On my 97 Camaro A4 there's a stamped steel bar that bolts to the rear end and pivots on the transmission tailshaft.

Can I remove this bar without the rear end hitting the floor if I launch it? Do I have to do anything if I remove this bar?

Has anyone removed this bar?

I want to put a gearvendors under/overdrive in but it looks like there's no room for the bar.

Thanks in advance guys.

 

That'd be your torque arm. I'd find a work around, you don't want to just remove it, it's a pretty important piece.

 

My 68 Firebird 400 M4 didn't have a torque arm and neither did my 72 Chevelle which had a trailing arm rear suspension similar to the Camaro.

Is there another way to compensate for removing the torque arm?

 

I've never seen a torque arm substitute.. There may be something out there though - or you may have some fabricating to do if you want to get rid of it.

 

Yes I think I may have to fabricate something.

My mechanic runs 9's on the weekends in his big block Monte Carlo. He'll be a lot of help.

I'll look better under the car tomorrow myself.

I already have the gearvendors for the A4 but it doesn't have a boss for the arm.

I really want to put the under/overdrive in. It will give me 8 gears and 80 mph cruise will be 2344 instead of 3000.

I don't race the car but don't want it breaking on me.

 

Go to this site- www.bmrfabrication.com

They have a setup called the "drag pak" I think. One of the things it does is relocate where the torque arm mounts on the front. The reason behind this is for some seriously ***** to the wall cars they could snap the tailshaft on a hard launch. It might relocate the mounting point enough out of the way so you can run the gearvendors unit. If not, get ready to weld/fabricate.

John

 

i run 3.73's with the A4 and 80 mph is slightly under 2500 rpm. i also run a taller tire then normal,so that helps rpm.

only way to get rid of the torque arm is to go to an entire new suspension system. like 4 link or ladder bar.

 

Looks like the BMR Drag Pak setup will give me the clearance I need and have a pivot point in line with the 14" the gearvendors unit ads to the length of the transmission. Got a good pic of the set up and will measure up the car tomorrow.

Thanks guys