01_ram-air

iTrader: (3)

Ouch!
Glad to hear that things were not any worse than that.

SPEEDYws6

iTrader: (9)

Yeah, I was really lucky it didn't get stupid on the big end, it cut the tires right down to the cords.

Hopefully it won't take long to get the car back up and going, I'll know soon if I'm gonna get this new job. If so I'll get a nice tow rig too!!!

cainsw

iTrader: (11)

That sucks! I was there in the black 6 speed Z28. I think we were running about the same times. uhh, think I need to lose the stock TA! What are your mods? It was good to see another 6 running fast! I never could seem to find you in the pits, I planned to come by and check out you ride.

SPEEDYws6

iTrader: (9)

Mods are stock heads t-rex cam and bolt ons, I need to change the gears really bad. I bought the 28's for when I was still stock internals and spray, which they would have been perfect for with 4.11's. But I put in the cam and bumped the limiter, and that night I was crossing the traps in 3rd gear and I feel like it doesn't cut the 60' it should cause it bogs so bad. I'll be changing to 4.56's soon...

I saw your car, i was impressed with the radials, I could never get my car to hook on a radial, but I'm still pretty stock suspension. I think I was a few cars in front of you in the staging lanes at one point. I was the big tall guy in the white t-shirt with the camo hat on.

Did you happen to see the run when it broke? I was wondering at what point it started smoking?

cainsw

iTrader: (11)

No I didn't see that last pass. I bet that was a bad ride though. I was the other black Z. Welds, 15x11.5 ET streets. I have all the bolt ons, 9" 4.10's, Thunder cam....... Went 11.56@119. That track was slick!

SPEEDYws6

iTrader: (9)

Oh ok, we might come out there Friday night to run my buddies new mustang if he gets the back glass put in in time. I'de like to look your car over if your going to be there?

It's been slick the last two weekends I've been out there, I didn't run the car the weekend before last though. But I watched one of the 8 second bikes swap the back end about 8 times on the big end 2 weeks ago, he finally rode it out and they shut down that lane.

tektrans

iTrader: (23)

Holy Crap, never seen that before. Glad you and your car are ok.

cainsw

iTrader: (11)

I plan on being there. I'll be pulling my car with a green X cab Silverado. Usually park by the fence at about half track. Stop by.

Old Geezer

iTrader: (3)

Mine did the same thing. It results from the car being lowered, and/or the rear end not being recentered after lowering.[Especially important w/ a 9"]
Yours looks just like mine. It hit the seat belt anchor. Once the bar is side loaded, it WILL bend.
It makes no difference whose bar it is, if it hits the body, it's toast.
I called RANDOM. They gave me a smokin deal on a replacement. I centered the axle, and made sure it cleared the body... no more problems..

SPEEDYws6

iTrader: (9)

My rear is centered, and I clearanced the tunnel so much there is no way mine hit the body during the pass, but it may have tweaked it a bit when I first installed all those parts before I realized how much I had to clearance. Makes alot of sence the way it bent though, probably had alot to do with it.

Old Geezer

iTrader: (3)

As the use of a 9" cuts down on the room for rear axle movement.
Also, if the antisquat value is a bit skewed, the rear end will get really close to a "press fit" when the car launches really hard.
Does the bar have a ding at about 11 o'clock, on the top rail? If so, that's what folded it over.

SPEEDYws6

iTrader: (9)

No. no ding... The top bar is relativley strait. I think it must have tweaked it when I first put all that stuff on.

HuMi

I've got one that did this exact same thing. -3.5 on PA and no body hitting issues. The bar bent where the bracing is welded in. The issue is simple. the metal was heated too hot during the weld process and the metal was already fatigued. Its very clear thats what happened.

dfe1

Highly doubtful. Based on my experience, I can almost guarantee you that the torque arm contacted the underside of the vehicle. The most common point of interference is the seat belt anchor. I had exactly the same experience-- my torque arm was mounted on a Ford 9" and was too close to the floor. It contacted the belt anchor and bent just like the one in the photo. I replaced it, made sure it had adequate clearance and never had another problem. The car routinely left with the front wheels 4-5" in the air. I've seen a few other bent torque arms, and every one had the powder coating knock off at the point it contacted the belt anchor or floor.

Old Geezer

iTrader: (3)

My experience, also.
And, as mentioned in previous posts, loose/missing hardware is a common cause for this failure.
1 look at the holes in the diff mt bracket tells that story....

Phil99vette

iTrader: (11)

Madman's torque arm FTW

studderin

iTrader: (28)

I added a extra tube to my RT TA, I noticed they all bend in the same spot. I'm sure its a combo of the things listed above. I didn't know how off center the 9" are at the time but some are off a few inches I've worked on cars like that.

fuel

iTrader: (13)

to much power...........a ford could never do that.

Lonnies Performance

iTrader: (16)

My car broke a torque arm (not from Random Tech) on the 3-4 shift, bent an aluminum driveshaft & ripped the rear brake hose off at 100+mph. Lucky I had a lot of room to get it stopped. You lucked out considering what could have happened.

I promptly bought one from Madman... no use taking chances.

SPEEDYws6

iTrader: (9)

Well I can tell you it was not from body contact... My driveshaft tunnel was cut out and replaced with one that would give room to lower the car down and clear everything in the TA area. I broke three arms total and then Madman put one in there that has taken all the abuse the others couldn't. It takes one hell of a torque arm to live in a fast stick car.