ws6transam

Here's what is quite possibly the first third-gen in the nation that uses Unbalanced Engineering's decoupled torque arm design.



This picture shows the torque arm and how it mounts between the axle and the body. The decoupled torque arm is like a slapper bar in that it applies the acceleration torque upwards through the snubber into the crossmember. Under braking the snubber drops and is limited NOT by the loop, but by the upper sliding link which translates the torque into a forward-facing force vector. This separates the car's instant center into two distinct centers: One rearward i.c. for maximum acceleration and one forward i.c. for maximum braking. In addition, all pinion adjustments are done via shims instead of rod ends, so the "sloppy rod end" disease of many of today's torque arm designs is eliminated.

Note the piece of steel that is welded to the top of the transmission tunnel: It enabled me to widen the tunnel about one inch so that I could clear the new torque arm. I've looked at the fourth-gen underbelly and it's wider at the top of the rear transmission tunnel than the third-gen. Installation of this torque arm required some precision hammer-banging, plus this incision in order to clear the crossmember & torque arm.
http://www.ws6transam.org/ubedcta2.jpg
This picture shows the front of the crossmember and the hand-fabricated driveshaft loop that I had to make. UBE doesn't offer a driveshaft loop with their torque arms, but I am sure that through the grapevine Jason will see these pictures and he's welcome to copy it if he wishes. As a thank-you, he can send me some new lower control arm relocation brackets in exchange for my design drawings.

Forward facing view. The crossmember mounting brackets are plainly seen, as is the driveshaft loop and Andris's REALLY cool T56 retrofit crossmember for long tube headers.
http://www.ws6transam.org/ubedcta4.jpg
Side-view where you can see the welded-in body mounts. These mounts are welded to the floorpan, and made from .125 inch steel. I've chosen to attach the crossmember with four grade 8, 3/8 inch bolts, one-inch in length. The brackets themselves are not only mounted to the floor but they are welded to the bottom of square tube reinforcing that sits inside the car.
http://www.ws6transam.org/ubedcta5.jpg
Passenger side floorpan. The tubing is welded to the floor, the transmission tunnel, and is channeled through the floor at the rocker panel and into the subframe connector.
http://www.ws6transam.org/ubedcta6.jpg
Driver's side. There is one little bit of welding left here, right at the RH rear seat stud. I want to reinforce that part where I cut through the seat channel. Notice how the steel tubing goes through the floor on the LH side. It is welded directly to the Kenny Brown subframe connector.

I've just ordered a new Chromoly driveshaft from Driveline Solutions, and the distance from the 1350 yoke to the end of my T56 output shaft is 43 3/4 inches. It should match my new Moser 12-bolt quite nicely.

Cheers,
--Dan Burk

NJLT1SS

Very nice work! I was always curious about that torque arm, doesnt seem like too many people run them. Let us know how it works out you.



Nick

Bud M

What did you use for the loop part of the driveshaft loop? It looks like large diam. steel tube, but what diameter and thickness? And what diameter driveshaft is it built for?

ws6transam

I started with a 5 inch i.d. .250 inch thick steel tube, and had a shop machine itto a two inche wide ring on a lathe. I then cut it in half, and welded one-inch pieces of .250 inch steel into the loop to make it a 6-inch tall by 5-inch wide oval. It's designed to handle up to 3.5 inch diameter driveshafts. I've made an oval because driveshafts move up and down with the axle.