GeneL

.
Hi Guys,

Hope someone out there can help me.

First, please refer to my threads that I've posted in the Suspension and Chassis Forum and the Tech/General Engine Forum.

https://www.thirdgen.org/forums/tech...rt-called.html

https://www.thirdgen.org/forums/susp...rt-called.html

What I need is the Torque Arm Bracket for an '83 Camaro Sport Coupe, LG4, 5-liter V8, 305cid.

This illustration will explain its location on the car:



Any help appreciated!

Gene

John in RI

iTrader: (167)

The important things are that your car is an 83 with a T5.

( that pic you got from Google doesn't look right to me. )


T5 and Auto torque arm mounts are different.

T5 Torque Arm Mounts from early cars have bushings that point one way,..... and later T5 TA mounts have bushing that face the other way. The T5 mount itself was actually the same - but the BUSHINGS must match the "fingers" at the mount end of the Torque Arm. ( early cars had a solid TA and later cars had TA with 3 "holes" in it. )


I'll see if I have one tomorrow.

GeneL

Thanks for that quick reply John.

That illustration is one that I obtained from an eBay ad while researching there for a bracket just as a general guideline and clarification as to the location of the part I'm looking.

This following illustration is from the Chevy Camaro 82-1992 Repair Guide (Pg 838) (link follows) and might better define what I need:



1982-1992 Camaro Repair Guide
http://www.mediafire.com/download/cu..._1982-1992.rar

You're right, need to be sure I'm getting the correct part for my particular model and year because of differences between them.

I'm trying to arrange with one of the shops that has worked on my car in the past to put it up on a hoist and take a couple of pics of the bracket on my car.

Looking forward to what you might have available.

Thanks again!

Gene

GeneL

John,

For future reference, any chance you might have one of these Bell Crank (Z-bar/Clutch Lever)'s laying around that's compatible with my car? Over the years I've gone through a couple/three of them and expect the one in the car now can go at anytime since it's about eight years old and probably on borrowed time.

NOT my Z-bar...pic is for illustration only.




Here's the actual Z-bar in my car right now...notice where welding was added to reinforce the joints, which is probably why it's lasted this long.



Going back through old invoices where the last one was installed, I come across a reference to GM PN 14036151 which I do believe is the PN for the one in there now.

Update:
looking through old repair invoices (for one, a Chevy Dealer in June of 1995 who installed the first replacement) and that PN is indeed for the one that goes in my car.

Thank you!

Gene

GeneL

Tomorrow (Thurs) at 1 p.m. Oregon time (PDST) I have an appointment to hoist the car and examine the condition and integrity of the torque arm bracket and determine the next step.

Pics will be taken of the bracket in question as it sits on the car right now that I should be able to post here tomorrow night.

I know I at least need new bushings.

In the meantime, I will be returning the wrong part (the Anchor Transmission mount pictured in those threads I linked to) I bought at O'Reilly's last week and would like to see if they can get me the "correct" bushings for the torque arm bracket, but I need as much information as I can get to help them help me.

Can you give me the exact description, PN, or anything that will help me on the road to ordering the correct bushings?

As John in RI mentioned above:
"T5 Torque Arm Mounts from early cars have bushings that point one way,..... and later T5 TA mounts have bushing that face the other way."

How do I know I'm getting the correct bushings?

If you know any other sources for these bushings, please let me know, but at least if I have the correct nomenclature I can investigate also.

Thanks!

Gene

WIll36

iTrader: (12)

It's been a long time since I had a car with the factory T arm mount in it, but energy suspension used to sell both bushings. They had a picture for each in their online catalogue I believe. You would look at the front of the T arm and see if the inside of the stamped end that forms a C has the inside or the outside towards the drive shaft. As far as I know the brackets are the same, but I could be wrong.

GeneL

Thank you for your reply.

I'm trying to gather as much info as I can so I can be prepared for whatever is needed to repair this thing since most shops, like the ones I deal with, aren't too familiar with 31-year-old cars like a Third Gen Camaro and I'm hoping to save research time by preparing for the eventuality of what parts I might need. If I can come up with the right part(s), they will install them at no charge.

Checked with Energy Suspension and came up with this:

Energy Suspension Parts: Chevrolet Camaro, 1983


I have no idea what the bushings are supposed to look like and whether or not these are correct, but it's what Energy Suspension Search offered me at first search.

Gene

btw...the car is driveable, I'm just a bit paranoid and feel as if this torque arm bracket is ready to come apart at anytime, so I'm keeping the driving to a minimum until this thing is resolved.

John in RI

iTrader: (167)

Sorry for the slow update,......


Look at this pic: This is the only T5 Torque Arm mount I've ever seen. Note: the top of the mount is rounded when compared to the automatic version.




Look at this pic.



On the bottom left is a 82-84 'solid' Torque Arm, On the bottom right is a 85(86?)-92 'Holes' Torque Arm. You can see how the fingers at the front end of the TA are pointed to the pass side on the early TA and to the drivers side on the later version. The Torque Arm Mount bracket is the basically the same ( "early" outer clamshell has a notch at the top, The top of the later version is 'squared' ) but the rubber BUSHING faces in the opposite direction. The factory bushings are held in by rivets that must be drilled out when a replacement bushing is installed.

Re-post an update once you get a good look under the car and are sure about what you've got - or what you need - under there !


P.S. Something I NEVER noticed before JUST NOW while looking at the pic; the TA mount on the far left appears to be missing a spacer on the stud. I'll have to check into that to see if it's missing - or maybe a different design,......

WIll36

iTrader: (12)

Your best bet may be to purchase a used torque arm bracket and drill the rivets out yourself and supply them that and the correct bushing. As illustrated in John's post the bracket never changes it's just a different bushing insert. I have a spare bracket I can part with if you decide that is how you want to go. Also you may want to look into sourcing a later T5 hydraulic clutch setup. You can keep your trans, but would need a different bell housing and the other required components. That way the next time the clutch needs replacement you can upgrade to the later setup and eliminate that Z bar linkage in the clutch that you have had fail a few times.

John in RI

iTrader: (167)

Can't find the stock OEM style rubber bushings,... but the aftermarket still has plenty of Poly bushings left !




Prothane: 7-1611
Energy Suspension: 3.1112R





Prothane: 7-1609
Energy Suspension: 3.1111R

GeneL

.

Many thanks to John in RI and Wlll36 for your valuable contributions to this thread (and anyone else who cares to chime in).

I would have posted sooner but just received the pics of the Torque Arm Bracket taken last Thursday.

After a visual evaluation and thorough inspection by the Clutch shop manager last Thursday (who also took the pics), it seems the bracket itself is in good shape and was tight and doing what it's supposed to do.

However, as I mentioned previously, the 31 year old bushings that pretty much fell out in pieces at the first catastrophic event that I detailed in the links I posted in the first post of this thread, are all but gone and to ensure proper installation and future reliability of the bracket, I want to replace them.

Using John's posted image above of Energy Suspension's Poly Bushings, I'm hoping my images below of the present state of the Torque Arm Bracket will show "exactly" what I need to order...

so therein lies my quest:








As John stated above:

So, where do I go from here?

Also, regarding the "bolt" used to replace the one that fell out is, of course, not the prescribed one for this bracket (though it appears to be holding up ok) and any information on the spec for this bolt and where to get one (or perhaps you even have one) would also be appreciated....

Gene

Enlarged version as viewed from rear facing engine:

John in RI

iTrader: (167)

No Problem !

If you go with a Poly bushing the Energy Suspension: 3.1112R is the correct style for your Torque Arm.

If your thinking about rubber your probably limited to a used part - I couldn't find a new rubber bushing anywhere the last time I checked into it.

GeneL

<<<@!1!@>>>
Thanks for that John.

A quick, curious, search on eBay for that particular part and PN (3.1112R) found this ("This part is not compatible...") after inputting my Camaro's compatibility specs:



Here's the entire eBay page:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Energy-Suspension-3-1112G-Performance-Torque-Arm-Mount-Bushing-Camaro-Firebird-/161079452751?pt=Motors_Car_Truck_Parts_Accessories&hash=item258115644f&vxp=mtr
Should I be concerned about this disclaimer or just ignore it and order the part per your recommendation?

Just want to be sure I get the right part that will fit and be compatible when I present it to the guy who will install it so it gets installed correctly and we can all move on.

Gene

John in RI

iTrader: (167)

I don't tend to have much faith in the "compatability" section of E-Bay auctions. They tend to list only the interchange info that the seller is SURE about. In other words; I'm more likey to believe it will fit if it's listed,.... rather than disregard if not listed.

Looking at the picture they provided I would say it's a fit. The bushing has a notch in the outside top edge (like your early style outer bracket) and has the "fingers" pointed to the pass side/drive-shaft (like your early solid Torque arm.)

I'm guessing the "R" and "G" designations in the part number are due to the color of the bushing. I'd expect the black one to be POLY and not rubber.

GeneL

John, your comments are reassuring and good enough for me and I'll order the one you recommend.

Any idea on the spec for the correct OEM bolt that fell out (about 4-5 inches long) that I would like to get to replace the "questionable" one that's in there now? Could it be an "off the shelf" item I could get at a local Home Depot, hardware store, etc.? The bolt and bushing should be all I need to get the torque arm bracket back to it's original state.

Also, any comments on something I might need in the future would be the Z-bar, Clutch Lever, Bell Crank (whatever the correct description is), GM PN 14036151, I mentioned earlier.

Thanks again for your invaluable help, comments and suggestions!

Gene

Mz.Makiz75

Hello, i'm having the same issue on my Camaro. Does anybody have a picture of what the new bushings look like already on? How hard is it to replace them myself?

Thank you,

Pocket

iTrader: (24)

Why not find a 86-02 TA ($10-20) and use the more common bushing?

John in RI

iTrader: (167)

Funding plays a part.... If the car is 82-84 then just replacing the bad bushing is cheaper. If converting,.... the T/A, the T/A Bracket and the proper bushing need to be bought. ( compared to simply buying the right bushing. ) T5 T/A brackets aren't particularly 'cheap' these days.

An 86-later bushing will not fit inside a 84-down T/A bracket. The early bracket has a "notch" at the top that the later style does not. ( see pic above )

Pocket

iTrader: (24)

Nothing a knife cant remedy. Flipping parts isnt rocket science. I had to when I built the TA bracket for a 4L80E and couldnt access the bolt to close it. Flipped the bracket so the bolt faced the trans and left the bushing matching the late style TA

firebirddude142

iTrader: (19)

the v6 ones are opposite like that

GeneL

Appreciate all the help and suggestions so far.

Please help me in deciding on WHICH TORQUE ARM BUSHING to order for my Camaro
(I'm still very confused and unsure):

Car is:
1983 Camaro Sport Coupe
T-Top
Engine: LG4 5-Liter V8, 305cid
Transmission: Manual 5-speed

Pick one:
1) Energy Suspension 3.1110 Torque Arm Bushing

2) Energy Suspension 3.1111 Torque Arm Bushing

3) Energy Suspension 3.1112 Torque Arm Bushing

or, if not one of these, what do I need to order?

Just want to be sure I give the mechanic the correct part before he begins work so it can be completed correctly without him stopping because the part I gave him doesn't fit.

Thanks for all your help!

Gene