Chris Etemadi

is it ok? or should I put some jack stands under the frame instead of the rear-end to hold the end of the car up. Im afraid somthing will ripp me or my car up like Ive heard

------------------
aka:15 year old camaro freak
owner of a 91 z28 5.7l camaro
Cross Drilled Brakes, KYB's,AFPR, 3.73 Gears, Trans Go Shift Kit, 2k Stall, B&M Rachet Shifter, Borla Adjustable Cat Back, Hypertech Chip, Hooker Headers.
more to come....
My 91 Z28

Blade

You're supposed to put the jack stands under the frame in the first place ! But that rear end could move a little I guess w/out the torque arm bolted up.

------------------
92 Z28 L98 350
---------------
Ported stock heads, XR270HR-10 cam, TES headers, Crane AFPR, Flowmaster catback, MSD ignition components.
Best ET 12.9@107 mph
"Take that auto, drop it in first, hold the brakes, stomp the gas and grin from ear to ear! :-)
Click here to see my car at Truspeed.org

TomP

Here's the deal: If you can make the rear axle hang free, without any upward stress on it, the torque arm will also hang free.

So if you raise the back of the car with ramps, or put a jack under the axle, the torque arm will want to attack something.

If you raise the back by placing jackstands forward of the rear lower control arms, the axle will hang by the shocks. The torque arm will be at rest, and there's no danger.

When I dropped my trans out, I raised the car by the rear frame, and didn't have to worry about the torque arm getting crazy.


------------------
-Tom P (Hot rodded 1986 Firebird 2.8l) from http://www.f-body.net/mailbag/3rd/3rd_mailbag.html message boards
---Think your car could be pic of the week? Visit http://www.f-body.net for details!

five7kid

iTrader: (14)

Uhh, look at this a little more carefully, please. Mr. Newton tells us that in order for a body to remain at rest, all forces acting on it must be equal. Since the springs are mounted behind the axle, hanging it from the shocks will put a torque on it - that torque being resisted by the "torque arm".

I unfortunately did not look carefully enough a couple of months ago and did what Tom said and proceeded to disconnect the torque arm from the tranny. All fine until I pulled the arm away from the mount pad on the tranny (clam shell now off), and found myself laying under the car with my hand caught between the torque arm and tunnel.

The "right" way to do this is to put the car on stands under the frame, jack up the rear slightly, remove the shocks, lower the rear and remove the springs, then raise and remount the shocks. NOW you can remove the torque arm.

You could have the tires on ramps and remove the torque arm, but you must use something besides the parking brake to keep the car from moving from front to back. And, be sure there is no torque (front/back force) on the car before starting to remove the torque arm.

You didn't say why you are considering doing this. Knowing that may help determine the best course of action for you.

------------------
82 Berlinetta, orig V-6 car, now w/86 LG4/TH700R. 2.73 unlimited slip. Cat-back from '91 GTA, Accel HEI SuperCoil. AMSOIL syn lubes bumper-to-bumper. Daily driver, work-in-progress (LB9 w/ZZ3 cam, TBD heads, exhaust, paint, etc.).
57 Bel Air, my 1st car. 0.030 over 396, Weiand Action+, Edelbrock 1901 Q-Jet, Jacobs Omnipack, 1-3/4" headers, TH400 w/TCI Sat Night Special conv & shift kit, 3.08 10-bolt, AMSOIL syn lubes bumper-to-bumper. Best 15.1 @ 5800' Bandimere. Daily driver while Camaro was being put together.

Chris Etemadi

Im doing this to remove the Transmission for a T-56 swap.

------------------
aka:15 year old camaro freak
owner of a 91 z28 5.7l camaro
Cross Drilled Brakes, KYB's,AFPR, 3.73 Gears, Trans Go Shift Kit, 2k Stall, B&M Rachet Shifter, Borla Adjustable Cat Back, Hypertech Chip, Hooker Headers.
more to come....
My 91 Z28

five7kid

iTrader: (14)

You can do it with the rear tires on ramps and leave it like that while you're working on the tranny. Just be aware that it may not be "neutral" when you disconnect it from the tranny. But, it most likely won't slam you (like mine did two months ago) when you loosen it from the mount. What you're talking about is basically what I did when I originally disconnected mine for the engine/tranny swap.

I think what got us off on the wrong track was the use of the word "suspended" in the topic line. You aren't really "suspending" the suspension while on ramps.

[This message has been edited by five7kid (edited December 08, 2000).]

Chris Etemadi

How bad did it slam your hand??

------------------
aka:15 year old camaro freak
owner of a 91 z28 5.7l camaro
Cross Drilled Brakes, KYB's,AFPR, 3.73 Gears, Trans Go Shift Kit, 2k Stall, B&M Rachet Shifter, Borla Adjustable Cat Back, Hypertech Chip, Hooker Headers.
more to come....
My 91 Z28

five7kid

iTrader: (14)

It happened quick - too quick to get my hand out of the way, obviously. I had to reach up with the other hand and pull the arm down to get my hand out. I have a slight crease on my thumb that I can still see (this happened in late September). No broken bones or anything, though.

"It's better to be lucky than good," they say. I say, if you're good, you don't have to be lucky.

Chris Etemadi

So I can put it on ramps just make sure there is on pressure on the suspension.

what side of the TQ arm should I remove first?? Tranny to TQ or TQ to rearend?

------------------
aka:15 year old camaro freak
owner of a 91 z28 5.7l camaro
Cross Drilled Brakes, KYB's,AFPR, 3.73 Gears, Trans Go Shift Kit, 2k Stall, B&M Rachet Shifter, Borla Adjustable Cat Back, Hypertech Chip, Hooker Headers.
more to come....
My 91 Z28

Bort62

Just Put a Jack under it, and Let it Out Slowly

------------------
60 Ranchero - Project ( Money Hole )
85 Z28 LG4 - Daily Driver
**Mods**
MSD Superconductors
14" Open Element
KYB all around

TomP

Wow, that's strange. My torque arm just hung there. I raised the car as I said, and I left the springs/shocks in place. In fact I put the block of wood above the front of the torque arm when I un-did the bracket from the trans, expecting the arm to fly up towards the floor- and it didn't. I guess something's different on our cars back there?

As I think more about it, I don't think the springs exhibit much (if any) downward force when the rear suspension's at full travel...?

Glad your hand's alright! Maybe I should add "these procedures worked for me, they might not work for you" into my sig?


------------------
-Tom P (Hot rodded 1986 Firebird 2.8l) from http://www.f-body.net/mailbag/3rd/3rd_mailbag.html message boards
---Think your car could be pic of the week? Visit http://www.f-body.net for details!

five7kid

iTrader: (14)

Take the tranny end off first. If there is any force at all on the arm, you will not be able to get those big bolts out of the diff.

five7kid

iTrader: (14)

Tom, you may be correct. My car had new stock-type springs put on it just before I got it. It sits a little high (visually, compared to many other F-bodies - I don't mind the stance, it drives and handles fine), so shorter free-length springs may be near the end of their travel when hanging from the shocks.

TomP

I'm pretty sure my springs are the originals; they must be sagging a bit by now. Next time I have the rear hanging by the shocks, I'll see if I can move the springs with my hands...


------------------
-Tom P (Hot rodded 1986 Firebird 2.8l) from http://www.f-body.net/mailbag/3rd/3rd_mailbag.html message boards
---Think your car could be pic of the week? Visit http://www.f-body.net for details!

Bort62

On Mine, Last time I had it Up I could almost Pull the springs out by Hand, they were totally Loose.

No wonder My car is the Body Roll Champion Of the world!



------------------
60 Ranchero - Project ( Money Hole )
85 Z28 LG4 - Daily Driver
**Mods**
MSD Superconductors
14" Open Element
KYB all around

five7kid

iTrader: (14)

One other factor could be the extended length of the shocks. I have Gabriel Gas-somethings (supposedly their best) on mine. Other brands may be longer, allowing the axle to drop lower and relieving the force on the springs.

812MANY

Just take a shop rag and loop it around the tranny end of the torque arm, hold the ends of the rag and hit the arm with a hammer to knock it out of the clamshell. No broken/cut fingers.

Just make sure the car can't roll off the stands/lift.

If it's a drive-on type lift (professional) then you don't have to worry. If it's the shadetree type drive on stands then it's a good idea to put jackstands under the frame.

If you put the jackstands under the axle then the arm will tend to snap DOWN instead of up (and the car may fall).

TomP

Five7, now that you mention it, I have Gabriel hi-jacker air shocks; they might be longer than normal shocks...


------------------
-Tom P (Hot rodded 1986 Firebird 2.8l) from http://www.f-body.net/mailbag/3rd/3rd_mailbag.html message boards
---Think your car could be pic of the week? Visit http://www.f-body.net for details!