GMachineDartGT
Senior Member
Can anyone speak from experience regarding the fitment of either Auto Rust Tecnicians or US Car Tool torque boxes?
Torque Boxes
- Thread starter GMachineDartGT
- Start date
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SSing
Well-Known Member
Depending on what you are looking for in terms of original correctness.
I used Restorick. Looks correct and fits very well.
I used Restorick. Looks correct and fits very well.
GMachineDartGT
Senior Member
Not interested in correctness. Looking for strength and good fitment.
SSing
Well-Known Member
Yes, right. Didn´t read your question through...
moparmat2000
Well-Known Member
Made my own. 1/8" steel plate. Made em overlap over the top of my subframe connectors at the back. One side is welded in installed then smoothed out w JB weld. Other side is just clamped into position at time of pix being taken.
I've installed the US Cartool torque boxes on both my Duster and my '71 Dart. They fit both cars very well. A little tweaking is need if you have subframe connectors to get the rears up against the floor because the boxes will likely overlap the connectors some, but at least on my cars it wasn't a big deal. As with all the other USCT parts I've installed they're very well made and strong, the fitting necessary is pretty minor, some fitting is going to be needed with any aftermarket body part.
Torque boxes have got to help and subframe connectors should be a bigger improvement. You guys that installed them, did you see a big difference and describe the difference if you would. Thanks
moparmat2000
Well-Known Member
Ran my parking brake cable inboard of the subframe connector as well. This way its a straight shot to the back, and the cable and subframe connector wont interfere with one another.
First pic if from the front facing back. Its a 3/4" hole. The second pic from the back, the hole is only large enough so the parking brake cable circular retainer clip can fit and retain the cable. I used a 6" long drill bit to run a pilot hole all the way thru the crossmember so both sides line up. I mocked this up with my zee bar and speedometer cable. There is enough clearance to reroute it this way.
At the time of the pix being taken i had only pinned the subframe connectors in place.
First pic if from the front facing back. Its a 3/4" hole. The second pic from the back, the hole is only large enough so the parking brake cable circular retainer clip can fit and retain the cable. I used a 6" long drill bit to run a pilot hole all the way thru the crossmember so both sides line up. I mocked this up with my zee bar and speedometer cable. There is enough clearance to reroute it this way.
At the time of the pix being taken i had only pinned the subframe connectors in place.
moparmat2000
Well-Known Member
Dunno yet. Cars not done. But i am sure they help a lot.
That's slick Matt.
On both of my cars I installed the torque boxes and the subframe connectors at the same time, so, I can't really say how much they help individually. On my Duster I also installed J-bars and a tubular radiator support brace while I was adding all the chassis stiffening. It makes a big difference over stock, especially with improved suspension and tires. Without the stiffening there's a lot of creaks and rattles, and when you start pushing the car harder in the corners I could feel some vagueness in the response that was eliminated after the chassis stiffening. With my Duster is wasn't as significant as my Challenger, but the challenger has rust issues in structural places. That car would actually give me a "spooky" feeling when I was out in the mountains having fun, the chassis flex was that evident. But again on the Duster it was never that obvious, but it doesn't have any rust issues.
I haven't had the Dart back on the road since I did the subframes and torque boxes on it. I did pretty much the whole USCT stiffening kit on that car as well, so it also got the inner fender braces and radiator support brace. I know it'll make a difference, but on that one I don't have much of a reference because the only times I had it on the road it had the stock suspension and skinny little radials on 14" rims.
moparmat2000
Well-Known Member
I plan on doing the inner fender braces as well on mine. My radiator support was effed up, so i made my new rad support out of 2x3 thin wall boxed steel. Notched it for the radiator lower tank, and then boxed that back in.
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Chris1974
Active Member
I have auto rust techs full rear frame rails trunk floor with extensions front & rear torque boxes and their sub frame connectors all installed by them as they are not too far away. Cant really speak about ride performance because the car used to be a slant 6 and still not completely finished with a 360. But these are mopar guys and that is their main product the owner gave us a tour of the shop where they make all this stuff and it is quite impressive. Highly recommend their products. Keep in mind my car is about 200 pounds heavier with a bunch of dynamat and they did two coats of 3m undercoating which affects leaf springs as I have just posted a question about ride height.
GMachineDartGT
Senior Member
Thanks for the feedback. I've got the Dart torn down due to some rust at the firewall extension. 20 track days haven't been kind to the unibody either. I already have subframe connectors, Xv rad brace I made way back. I' m installing Auto Rust frame caps from the rad all the way back to increase stiffness along with some xv inner fender braces.
I have cracks at the firewall, inner fender and both frame rails on the bottom and an upper arm mount starting to tear from the inner fender...
I have cracks at the firewall, inner fender and both frame rails on the bottom and an upper arm mount starting to tear from the inner fender...
340duster340
Well-Known Member
I have a set locally if you want to see how they fit. Also there is a company that does full length rails for the abody, but its an involved process. I am also going with the frame caps for my 70 which has extensive rust issues.
GMachineDartGT
Senior Member
Thanks for the offer. I placed the order already.
Chris1974
Active Member
Good choice! you wont be disappointed with those frame rails they are heavy duty.
GMachineDartGT
Senior Member
I'm not sure how, but I received everything from Auto Rust Tech in one day...
Besides the repairs, the goal is chassis stiffening. The Auto Rust caps will reinforce the frame rails from the rad support to the front floors. I will double the amount of spot welds at any inner structure I can reach, add inner fender braces as well as tie the upper control arm mounts to the inner fenders.
Besides the repairs, the goal is chassis stiffening. The Auto Rust caps will reinforce the frame rails from the rad support to the front floors. I will double the amount of spot welds at any inner structure I can reach, add inner fender braces as well as tie the upper control arm mounts to the inner fenders.
SOP - Not really. I think it depends on the car, and also that these are incremental improvements. The way to tell for sure would be paved oval lap times, or for the 1/4 mile folks, 60' and 1/8 times on slicks. For launching like that it should also reduce wrinkling of the quarter panels...
My MP connectors rusted through a couple of years ago, so I'll be replacing this winter. Now that the rules I run under have changed, I'll be attaching a brace to each side.
Sounds like a reasonable plan. Sorry a bit late, but I used ART's boxes as well. At the time, all that was available. You'll have to tweak for fitting.
The metal that has been torn (cracked) on my car has been the top of the trans tunnel - floorpan behind the rear seats. This is where the braces behind the seat attach to the floor, and also close to the pinnion snubber contact (if one is set up that way - I'm not anymore). I think my car's damage may be unique to the quality (lack of) on my car's assembly but worth taking a look around there.
GMachineDartGT
Senior Member
Started with adding spot welds instead of ugly stitching. Started with 1/8 drill to center rotabroach. Rotabroach metal from top surface. Clean base metal then weld. Tap area with a hammer and now it' thud, thud.
1969VADart
Well-Known Member
I used the US Car Tool torque boxes on my 69 Dart GT. They fit well and hold up under the strain. I liked them enough that I ordered a set for my 72 Challenger as well.
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