Decided i'd change my fuel filter and install my spohn torque arm today. Despite running the car down to less than 1/4 of gas and removing the gas tank cap, I got a bit doused by gasoline today which really pist me off, after about 3 minutes I had the new filter on. Now I went to the torque arm, which wasn't so bad. Everything was going smooth, I was even surprised that spohn's crossmember with driveshaft loop worked perfectly with my LS1 driveshaft.

Now the part where I started getting pist is the actual torque arm. It would not fit on the fricken rear axle mount no matter what I did. I have a feeling this thing was measured wrong by spohn.

Is there any special trick you gotta do before hand to get it to fit on the mount? If so, someone fill me in because I spent the last 3 hours outside fiddling with it and im pist.

Im going to call Steve tomorrow and see what he has to say but would like some input before I make an *** of myself. Thanks.

I had to clearance mine just a little on one of the edges on the top, but I have a Dana 44.

Ok, so what did you do? I was so fricken tempted to take my grinder to the damn thing, but would rather call spohn before I did it.

Just had to bevel one edge a bit. This kind of thing isn't entirely unexpected with aftermarket parts.

You are suppose to take the gas cap off to release the pressure then put it back on so it will just drip out of the tank. Think of how when you drain a big bottle of liquid that is not vented, it drains slower because it creates sucking as it flows out. The same thing will happen with your gas tank.

Meh, back to the topic, fuel filter is done, besides I plugged it with a towel.

It is a very tight fit. It's meant to be, so that it doesn't move around.

You could bevel the housing slightly to get it started; or use a big C-clamp to press it on.

I had no fun at all getting mine on either. But, once it's on there, I don't think it's ever going anywhere.

I don't think it was a tight fit, the points on mine were about 2 mm's too low. If thats the case i'll get home and grind it today and get it started. I was outside last night with a hand held sledge hammer trying to get it in and the thing wouldn't budge.

use a floorjack on the back of it, behind the axle tubes, to get the angle right. you need to rotate the axle just right for it to fit.

What do you mean behind the axles? On the pumpkin? Unload the suspension? I tried this with the suspension loaded and unloaded and couldn't get it to work.

take the rear springs out, it makes it very easy to manuver the rear to where you need it.

BTW, i have to use a little 'motivation' to put spohn TA's on, its a nice tight fit, you have ot get it lined up nicely, then use camps, hammer, ect to get it on.

when the rear axle is all hooked up except for the TQ arm, the axle hangs with the front part (u joint) pointing up.

take a jack, and stick it under the pumpkin, behind the centerline of the rear axles.. if you have it back far enough, as you jack up the jack, the axle starts to rotate on the LCAs, and the u-joint will tip down.

you get it close, then you put the TQ arm on the axle.

Pasky, The powder coating adds thickness to the TQarm mountclearance making the distance that fits over the axle tighter. I installed mine when the axle was out of the car and still had trouble with a tight fit- however, I was able toangle it in at a 45* angle and insert the rear portion very slightly first, then hammer and pivot the front portion onto the housing until at least one of the bolt holes lined up- then put the bolt in and hammer and twisting continues until the second lines up. At this point, DONT tighten the bolts into place (just finger tighten the nuts onto the bolts loosely) until you get the front mount into position with the LCA's attached also to the axle and chassis- then tighter the two bolts to specs.

You mmight even want to take a plam sander and very lighty hit the edges on the housing to clean them up and remove any grim (or excess paint thickness if any.)

Dean

Ok, finally got the torque arm on, now I can't figure out why the driveshaft loop is hitting . It lined up perfectly before I mounted the torque arm to the crossmember. The driveshaft loop is housing the U joints near the tail shaft now rather than the drive shaft, so ever 1/2 turn I get a nasty grind. I don't understand why its not lining up now. I tried to grind the loop with my dremel a bit and it tested fine up in the air, went for a drive and it sounded horrible. Anyone had this problem? Im so tempted to cut the damn thing off.

Little late, but might help others in the future. Mine was an extremely tight fit so I took it back off the car and put it sideways in my floor jack. Position it so the the top mount is over the jacking point and the bottom mount is under the jack. Jack up ever so slightly to spread the mounts out a bit. Just a little tweak on mine did the trick. I still had to hammer it on, but no grinding was needed.

Kevin D.

Pasky: Do you have lowering springs? If you do, you shouldn't have gotten the T/A w/ a rear driveshaft loop. My Spohn arm fit perfectly, and I have a Front DriveShaft loop, and it clears the Driveshaft and the body just fine.