TA mount (and exhaust hanger) on tailshaft
09-07-2010, 02:53 PM
#1
TA mount (and exhaust hanger) on tailshaft This is sort of a repost, I asked a similar question in the maintenance section 3 days ago (no hits) but maybe this is really a more appropriate section since this is where the bulk of the torque arm related questions are.
With the stock torque arm on the tailshaft, there are two bolts that run through from the TA mount then into the y-pipe hanger. I had been meaning to reinstall a y-pipe hanger in that location and fab something to the y-pipe (currently has a Dynatech y-pipe that came with the headers). The original one had been taken off a while ago. At any rate, I got a new y-pipe mount and when I went to put it on it didn't seem to line up with the bolts. It did have "AUTO" stamped on it though and it looks like the original part. I then noticed The torque arm bolts seemed to have some play in them because they were a good deal smaller in diameter than the channels in the tailshaft they are running through. My next question is that is it the y-pipe mount that is supposed to keep the bolts in alignment? For people that have taken off the y-pipe mount and kept the TA on the tailshaft, did they have to put a plate with holes where the exhaust mount used to be to keep the bolts in line? The holes in the y-pipe mount I have seem to be the right diameter for the bolts that are on the car, just they seem to be slightly too close together.
There aren't any pics that I found with the y-pipe mount off that could answer my question, but here are the ones that were in the InstallUniversity TA bushing guide. Just so that we are clear:
Talking about the bolt with the white arrow in the first picture, and the one with the brown arrow in the second (yeah it was probably obvious without the pics).
With the stock torque arm on the tailshaft, there are two bolts that run through from the TA mount then into the y-pipe hanger. I had been meaning to reinstall a y-pipe hanger in that location and fab something to the y-pipe (currently has a Dynatech y-pipe that came with the headers). The original one had been taken off a while ago. At any rate, I got a new y-pipe mount and when I went to put it on it didn't seem to line up with the bolts. It did have "AUTO" stamped on it though and it looks like the original part. I then noticed The torque arm bolts seemed to have some play in them because they were a good deal smaller in diameter than the channels in the tailshaft they are running through. My next question is that is it the y-pipe mount that is supposed to keep the bolts in alignment? For people that have taken off the y-pipe mount and kept the TA on the tailshaft, did they have to put a plate with holes where the exhaust mount used to be to keep the bolts in line? The holes in the y-pipe mount I have seem to be the right diameter for the bolts that are on the car, just they seem to be slightly too close together.
There aren't any pics that I found with the y-pipe mount off that could answer my question, but here are the ones that were in the InstallUniversity TA bushing guide. Just so that we are clear:
Talking about the bolt with the white arrow in the first picture, and the one with the brown arrow in the second (yeah it was probably obvious without the pics).
09-07-2010, 11:48 PM
#2
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I've taken off the y-pipe mount on my old 97 and my current 01. Never had any issues, the factory TA mount bolts lined up/bolted in/nutted up with no problems. I'm not sure what you mean by they are too close together, the nut should just tighten up to solve the slack..
Also, put in a poly TA mount while you're in there, if you don't have one..
Also, put in a poly TA mount while you're in there, if you don't have one..
09-08-2010, 08:23 PM
#3
I am trying to put the y-pipe mount back on. It seemed that the holes in y-pipe mount were too close together relative to where the bolts are for it to slide over the bolt tips. I then noticed that the bolts in fact are not held perfectly within the tailshaft, and can wiggle fairly substantially. However, it seemed that I could not push them close enough together with a reasonable amount of force to get them to line up with the two holes in the y-pipe mount. I didn't want to try to jam them together and put the mount back on without verifying that I had the right piece.
That also got me thinking about the effect of running without the mount, but the TA still attached to the transmission. It seems that with the nuts torqued down it is fairly solid, but since they were able to move with the nuts backed off, I was curious what they might be doing under load.
As far as a poly TA mount on a stock torque arm, how is it stressed when the body rolls, as in when the car corners? The aftermarket arms seem to have a tubular section that goes into the poly bushing to allow the TA to rotate relative to the transmission, but a stock TA is relatively flat. I don't understand how putting a bushing in there that would resist deflection a lot more than poly would be a good idea if you go around corners... the axle has to rotate relative to the car in a corner, so the TA should need to rotate with it. Seeks to me like that would lend itself to breaking the TA mount, the tailshaft, or the TA mount on the axle.
That also got me thinking about the effect of running without the mount, but the TA still attached to the transmission. It seems that with the nuts torqued down it is fairly solid, but since they were able to move with the nuts backed off, I was curious what they might be doing under load.
As far as a poly TA mount on a stock torque arm, how is it stressed when the body rolls, as in when the car corners? The aftermarket arms seem to have a tubular section that goes into the poly bushing to allow the TA to rotate relative to the transmission, but a stock TA is relatively flat. I don't understand how putting a bushing in there that would resist deflection a lot more than poly would be a good idea if you go around corners... the axle has to rotate relative to the car in a corner, so the TA should need to rotate with it. Seeks to me like that would lend itself to breaking the TA mount, the tailshaft, or the TA mount on the axle.
09-08-2010, 08:34 PM
#4
As far as a poly TA mount on a stock torque arm, how is it stressed when the body rolls, as in when the car corners? The aftermarket arms seem to have a tubular section that goes into the poly bushing to allow the TA to rotate relative to the transmission, but a stock TA is relatively flat. I don't understand how putting a bushing in there that would resist deflection a lot more than poly would be a good idea if you go around corners... the axle has to rotate relative to the car in a corner, so the TA should need to rotate with it. Seeks to me like that would lend itself to breaking the TA mount, the tailshaft, or the TA mount on the axle.
09-08-2010, 08:37 PM
#5
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I see what you're saying now. Is your car an M6? Maybe the A4/M6 has a different mounting bracket there.. I dont know.. And like I said I never saw any loose bolts when I took off the y-pipe hanger..
I'm no autocrosser, but I like my corner carving, and I never felt any difference in the corners. I felt a big difference in a WOT launch, felt much more solid.
I'm no autocrosser, but I like my corner carving, and I never felt any difference in the corners. I felt a big difference in a WOT launch, felt much more solid.
09-08-2010, 09:02 PM
#6
The A4 and M6 do have different mounts. Mine is an auto, and I have a mount with AUTO stamped on it. What I meant with right version was if there was a difference between the V6 Auto one and the V8 Auto one. Probably not, but I thought it wouldn't hurt to ask. When I get a chance I will just mess around with it until the bolts line up enough to put the mount on.
This whole topic came up bc I want to redo my y-pipe to tuck it better and thought it might be helpful to utilize the stock style hanger / mount.
This whole topic came up bc I want to redo my y-pipe to tuck it better and thought it might be helpful to utilize the stock style hanger / mount.
