I was at the shop today getting this sound looked at, any time I stopped or slowed down noticeably I heard a loud clunk, and it ended up being the torque arm. I spent a while going through searches and saw that quite a few other people have had this problem as well. My only dilemma is replacing it.

I've seen three different options so far, and I'm sure there's more, but from what I've seen there's a BMR Adjustable Torque Arm, which seems unneccesary because I'm not much of a tuner and I'd probably just screw something up, and it's pricey anyways. The other two is the stock part from GM which runs about 140$ plus tax, and the third is the *gasp* Edelbrock Heavy Duty Torque Arm, which runs around 190$. I know that there's a lot of angst towards Edelbrock, for what reasons I'm not sure, but I would think that an aftermarket part would be stronger, and less likely to break again.

Anyone have any experience or opinions for/against getting stock/Edelbrock? Or have any other torque arms I should be looking at?

 

factory ones are extremele flimsy but if you really dont care then just go to a junk yard or look on ebay you can get them for dirt cheap cause no one wants them. id say you're better off buyin a non adjustable aftermarket one. any one doesnt really matter theyre all built the same pretty much and you will notice a difference in the way your car launches.

 

Some member have experienced problems with the Edelbrock versions, but mine has held up just fine for several years. The pic is a fit fuzzy, but you get the idea.

JamesC

 

Have you checked out Spohn's torque arms yet? They are very nice.... just remember that you get what you pay for.

 

to specify about the Edelbrock versions!i do beleive it was the adjustable versions.

 

I would vote for Spohn

I got sick of replacing trans mounts and wanted it off the trans completeley. It is beefy as all get out. U can make the stock trans mount last by using a lite chain or strap around the trans to the crossmember, to keep it from lifting with the torque arm

But I am sure his stock replacement is more than adequate and I run almost all of his suspension stuff thus far.

Then again, I'm debating on welding two stockers together like they used to do on the Trans AM cars where aftermarket parts werent allowed for a poor mans torque arm on the GTA

later
Jeremy

 

Here's the correct link:

https://www.thirdgen.org/techbb2/sho...ock+torque+arm


JamesC

 

I took a look at the Spohn torque arm, and unfortunately I only found an adjustable one priced at 395$ which is a tad over my budget right now. I think I'm going to with the non-adjustable Edelbrock since it's only 40$ more than the one GM offered me.

Thanks for all the feedback guys, it was most helpful.

 

That clunk you are hearing is not the TQarm itself, its the front mount assembly of the TQarm. Even if you replace the factory unit with the shown above Edlebrock unit, you still have the same sliptype factory front mount. You can just buy the better urethane front bushing insert and replace the crappy rubber one that fails so easily WITHOUT having to buy the Edlebrock TQarm if you intend on keeping the same slip type front mount, you will see no difference in the cars performance with either the factory TQarm or the Edelbrock TQarm.

Now if you go to a more expensive Spohn or BMR, or Global West type units you will get different solid mount type front assemblies rather that the slip type, plus the option of TQarm length being the same (raod racing) or shorter for drag racing weight tranfer on a higher HP car. You don't need anything shorter for anything up to about 400hp in MY opinion based on setups. There are a few guys I have seen running 10's on stock length TQarms.

 

I agree with you get what you pay for. Have broken or bent a few stock tq arms myself and went with the spohn package with cross member front mount and spherical bearings. Went to dream cruise and what a difference!!!!!!! Car squats and goes now with no noticable slop. Also have hotckiss sfc and home made strut brace.