, you can re-use them if you prefer. Install the bolts and nuts and tighten to the factory torque specification.

Place the “Z” support in position

The long (17”) “Z” support bracket is the next part to be installed. It can be positioned on top of the tab on the crossmember plate or below it. This provides a wide range of adjustment to clear the various exhaust configurations and also clear the U-joint. Install the bracket using the supplied ½” x 1.25” bolts and locknuts finger tight until all the adjustments have been made, then go back and securely tighten all the locknuts.

Mount the loop to the “Z” support

The loop has a 2” wide tab welded to it with 2 ½” holes. The loop is installed on top of the “Z” support bracket using the supplied ½” x 1.25” grade 8 bolts and lock nuts. The loop can be installed in a variety of positions by varying holes used on the “Z” support bracket. This offers a wide range of adjustability, front to back.

The installed height of the loop can be adjusted using the extra ¼” thick spacer tab supplied with your drive shaft loop as a spacer between the loop tab and the “Z” support bracket. This will help raise the loop into the tunnel and away from any close exhaust pipes (sometimes necessary on “H” pipe cars).

Once you have adjusted the loop to fit the exact configuration of your car (exhaust and drive shaft) go back and securely tighten the 4 locknuts on the drive shaft loop – 2 for the “Z” bracket to crossmember plate and 2 for the loop to “Z” bracket mount.

Install the driveshaft

Be sure all the bolts (all 6) are securely tightened and then re-install the drive shaft. Remove the plug in the tail shaft housing and install the slip yoke into the transmission. The re-install the straps or caps (depending on your exact rear U-joint configuration) and torque the bolts to the factory specification.

Check the drive shaft for any interference with the drive shaft loop or the mounting bolts. Take a careful look at the U-joint area as this is an area with very close clearances. Does the “Z” support bracket clear the U-joint? Remember that the U-joint spins and can move as the engine/transmission moves (rubber mounts after all!). Be sure there is enough clearance around the driveshaft loop to avoid any contact by the driveshaft.