torque tube elimination kit

[Nothingface5384]

http://lh3.ggpht.com/-whKyLFPghP4/UJ...286%252529.jpg



I dont have a car that requires this.
Im just curious on the merits of this. ...but does help with swapping in a better transmission and open DS and possibly etter rearends.

How would the car actually act with just 2 lower links and no upper?
Doesn't seem ideal

This kit is for 1945 to 1963ish buicks and prob similar GM

Seems like you could just buy a 9in setup for a 3 link then add a top link ?

[bryant]

yes it opens up the transmission and differential choices. repairs on those old parts can be very expensive and difficult to get parts for.

the diff is solid mounted to the arms. no upper link is needed to control the rotation of the diff. it does need a side to side location device like a pan hard bar or watts link.
chevy trucks used that type of suspension in the 60s and early 70s. i believe nascar used it also. ron sutton touched a little on this type of suspension in the rear suspension thread stickied above. this suspension is commonly referred to as truck arms.

a 3 link would work better than the truck arms if the space is available for the top link.

[Mateospeed]

Yep, those are truck arms. They control axle rotation in the same way a leaf spring does, by clamping it to a solid arm. Truck arms are pretty awful for road, road racing, oval racing, and most any other types of driving. BUT they're nicely packaged, and if you need space more than performance, they're a viable option. And yes, they'll need a panhard bar, jacob's ladder, watt's link, or similar locating device.

Advantages are as stated: much more easily-obtained parts, upgraded axles, housing, and diff, etc. In terms of suspension geometry, it behaves very similarly to a torque tube.
-Matt