BMR Torque Arm Relo Crossmember Issue
#1
BMR Torque Arm Relo Crossmember Issue
Hey all,
I have the BMR torque arm relocation crossmember and when I went to install the Torque Arm last night I ran into a problem with the clamshell. The clamshell is basically wedged against the tailshaft TA bracketry of my FLT Level 6 4L65E transmission. I don't know if FLT changes that out, but I haven't heard of this issue before.
I had to actually drop the xmember down and raise the trans up a good 3 inches to even get the clamshell in there. But I've destroyed the powdercoating on the clamshell as it simply has no room to fit. Is it supposed to be this tight? Isn't the point of the xmember to remove the pressure from the rear of the trans and provide extra adjustment? There is no way to adjust this unless I unbolt the crossmember...
Am I supposed to remove the F-Body tailshaft cover and install a GTO/truck one? Grind it down? Or do I have a defective crossmember? I understand that some issues can arise, but it doesn't seem to be fitting the trans it's designed to fit.
Here is a pic of it installed without the TA - I can't even imagine doing this with the TA in there...
I have the BMR torque arm relocation crossmember and when I went to install the Torque Arm last night I ran into a problem with the clamshell. The clamshell is basically wedged against the tailshaft TA bracketry of my FLT Level 6 4L65E transmission. I don't know if FLT changes that out, but I haven't heard of this issue before.
I had to actually drop the xmember down and raise the trans up a good 3 inches to even get the clamshell in there. But I've destroyed the powdercoating on the clamshell as it simply has no room to fit. Is it supposed to be this tight? Isn't the point of the xmember to remove the pressure from the rear of the trans and provide extra adjustment? There is no way to adjust this unless I unbolt the crossmember...
Am I supposed to remove the F-Body tailshaft cover and install a GTO/truck one? Grind it down? Or do I have a defective crossmember? I understand that some issues can arise, but it doesn't seem to be fitting the trans it's designed to fit.
Here is a pic of it installed without the TA - I can't even imagine doing this with the TA in there...
#2
It puts it pretty much exactly where the stock clamshell was when it was bolted to the trans tailshaft. So is this ok? Is it supposed to be this tight? I'd like to get the TA installed and adjusted and working at 1am on a Friday night leaves me little to no options to double-check things...
#7
TECH Senior Member
iTrader: (35)
BMR and UMI x-members are both designed with a little bit of wiggle room just like the factory mount for minor adjustably to aid in aligning the bolt holes; but nothing more. I'm sure BMR can tell you what measurements to check for to verify the x-members proper fitment.
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#8
The slots are all the way to the driver's side. But the issue isn't the crossmember in relation to the body... it's in relation to the tailshaft. Since the trans bolts to it (and only wiggles fore and aft and not side to side) the clearance is what it is.
I thought about the other side as well, but the tunnel is in the way (much worse than the tailshaft). I suppose I could try to move the transmission over, but then it seems like I'm putting a lot of stress on that joint in the driveshaft. But that's only part of the problem. The trans is pointing where it wants to point. I have poly engine mounts and they don't provide a lot of wiggle room.
I was hoping someone who had installed one of these could provide some input. I have some help tonight to work on it and then it'll be a while before I have time again to mess with this. So I'd like to get this done tonight. But if it's the wrong xmember, then I won't know until tomorrow with BMR.
****.
I thought about the other side as well, but the tunnel is in the way (much worse than the tailshaft). I suppose I could try to move the transmission over, but then it seems like I'm putting a lot of stress on that joint in the driveshaft. But that's only part of the problem. The trans is pointing where it wants to point. I have poly engine mounts and they don't provide a lot of wiggle room.
I was hoping someone who had installed one of these could provide some input. I have some help tonight to work on it and then it'll be a while before I have time again to mess with this. So I'd like to get this done tonight. But if it's the wrong xmember, then I won't know until tomorrow with BMR.
****.
#9
11 Second Club
Sorry to hear the problems. I have the same BMR T/A relocation crossmember except i'm a T-56. I had no issues at all installing. Here are a couple pics I have. Hope you figure it out man!
Last edited by SoFla01SSLookinstok; 06-29-2014 at 06:13 PM. Reason: ..
#11
LS1Tech Premium Sponsor
iTrader: (5)
It is supposed to be close, yes, but there should be no contact between the parts. Nothing looks out of place to me on the crossmember. However in this picture I believe I see the problem:
It appears your transmission is at a severe angle towards the driver's side of the vehicle. The 2 mounting bosses on the tailshaft should be equal distance from the mount. So either you engine/trans is bound in the car crooked, or the mounting plate of the cross-member somehow is seriously bent. What motor mounts are you running? I ran into a similar issue with someone using solid mounts that had the drive train cocked at an angle. I would take some measurements to ensure the tailshaft is centered in the car and investigate that route first.
It appears your transmission is at a severe angle towards the driver's side of the vehicle. The 2 mounting bosses on the tailshaft should be equal distance from the mount. So either you engine/trans is bound in the car crooked, or the mounting plate of the cross-member somehow is seriously bent. What motor mounts are you running? I ran into a similar issue with someone using solid mounts that had the drive train cocked at an angle. I would take some measurements to ensure the tailshaft is centered in the car and investigate that route first.
#13
I'll get some measurements. I think the trans could be a bit crooked. I am using Prothane poly motor mounts. They were a bitch to install and had to loosen the pedestals from the K-member to get them to line up, but I never removed the pedestals from the K.
What measurements am I looking for? Equal length from the frame rails or tunnel?
I also noticed the rubber mount was bent and a bit crooked too. So I went ahead and ordered a new AC Delco rubber trans bushing to help as well.
What measurements am I looking for? Equal length from the frame rails or tunnel?
I also noticed the rubber mount was bent and a bit crooked too. So I went ahead and ordered a new AC Delco rubber trans bushing to help as well.
#14
LS1Tech Premium Sponsor
iTrader: (5)
because there are not many symmetrical points under these cars, I would pull a measurment from the rockers/pinch weld area to the end of the tailshaft. Bear in mind the trans should be slightly to the passenger side of the car to allow for the torque arm. If you can, you may want to find a point farther forward to pull measurements from the centerline of the trans to as well. This will help determine how much of an angle the drivetrain is at in the car
#15
Okay. I'll see what I can do. I'll take multiple measurements and see what I can find out.
If I remember when I installed the motor back into the car, it seemed like the pedestals were sagging from having worn, 145k mile rubber mounts in the clamshells. Putting the Prothane mounts in there was a giant pain in the *** trying to bend it to line up.
If I remember when I installed the motor back into the car, it seemed like the pedestals were sagging from having worn, 145k mile rubber mounts in the clamshells. Putting the Prothane mounts in there was a giant pain in the *** trying to bend it to line up.
#16
LS1Tech Premium Sponsor
iTrader: (5)
What you may try to do is to loosen the pedestals and mounts (not remove them just loosen them) along with the trans mount. This way the drivetrain can "settle" if there is any preload on it holding it out of line. At this point you can also try to pull the tailshaft of the trans over towards the passenger side of the car and see if it will re-settle into place there. There are tolerances in all of the mounts and it is possible they have all been shifted to one side.
#17
That's what I'm going to try to do. I installed the motor without the trans, so there was nothing pushing it one way or the other. I wanted to get the TA done so I could get the Kooks TDs installed and get this thing on the road. It's been down since last August
#19
Haven't had a chance to work on it. I did take the stock crossmember out and compare it to the BMR and the trans mount hole looks to be in the same place.
The issue is it lines up perfectly with the trans mount but touches the clamshell. I'm thinking of loosening the pedestals. However, once I bolt the trans to the cross member, I'm not sure loosening the pedestals will do much? I mean, if it's crooked in the tunnel, I can see why it would be touching the clamshell, but it can't be off much. It falls right into the center of the BMR mount. I'll try it tho. Sometimes this stuff doesn't make sense and then it works when you do something like that.
I did order a new rubber mount as my old mount looked somewhat crooked when I took it out. That may have just been pulling the tailshaft too close to the clamshell. I'll start with that. It was a stock unit with 144k miles on it, so it may have been shot.
The issue is it lines up perfectly with the trans mount but touches the clamshell. I'm thinking of loosening the pedestals. However, once I bolt the trans to the cross member, I'm not sure loosening the pedestals will do much? I mean, if it's crooked in the tunnel, I can see why it would be touching the clamshell, but it can't be off much. It falls right into the center of the BMR mount. I'll try it tho. Sometimes this stuff doesn't make sense and then it works when you do something like that.
I did order a new rubber mount as my old mount looked somewhat crooked when I took it out. That may have just been pulling the tailshaft too close to the clamshell. I'll start with that. It was a stock unit with 144k miles on it, so it may have been shot.