Got an 82 Z28 that had the 200C removed and a TH350 put in by PO years ago. The torque arm was hooked up in a really half-*** way to the tailhousing and it's just not working. All the threads on this that I see to mount the TA correctly have to do with now-discontinued B&M bracket kit 30299 and a similar Hurst one. I cannot find anyone that has them in stock anymore. Is my only option something like this now that combines a new crossmember with a TA mount?


Anyone ever fabricated a mount with success? Not sure how much stress is placed on the TA during hard acceleration so not sure if I should attempt to fab something up with my crappy welding skills. Here's the existing mickey mouse job. Thanks!

 

Yeah there is SO LITTLE demand for those other things anymore, that it's not worth anybody's time and effort to keep making them.

So yes, your best option at this point is an aftermarket torque arm & crossmember that replaces the stock TA, and instead connects the TA to the crossmember.

CONSIDERABLE stress is applied to the TA during acceleration. Like, the full drive line torque. Which is probably at least part of why jerry-rigging it hasn't worked out too well. And is also why in the stock configuration, trans mounts don't last... the whole system is trying its hardest to rip it in half at all times.

 

That definitely does look like some backwoods engineering right there! At it’s finest!

Sofa is correct. You’re best solution is an aftermarket T/A. Or, if you can fab a mount similar and hook your stock arm to it. This is exactly what I had to do to mine with TH350. I wasn’t trying to make the transmission mount yank the front tires in the air. If I ever get it to that point lol

 

Thanks to you both. I actually had the car in today for annual state safety inspection and they failed the car for this item, amazingly. It was set up exactly the same way in April when the same guy put a sticker on it. So I have to fix this before I get around to the new transmission install. He said he'd pass it if I just tightened it up and made it a more secure connection to the tailhousing. So I replaced the bolts with the stripped out threads, machined the steel bar a bit to make it fit better around the tailhousing and not shift, and used locknuts to secure everything. Doesn't move now and should get me through until the trans swap takes place. I'm pushing 145HP of 1982 LG4 suckiness - that's probably the only reason my tailhousing hasn't been ripped off the tranny.

With that aftermarket crossmember/torque arm mount, I believe I can use my stock TA if I get the right 1-piece poly bushing for it, right?

 

Yes. I’m fairly certain you can find a crossmember that will mount to the stock torque arm. However I believe the early 82-83 cars had a slight difference in the front half where the mount slides on. Not sure if it’s a deal breaker or not but there’s a thread here somewhere about it. I’ll see if I can find it

 

THM350 Cross-member/ Torque-arm Combo-Assemblies are common in the Aftermarket for our cars.

Here is one from Spohn...




I believe just about all of the suspension companies that have specialized in products for our cars, still make these for a THM350.

Spohn and the other companies also produce a cross-member ONLY for a THM350 in our cars (if you want to use a remote-mount torque-arm).

 

The mounting point for a TH350 is about 2 inches less than a 700R4, would seem with a bit of fab work and metal, a stock mount would work. Adding a vertical piece along side with a few holes and a clam shell for a stock TA mount, doesn't seem like something that would be to hard to overcome?

 

What transmission are you going to be putting in ?

 

Same TH350 that's coming out. All I need to change is the TA mounting point. I'm going with the UMI crossmember for TH350 with the TA mount on it - that way the TA will not be connected to the transmission.

 

I have the UMI torque arm relocating crossmember on my car and while it hangs a bit low due to how beef the construction is I have no complaints so far.

 

Just ordered it along with a 1-piece polyurethane bushing for the stock torque arm. Good to hear it's worked out well for you