Mid plate

**joedude02** · 01-01-2010, 05:33 PM

I've been doing some reading recently regarding solid trans mounts, mid plates, motor plates, and solid motor mounts. I've already installed the spohn solid motor mounts/stands. Now I'm having an issue with what seems like the trans is "bucking" in the tunnel while braking. I have the poly trans mount installed and it still does the same. I have the UMI adjustable torque arm tunnel mounted instead of on the trans tail shaft. Do I need to install the solid trans mount to stop this "bucking"? I don't feel comfortable doing this since all the reading I've done strongly suggests not too. However, I have come across a discussion online regarding the trans/motor mid-plate. Anyone with some experience using the mid-plates? What kind of clearance would I have to make for the exhaust?

**0rion** · 01-01-2010, 07:29 PM

are you talking under hard braking or just casual rolling up to a stop light kinda braking? Where's your pinion angle set at on your torque arm?

**joedude02** · 01-01-2010, 08:32 PM

any braking at all. if i remember correctly, my angle is set @ 2*. i don't recall if it's -/+. I had bill give me the advice on setting the angle about a month ago.

Drove around town today and tried to hear the two differences between hard braking and casual braking. The trans bucks way more just casually braking at a red light or stop sign.

**joedude02** · 01-03-2010, 10:46 AM

TTT....

**0verkill** · 01-03-2010, 11:19 AM

it could be the ta as they get nosie with the tunnal mouted ones. that or like orion posted

**joedude02** · 01-03-2010, 01:17 PM

the sound makes since with what the car is doing. slowing down causing the rear to tilt forward causing pull downward on the drive shaft, which is then somewhat pushing upwards on the trans tail shaft with the rotation. any of that make sense?

**0rion** · 01-03-2010, 01:35 PM

normally when you run into pinion angle issues it'll cause a reverse wheel hop...instead of wheel hopping on take off it'll do it under hard braking. What I don't know is if the solid motor mounts and what not will effect what it does. Not hard at all to check and verify your pinion angle....just make sure the car is level at ride height and check the angles of your differential and driveshaft with an angle finder. Did this just start out of the blue or did it start after a certain mod?

**joedude02** · 01-03-2010, 02:29 PM

it's been doing this since day 1 of the rear end and torque arm install. something to throw into the mix, the guy i got the set up from that came out of his car gave me some springs as well. the rear is about 1" lower than the front. saving the cash right now for the QA1 fronts.

**0rion** · 01-03-2010, 03:16 PM

Originally Posted by joedude02

it's been doing this since day 1 of the rear end and torque arm install. something to throw into the mix, the guy i got the set up from that came out of his car gave me some springs as well. the rear is about 1" lower than the front. saving the cash right now for the QA1 fronts.

seems that your rear suspension combo is probably your problem. The geometry of that is a wreck it sounds like.

**joedude02** · 01-03-2010, 04:26 PM

so would the lowering springs for the front help? i know it would make complete sense to do so. thanks for all this help so far. what recommendations do you have for me at this point right now? I've got a mechanical mind, but no real training. I'm just a parts changer at this point. Maybe you could get me going in the right direction. Once again thanks for your time and input orion.

**0rion** · 01-03-2010, 05:45 PM

first thing I would do is level the car out whether you lower the front or raise the rear back to stock. Then I would check and set that pinion angle if it's more than -2 degrees ( by more I mean -3 degrees +). If you do lower the car some lower control arm relocation brackets if you don't have them already and you may need an adj. panhard bar to center the rear if you don't have that already. I personally would bring the rear back up to stock height and check/set the pinion angle and call it good until you can do the suspension the way it should be done. I'm not a suspension expert so someone else will have to steer you in the right direction on what to buy there but I can tell you it sounds like the geometry back there is a nightmare the way it is right now and most likely causing your issues.

**bills98ta** · 01-04-2010, 08:32 AM

Don't know for sure, but I'd check the torque arm bolts to see if they are tight, and the front ones, to see if they have play in them. I had a problem where the arm connects to the tunnel mount. The bolt holes got egg shaped, causing the up / down play. Also, check the control arm bolt holes for play...
Just braking, or decelerating ?