Fiero388500

I haven't found much about this, maybe someone here knows. I have a 1985 v6 camaro with a 700r4 and I had to get a rear axle recently. I purchased one off an 82 camaro and after some minor reconditioning I installed it. Everything bolted up with no issues whatsoever, EXCEPT, I didn't bother checking if the torque arm mounts were the same as I haven't seen anything that would mention any differences in them except at the trans. Well, the mounts on the 82 axle are shorter than the ones on the 85 and I needed to use about 1in. worth of spacers on both sides of the mounting bolts to get it to fit somewhat properly. It's in, but not properly and will loosen up from time to time. To be clear, both are 10 bolt 7.5 axles with 3.42 gearing and are virtually identical except for this one difference. The 85 axle is the same axle that has been on the car for its entire life and the torque arm fits it perfectly and is not stretched. My question is, were there 2 different torque arms? If so, can anyone direct me to a stock application that will work for the smaller of the 2, or am I just missing something? The axle with the shocks in the pic is the 85.

Mr.Gordon

Swap the carrier and axles into your old banjo.

Mr.Gordon

Plus1 on swapping everything into your old housing. It should be a easy swap as the parts are all the same.
Either that or spend $300 plus for an adjustable torque arm. But then you need a crossmember and all to get it all lined up properley.

HellHound

iTrader: (1)

I was kinda in the same boat. I went from a '88 rear to a '85 and the t/a was different. They bolt up fine but the bushings were different in the mount. I guess I got lucky.

Fiero388500

Update. The 1982 camaro came with a th350 transmission option which requires a longer torque arm and the design is different from ALL the other years. This is the only year it came with a different rear axle and the arm is too long to fit the 700r4 without major modification or hack, measure, and weld. Hope this helps anyone in the same pickle.

sofakingdom

iTrader: (1)

The 82 did NOT come with a Turbo 350. It came with a 200C. No T-350 ever came in a car with a torque arm. The 200C is pretty much the same external dimensions as a short-tail 350 however, making the 350 an EXTREMELY popular swap, back in the day. If the car your parts came from had a 350 in it, then it had been swapped.

But yes you are right: the TA is quite a bit different in a 200C car than a 700-R4 or T-5 one. The axle housing AFAIK is the same, only the arm is different.

There's a casting # on the pumpkin. Compare the 2 that you have and see if they're the same.

Not sure if there's a year-model difference in TAs about requiring the spacer at the axle or not. My 83 has one. It's just not something I've ever paid much attention to in other cars.

Fiero388500

Gotcha, that's just what I was told by a 3rd gen parts place in North Carolina. But yes, the 82 rear axle torque arm mount is where my problem lies. I'm thinking I can have a shop weld on the correct size spacers on the axle to fit the torque arm that's on the car now instead of hacking a perfectly good torque arm apart. Also, what was the 200c? I've only heard of the 200r4 and that's supposed to be a differently geared trans compared to the 700r4 (again, so I'm told).

sofakingdom

iTrader: (1)

No need for "weld"; just get one off of an early car, like my 83. It goes at the bottom.

The 200C was a little weenie 3-speed w/ lockup POS from the late 70s/early 80s. Notoriously weeeek and flimsy. The 200-4R is not related to it in any manner way shape or form other than the name. I don't think they share any parts at all except maybe pan bolts.