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Cortex Torque Arm Install

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Hey guys,

I'm planning on installing the Cortex torque arm tomorrow and wanted to double check something with people that have already installed it... or have been under their cars recently.

While reading the instructions, I noticed that the center bracket is bolted on using existing nuts that fastened "winglets", shown below.

torqarm_zpsur1kxbys.png

I dont recall the bosses having these winglets. I tried doing a general photo search online, and all I could find were the rotisserie undercarriage pics when the boss was first introduced. The rotisserie pics show that the boss doesn't have the winglets, but these could have been pre-production cars without all the parts installed.

So I wanted to pick the brains of people that have already installed the cortex torque arm. Do you remember if the winglets were on your car, or did you have to source the nuts?

Thanks in advance!
 
Tri-bar, turns out the hardware is provided, because the boss doesn't have the winglets.
I just double checked and there are 4 nuts provided in the hardware bag. This was also confirmed by another person that on a mustang FB group that has done multiple torque arm installs on a bosses.
 

Grant 302

basic and well known psychic
Those aerodynamic 'spats' aren't included on the Bosses due to the side pipe routing. I took mine off of my GT/FakeR when I put the Boss side pipes on.

I suspect either the pipes themselves or the exhaust flow from the sidepipes could serve similar aero functiion to reduce the squish in front of the rear tires.
 
I just finished installing the torque arm. Ran out of daylight before getting to the LCAs.
Because of loosing daylight, I had to rush putting on the exhaust back on. At the moment, I'm not too comfortable with the clearance between the of the torque arm and the mid-pipes. May have to grind down the small tab on the H-pipe to allow for more adjustment.

NVH. My diff was already very noise, and now the torque arm seems to be translating and multiplying that NVH right into the cabin under the arm rest. I have new rattles coming from the e-brake handle and a ton of gear noise. If I can't figure out how to reduce the NVH, the car may no longer be bearable to drive on weekends, or the occasional trip to work. Long drives to VIR are going to suck!

On my short test drive, I couldn't really get up to speed. So can't really comment on the handling characteristic changes.

While rushing, I cross threaded the threads for the front seat bolts :mad: Anyone know what thread they are? I'm hoping I can use a thread chaser to clean them up.

I also need to find a rubber plug to plug the UCA bolt hole that goes through the cabin.

I'm hoping we get some good weather next week, so I can get under there and check things once more.
 

Grant 302

basic and well known psychic
F.D. Sako said:
While rushing, I cross threaded the threads for the front seat bolts :mad: Anyone know what thread they are? I'm hoping I can use a thread chaser to clean them up.

Pretty sure it's M10, not sure on the pitch.

Edit: gotta be 1.5 pitch. 1.25 would be really fine.
 
I also had clearance issues with the over axle pipes , had a muffler shop adjust one side, tried adjusting H pipe first,no luck.I have lethal performance pipes going on soon. just hope resonator delete is not to bad, I have Corsa Sport dual tip axle backs. The studs are all there for bolting up Torque arm, you do need to drill the two holes in Diff housing.I did notice a increase in NVH,but also did Watts link, LCAs and one piece drive shaft.Good luck with your install.
 

Fabman

Dances with Racecars
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Pleasanton: 1/2 way between Sonoma and Laguna Seca
The cure for NVH is louder mufflers.
If it's going to be noisy, you might as well enjoy it.
 
598
536
After I installed the Torque arm the noise was better than I had with the 3-link so far. I have a bad whine from my reinstall on the 3:73 gears right around 65 mph to 80. Now it's not as loud and less chatter from the Tru trac. On the flip side, side pipes are back on with no disks. That could be helping.
 
My NVH is pretty bad. I would be ok with another minor increase, but the whine is pretty loud and it hurts my ear at legal highways speeds. So, I have to go at least 10mph above to avoid hearing damage :rolleyes:
I think, hoping, my pinion bearing may be going out, which is causing all the noise... may have to get the rear end rebuilt.

In the meantime, I bought a piece of dynamat style material to wrap around the e-brake line to remedy the ebrake handle button rattle. The driveshaft tunnel bracket contacts the ebrake line. I'm hoping isolating them with the wrap may eliminate the rattle.

Need the weather to cooperate so I can install the whileline LCAs, the dynamat, fix the seat mount threads, and look things over.
 
598
536
Are you using the Watts link also ? The diff cover they use for the TA or WL with those cap screws, if you press them to tight they can add noise too, I did mine at 5 ft pounds or 60 inch pounds. Sounds like you have more going on in the rear end than I do. It shouldn't be that loud.
 
I do have the wattslink. I had a shop service the rear end before and they had set the bearing caps. When I installed the torque arm, I did not adjust the load screws.
 
Are you using the Watts link also ? The diff cover they use for the TA or WL with those cap screws, if you press them to tight they can add noise too, I did mine at 5 ft pounds or 60 inch pounds. Sounds like you have more going on in the rear end than I do. It shouldn't be that loud.

Thats a good call and a possible suspect in combination with the earlier mention by the OP of having a Diff on the noisy side to begin with.

I was surprised at how quiet the Torque Arm was in terms of NVH when I installed mine. I was expecting much worse but maybe I just lucked out. I have a very heavy dose of Rod Ends in my setup also which made the low level of NVH I experience even more surprising.

Not trying to be funny here but is it possible the exhaust piping is rubbing somewhere adding to the NVH? Another possibility could be that the rear end/Watts/Trailing Arms...etc need to be checked to ensure that they are all properly centered (Thrust Angle..etc) with all the new parts in place.

Do you have the factory drive shaft still? An aftermarket drive shaft could also contribute depending on what kind it is. I installed a Carbon Fiber DSS unit at the same time as the Torque Arm and these are said to reduce NVH a bit and could be one reason I don't find the NVH to be too bad in my setup. Just a thought
 

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