Edit:
Slight change in topic and didnt' want to start new thread. Read post #14

I’m looking for a new cross member and torque arm. I swapped in a T56 and currently have the Spohn cross member with drive shaft loop and torque arm that attached directly to the cross member. I don’t like it mostly because of the added noise so I’m looking for something different.

Can anyone recommend a good cross member that works with the T56 that also as a torque arm that mounts directly to the cross member?

If there are no other products that do this then who makes a good T56 crossmember that is light weight and doesn’t sacrifice ground clearance? I can always use the stock torque arm. Has the stock torque arm cause anyone any problems other than broken tranny mounts.

 

you can use the stock TA and skulte makes a nice crossmemember, I beleave its in the neighborhood of 150.

 

If you find a new setup that you like, I might be interested in buying that spohn setup off you. Shoot me a PM if your looking to sell it.

 

Yea I've heard good things about the Skulte cross member. I would have to use the stock torque arm with that. Can the stock torque arm mount still be purchased from a dealer? I have the one from my 700r4 but I heard the T56 uses a different mount bracket which I don't have. Does anyone have a part number or know where to get one?

 

[mis-read post, thought you were looking for a TA, not the mount..]

I'll put in a second on the Skulte Xmem.. You can even get on to allow you to run Long-tube headers in the future if you want/need.

 

Looks like I’ll be going with the Skulte unless someone has another recommendation. Since I’ll be reusing the factory torque arm will the one that came off my automatic 700r4 fit or do I need a torque arm from a T56 or T5? I thought they were both the same but gmpartsdirect.com list two different torque arms, one for auto and one for manual tranny.

Another question about the torque arm mount. I know the mount for the T56 is different than the one for the auto. Apparently I can still get it new from GM. However, the sell the inner and outer mount. Can I buy just the inner mount and reuse the outer from my auto?

 

If I remembe right when I did mine I had to use the T56 mount because it goes on differently then the T5 mount did? the stock torque arm should fit. I am running the stock torque arm with the t56 mount and I've had no issues.

 

Another suggestion for you if you were having issues with noise. Get your self an Aluminum LS1 drive shaft. Switching to that took out a ton of vibration and noise for me.

 

Pony Killer:

So when you swapped you used the T56 mount and the T5 torque arm? I'm not sure if the T5 and 700r4 torque arms are the same length. Do you know for sure?

 

I used the T56 mount and the 700r4 arm. My car was originaly and auto before the t56. 700r4, t5 and t56 are all pretty much the same length thats why you can use the same drive shaft on all of them too.

 

So did you get it all together?

 

PonyKiller:
I still have the spohn arm in the car. If I take it out I'll let you know.

I had my tail housing modified by southwest street works so I could connect my mechanical speedometer. So for those of you that had your T56 tail housing modified does this interfere with the stock torque arm mount? I don't know what the mount looks like but I think it might hit the speedometer cable.

 

Hey vbMike the t-5 and t-56 torque arm mounts are the same part also the t-5 and 700r4 arms should be the same to, here are some pic's of my t-5 mount which i have used on my t-56 tranny before.

Judging from the pic's you should be fine with your speedometer.

 

I took my Spohn torque arm off and put the stock one back on. The mount just hits the speedometer cable but I can make it fit with the grinder. However the tip of the arm is only about a half inch away from the cable. Do you think it will hit when driving the car? The arm should only try to move up and down when accelerating and decelerating but as the suspension I assume the arm will move forward and backward in the mount. Do you think it could move forward enough to hit the cable? Anyone else running the stock arm with a speedo cable? If so, have you had any trouble?

 

Come on. Someone must have done a T56 swap and tried to use a stock torque arm with a mechanical speedo cable. Did it work or not?