Add a modern suspension system, improve handling, and reduce wheelhop and axle wrap on your 1974-1981 2nd Gen GM F-body with a Torque Arm Suspension conversion from BMR Suspension. Using its proven track record in torque arm development and application, BMR has developed an application-specific torque arm conversion kit that brings modern suspension technology to the muscle car platform. The factory leaf spring suspension does very little to control axle movement in any direction. Axle wrap due to poor axle control will negatively affect performance and can cause serious damage to suspension and driveline components.
BMR Suspension’s torque arm suspension conversion eliminated the rear leaf springs, replacing the antiquated system with a modern torque arm three-link suspension system. The system gives you total control over axle movement, effectively eliminating axle wrap. Manufactured from heavy-duty DOM steel tubing and heavy-duty 3/16- and 3/8-inch, laser cut, CNC-formed steel plate, BMR’s Torque Arm Suspension systems are extremely strong, allowing them to handle the extreme loads of any form of performance driving. The versatile system gives you an incredible amount of adjustability that was never available from the factory, all in a package designed and engineered to be 100% bolt-on with zero fabrication, cutting, or welding. The heavy-duty design eliminated torque arm deflection, allowing power to transfer more efficiently to the tires. BMR Suspension designed the Torque Arm Suspensions for street performance, Pro Touring, and handling applications.
The Torque Arm
BMR Suspension’s Torque Arm Suspension system is based around the company’s fabricated torque arm. The boxed steel torque arm uses round-tube sections to form a cage around the differential housing. This assembly connects to a CNC-laser cut steel plate and rear cage that acts as the mount for the Watts link.
The torque arm crossmember mounts to the car between the body and the rear mount of the front subframe. The kit includes Delrin bushings to replace the subframe bushings. These bushings are designed to take the added load applied by the torque arm. The cross member utilizes a Delrin slider bushing for the torque arm mount. This ensures long life and quiet, and trouble free operation. The Delrin slider bushing also allows for plenty of articulation for great handling.
Watts Link
BMR Suspension’s Torque Arm Suspension is all about control, and there is no better way to control lateral axle movement than with a Watts link. BMR chose not to compromise when designing an axle-locating device for the torque arm conversion. It would have been significantly easier to use a simple Panhard rod for this application, but a Watts link gives you precise side-to-side axle positioning. This ensures the axle is perfectly centered under the car.
The Watts link works by connecting the chassis to the differential with two equal length links and a center pivot. As the rearend housing goes up and down through its normal range of motion, the pivot rotates, keeping the rearend perfectly centered. The Watts link pivot mounts to the rearend in one of four positions for rear roll center adjustment, which further increases the suspension’s adjustability.
BMR’s Watts link pivot is machined from 6061 billet aluminum and utilizes greasable, internally fluted Delrin bushings for a long life and trouble-free operation. Additionally, the Watts link pivot is supported in a double-shear fashion, unlike other options in the market.
Versatility
With a torque arm, you get the best lateral stability for increased traction, along with centered suspension articulation for bind-free handling. This makes a torque arm the perfect option for street, drag racing, or road racing without compromising any application.
BMR Suspension has torque arm kits available that work with your existing GM 10- and 12-bolt rearend, or a Ford 9-inch rearend kit, which includes a new Strange Engineering housing. BMR’s 9-inch kits are 100% bolt-in with no welding or fabrication required. BMR worked closely with Strange Engineering to design and engineer a rearend housing with an integrated Watts link mount, available in the correct widths for the application offered. (BMR also can build custom width rearends for extreme applications.)
Better spring control and dampening
The BMR Torque Arm Suspension Kit eliminates the rear leaf springs, replacing them with a custom upper cross member, adjustable control arms, and adjustable coil-over shocks (SOLD SEPARATELY - BMR sales techs can help calculate your ideal spring choice when ordering). Coil-over shocks provide a wide range of ride height adjustability. Additionally, the shock/spring combos have multiple mounting holes to allow a wide range of ride heights.
Adjustability
Every component in the torque arm conversion kit is built with adjustability in mind. The torque arm itself provides pinion adjustability. The lower control arms are adjustable in length and have multiple mounting holes plotted in an arc to provide adjustment for anti-squat characteristics. The Watts link allows for roll center adjustments. When you combine all this, you have a system that allows you to set your car up and fine-tune the suspension for any form of street or performance driving.
BMR provides detailed instructions on properly setting up the kit, once installed and, as always, a knowledgeable tech staff on hand. BMR Suspension Torque Arms Suspension kits are available in black hammertone and red powdercoat. Installation time is 8-12 hours.
Proudly made in the U.S.A.
