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Torque Arm Transmission Bracket

PostPosted: Thu Apr 15, 2021 7:33 pm
by Howler73
After 5 years I'm finally putting my Monza back together. I'm trying to get the torque arm bolted back in but I can't get the bracket to bolt onto the transmission. The holes won't line up. I have the service manual and it shows 2 different looking brackets in 2 different chapters. And it does appear that I may have a bracket for an auto trans rather than for my Saginaw 4speed. Here's a picture of the one I have.

The 3 holes on the transmission are not straight across with one being a little farther apart from the other and at a downward angle. Does anyone have a picture of one they know goes on a 75 Monza with a 4sp and of the orientation it goes onto the transmission? The service manual also shows it attaching in 2 different ways.

Thanks,
Ken

Re: Torque Arm Transmission Bracket

PostPosted: Thu Apr 15, 2021 8:37 pm
by monzaaddict
these are from gm parts manual.

Re: Torque Arm Transmission Bracket

PostPosted: Thu Apr 15, 2021 8:39 pm
by monzaaddict

Re: Torque Arm Transmission Bracket

PostPosted: Thu Apr 15, 2021 8:41 pm
by monzaaddict
looks like one bracket for 5 speed and another for everything else.

Re: Torque Arm Transmission Bracket

PostPosted: Thu Apr 15, 2021 8:49 pm
by monzaaddict

Re: Torque Arm Transmission Bracket

PostPosted: Thu Apr 15, 2021 9:32 pm
by Howler73
Thanks for the replies. I have that diagram in my service manual and it breaks it down into auto and 4sp transmissions. The bracket I have looks like it could possibly be an auto trans bracket and the orientation it shows to be installed on a 4sp I can’t get it to work. The cross member interferes with it.

But the weirdest thing is that no matter how I turn it the holes do not line up. And it’s been so long since I took it apart I don’t remember how it was. I have another Saginaw with the torque arm tail piece and it does fit on it. I’m stating to thing my car has a lot of mismatched parts on it.

I really would like to see a picture of one installed on a car.

Ken

Re: Torque Arm Transmission Bracket

PostPosted: Thu Apr 15, 2021 11:48 pm
by zeke
Some pics of my 78 coupe 4 cyl mount

Re: Torque Arm Transmission Bracket

PostPosted: Fri Apr 16, 2021 12:00 am
by zeke
Other style in my 79, there's a couple thick fender washers that go in there as well. My trans had no provision for mounting the bracket so I modified the crossmember

Re: Torque Arm Transmission Bracket

PostPosted: Fri Apr 16, 2021 8:59 pm
by Howler73
Thanks for the pics. I have a 75 hatchback and the 75’s seem to be different from the later years. I’m looking for an actual picture of how the stock torque arm bracket attaches to a Saginaw 4sp. Especially the orientation of the bracket to the transmission. For the life of me I can’t get it to bolt on as the holes aren’t lining up even though it’s the part I took off 5 years or so ago.

Ken

Re: Torque Arm Transmission Bracket

PostPosted: Sat Apr 17, 2021 1:48 pm
by stage169
Same as Monzaddict.

Re: Torque Arm Transmission Bracket

PostPosted: Sat Apr 17, 2021 6:42 pm
by Howler73
Thanks for the reply. I've seen that drawing and it appears that it shows the bracket is attaching to an auto trans not a 4sp. I have a diagram from the 75 service manual that shows both the auto and the 4sp and the bracket looks like it attaches differently and it even kinda looks like a different bracket for each. And it doesn't take into account that I can't get all the hole to line up. They might line up but I can't get it into that orientation because the bracket hits the crossmember.
I'm wondering if when I had the crossmember off and the trans and engine were propped up on a jackstand that it move back on the engine mounts and that now keeping me from getting the bracket installed. Here's the diagram from my service manual.

Ken

Re: Torque Arm Transmission Bracket

PostPosted: Sat Apr 17, 2021 9:44 pm
by cjbiagi
My 75 Monza with a Saginaw trans looks more like the automatic picture shown but without that weighted vibration dampener.

Re: Torque Arm Transmission Bracket

PostPosted: Sat Apr 17, 2021 10:43 pm
by Howler73
Thanks Clyde,

After wrestling with this thing for the last 3 days it does look like that’s the only way it would fit. Now if I can get all 3 holes to line up I can continue installing my competition plus shifter.

Thanks again
Ken

Re: Torque Arm Transmission Bracket

PostPosted: Sun Apr 18, 2021 7:37 pm
by Monza Harry
Ken is it possible that the crossmember is in backwards [or even the right one]. I'd drop it out and try the bracket on just the transmission without the possibility of crossmember interference. That way you could see if it is an interference issue or an alignment issue with the screw holes. Troubleshoot this one issue at at a time and go from there, Feel free to share and see if we can't find a solution together, if the need continues. My 4 speed went to another H-Body back in 1986-7, so I can't look and I don't remember the details, Sorry. Harry

Re: Torque Arm Transmission Bracket

PostPosted: Mon Apr 19, 2021 6:31 pm
by Howler73
Thanks Monza Harry for the reply. I've got the bracket in the right orientation now but the holes don't line up correctly, specifically the center one. And I need that one to bolt up an exhaust bracket. Now the really strange thing about this whole situation is that when I put the bracket on another Saginaw 4sp I have it lines up and fits perfectly. I know that these are the parts that I took off this car but it's been too long to remember how much trouble I had getting things undone.

I bought this car in early 2012 and it already had a 350 crate motor in it and was a factory 4sp. But what I don't know is if the 4sp is the original one. I do know that the spacer for the bracket is not original as it is a piece of thick sheet metal that was cut in a shear. I just got through measuring the distance between bolt holes and things aren't adding up. The distance between the outside 2 holes are about the same on both transmissions. The bracket holes have been wallowed out a bit so the difference is negligible. But the middle hole distance is definitely not the same between the two trans. So my question since the bracket fits on my other Saginaw and not on the one in the car is there a possibility that there are different 3 hole tail pieces for H-body 4sp's and I don't have an 75 Monza hatchback Saginaw?

Thanks for all the help guys,
Ken