Hey guys I took my cross member off a long time ago when I pulled my tranny and never put it back on. Is it necessary? I dont wanna be losing anything when Im launching, or at high speeds. I have poly mounts and the car vibrates over 80 or 90 mph, but Im starting to think its better to have it on than off. Should I just go ahead and throw it back on?

 

I am surprised you have not already broken something. Put it back on. The torque arm is the only thing holding up the back of the transmission. I first thought this post was a joke.

 

Shoebox the edelbrock torque arm is in place, I was referring to the thin strip of metal that goes from the driver side of the car through the tranny mount I think? then to the passenger side. It's been so long since I took it off I forget what it actually looks like. Now Im racing my car a lot more and have more power. I took it off for "Weight Reduction" but think now maybe that was a dumb idea.

 

Without the tranny crossmember the tranny case is in danger of cracking.

Rich

 

are you sure your talking about the trans cross memeber?

Or are you reffering to the tunnel brace, a few inches further back.....

 

I didn't say the torque arm was not in place. I said it was the only thing holing up the back, if the transmission cross member was not there. As mdaction said, are you sure it is not the thin, tunnel brace?

 

it might be the tunnel brace, I dont remember what it looks like, I cant see past my y-pipe from underneath, All I know is its the only thing that goes perpendicular across the tranny, I remember taking it off when I pulled the tranny then thinking it wasnt necessary since I had the torque arm, same reason I thought the back bracket for the alternator was unnecessary when I took that off Id have to see a pic but maybe it is the tunnel brace. Is it important??

 

The tranny cross-member is the only thing that holds the back of the tranny/engine assembly in the car. It is highly unlikely that you have been driving without the cross-member. Every time you accelerated, the tranny would move upwards, smashing into the chassis, directly under your console. Every time you stood on the brakes, the tailshaft of the tranny would be pulled downwards, probably tearing the motor mounts out and damaging the driveshaft, or at least the u-joints.

It sounds like you removed the sheet-metal brace that connects to the floor pans, on each side of the driveshaft tunnel, with two bolts on each side. Sometimes called the "G-Load brace", its not something that is going to be very noticable if its removed. Probably supplies a little bit of stiffening to the body sheet metal, and might catch the driveshaft if the u-joint breaks.