Learn me about torque arms....

I have begun putting together a 3rd gen Camaro for race use, can somebody exlpain benefits and detractions of the torque arm to me.

Recommendations of alternative set ups welcome

Benefits: It's the only way your suspension will work unless you want to swap in ladder bars and only go straight, or you want to create a whole new suspension from scratch.

Cons: See above.

So why not run a simple 4 link with the panhard?

The guys running CMC, Americon Iron, and AIX don't seem to have any problems with the Torque-Arm. The new Mustang 3-link is basically an undersized one.

I'd call Sam Strano.

The four link will be a lot of work to swap in and won't launch or turn any better than the torque arm you already have. When GM upgraded the Grand National to the GNX the converted the rear to a torque arm setup to deal with the extra power.

Just out of curiosity, is this torque arm a third arm that both locates the top of the axle vs. the bottom two trailing arms AND locates the axle laterally?

If it is, it's basically exactly the same live axle design as what Alfa had been using for decades. And I'm going from that to a 3 bar set up with trunion arm.

a panhard rod?

alfadriver wrote: Just out of curiosity, is this torque arm a third arm that both locates the top of the axle vs. the bottom two trailing arms AND locates the axle laterally? If it is, it's basically exactly the same live axle design as what Alfa had been using for decades. And I'm going from that to a 3 bar set up with trunion arm.

the camaro has 2 lower arms and one really long 3rd arm - the torque arm - that attaches to transmission tailhousing or crossmember - in addition to a panhard rod

FYI i'd have had that camaro on the road/track by now and i'm still sour you got there before i did

The torque arm connects to the side of the front of the differential and basically turns the rear axle into a big capital "T" with the wheels being on the ends of the top. It has a sliding joint at the front to allow for changing lengths, but it prevents the housing from twisting under load or braking by holding the end of the arm in relatively the same place with respect to the ground as the axle moves through it's suspension travel. The ends of the axle are loated fore and aft by trailing arms and the axle is centered by a panhard rod.

You can google for images if you don't understand.

It's the same rear suspension set-up as Opel used on almost everything and it's not a bad handling set-up all things considered. The issue is that all the twisting motion of the axle housing is translated by that long arm, there is nothing else under the car to attach a third link or the top two arms of a 4-link to. Also, the trailing arms out on the ends are almost parallel with the ground so they aren't in great positions to use as-is ayway as part of a 3 or 4-link. You would have to find room and something strong on the floor, neither of which is there in that vintage Camaro.

there you are, its more of what the aftermarket one for the mustang looks like, but the camaro's is similar

Good stuff that's what i wanted to know thanks guys.

This is actually another Camaro that will be running in AI or CMC.

Update: Due to outrageous costs involved with AI looks like I'll be going CMC