Torque boxes

[dodj]

I just took the rear suspension out of my car to start cleaning up the underbody. Unbolting the front leaf spring mounts made me wonder if I should weld in torque boxes. My car was originally a 318 auto, now 440 4speed. I know they were factory equipment on convertibles, should they be on a 440/4sp car? If so, back or front or both?

[brads70]

 I added them to mine! Mine was a 6 cyl originally. I'm adding subframe conectors too!

[HP2]

They are never a bad thing to add. If not to actually to firm up the uni-body, then at least to eliminate the inherent squeaks and rattles that come with a 40 year old car.

[cowboy]

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I'm a newbie.. 

[dodj]

I added them to mine! Mine was a 6 cyl originally. I'm adding subframe conectors too!

I was looking at pix of your project last night and saw the ones where you welded them in. Were they difficult to fit? Installation tips? I didn't really know what a torque box was until I read your thread!
I added subframe connectors too. I sliced the floorpan and welded in box tubing.

They are never a bad thing to add. If not to actually to firm up the uni-body, then at least to eliminate the inherent squeaks and rattles that come with a 40 year old car.

Well I guess I'll order them. I see Dave has them for a bit over $100.
Man, all the knowledge and ideas on this forum is getting expensive!
IAS shocks, proform carb, magnaflow exhaust, need to buy some coated headers to go with that shiney exhaust, torque boxes....and on and on...

Speaking of coated headers.....I'm waiting for someone to pick up a set in PA for his car so he can bring them home and tell me how they fit.

[dodj]

There are some  in this thread cowboy
http://www.cuda-challenger.com/cc/index.php?topic=62778.msg644966#msg644966

[brads70]

I was looking at pix of your project last night and saw the ones where you welded them in. Were they difficult to fit? Installation tips? I didn't really know what a torque box was until I read your thread!
I added subframe connectors too. I sliced the floorpan and welded in box tubing.Well I guess I'll order them. I see Dave has them for a bit over $100.
Man, all the knowledge and ideas on this forum is getting expensive!
IAS shocks, proform carb, magnaflow exhaust, need to buy some coated headers to go with that shiney exhaust, torque boxes....and on and on...

Speaking of coated headers.....I'm waiting for someone to pick up a set in PA for his car so he can bring them home and tell me how they fit.

I bought mine from Dave at Roseville Moparts. They fit pretty good! The torque boxes are a 4 piece set, are you sure your looking at front and rear for $100?
I think they are the first thing one should add before the motor! Make sure you remove the carpet before welding! 
Ya I agree with ya this hobby IS  expencive! But it's worth it! I'd like to get a Proform carb and better shocks someday too. I'm just focusing on getting it on the road first.
I'll be sure to post about the headers when I get them. Heading down at Christmas. I like the Mangnaflow exhaust, nice to install! Not a true bolt in though.

[Topcat]

Before you weld in the new rear torque boxes while the old one's are out, I recommend welding in the leaf spring re-inforcement plates.

They're not an absolute necessity, but worth adding if you plan to beef up the entire drivetrain to more HP.

http://www.billrolikenterprises.com/proddetail.asp?prod=1300

I just put em on my car recently.

[Cuda Cody]

Looks like cheap insurance.  Do they go on the inside or outside of the torque boxes?

Before you weld in the new rear torque boxes while the old one's are out, I recommend welding in the leaf spring re-inforcement plates.

They're not an absolute necessity, but worth adding if you plan to beef up the entire drivetrain to more HP.

http://www.billrolikenterprises.com/proddetail.asp?prod=1300

I just put em on my car recently.

[Topcat]

Looks like cheap insurance.  Do they go on the inside or outside of the torque boxes?

One goes on one side of the frame outside of the TB, and the other on the inside. Basically, it beefs up the thickness of metal where the leaf spring perch mounts onto the frame. With the torque box not on yet, it would be easier to weld on the inner side plate first.

[dodj]

Before you weld in the new rear torque boxes while the old one's are out, I recommend welding in the leaf spring re-inforcement plates.

Thanks for the input Topcat. I'll add those too. Looking through the other thread on torque boxes and connectors by Challengercrazy, the photos by Farmboy show where they go. They look like they are just welded in the centre?
Those pix by farmboy were taken at the factory before the car saw pavement..right?
With a standard like that I'll never post a pic of the underside of my car!

[Topcat]

Use a welding magnet to hold it on till you get your first bead on. Center it with using your spring perch taken off your leaf spring.

I'm not sure on which side goes on which area. But the spring perch has a hole in the middle (5th hole) That center 5th hole lines up with the hole on the spring perch. So I think the small plate goes on the visible outside and the one without a hole, goes up inside the TB area.

[femtnmax]

If those plates are only welded in the center hole that would make sense to me.  To weld the outside periphery could potentially weaken the existing unibody metal, unless the welds are near-perfect.  Then they would need to be carefully sealed and painted to prevent dirt build up and resulting corrosion. 
The front leaf spring pivot "hanger" is thicker than the add-on plates, so the ability to avoid bending is already built in to the front hanger.  Looks like your basically clamping the OEM metal with a thicker plate on each side to stiffen the whole front mouting point.
I used the plates as large 'washers' to spread the load out into the OEM metal.  I did not weld them in.  I added a plate to the front where the nuts/washers attach, and added only one of the plates between the OEM metal and spring hanger.  I did this to correct a rear axle tracking misalignment that my car had.