Hello All!

I'm working through a few of the known problems with my 93 and one is the shifter. Perhaps more specifically the tailhousing/torque arm(?) connection. When I get on the throttle hard, the shifter rises 1 to 2 inches in my hand. Before I bought the car I assumed it was just a broken trans mount. Not quite so. While I had the car at the local dealership (friend is service manager and gave me fleet rate to rebuild steering column) I looked at it on the rack. I assume that the tailhousing where the c shaped arm from the rearend attaches is broken. I assume because I cannot see it. Whoever had the car before me has butchered this area. There is steel plate bolted on the bottom, and a plate on the inside in a vertical position rendering the view of the tailhousing rear impossible. The most forward of the bolts that I guess would mirror the rear two bolts is in place, where the rear bolt is.... well, it is there, appearing to come in from the top and through a very thick washer on the bottom welded to the plate. There is no nut on it and it is worn to the point of not much thread left. I'm assuming that someone "fixed" it before by having a nut on that bolt, but it is long gone. Why cant people fix things the right way??

Ok - options and opinions. Both of which I am open to. I have heard talk of a "plate system" which is a fix for a common problem here. Can anyone please link me to more info on this? I'd love to fix the problem correctly, and I've found a source for a new tailshaft housing for the trans for only $85 if it is, in fact, broken. Is this breaking common? Another thought I had was that to do it "right" I'd have to drop the rearend to totally take it apart and see what is up, but how likely would it be that I could drop a few welds on the remaining bolt and thick washer for a (perhaps) 2-5 year fix since id likely have to grind the old junky fix off anyway. Crazy or not?

I'd love some thoughts on what hackery im dealing with and how to make the car drive like it should instead of tons of slop in first and second because of it. Any ideas from the experienced vette owners?

Thanks so much ahead of time!


ps - id like to think ill pull the engine within a few years to do cam, heads, and headers, so if there was a way i could patch it up till then, i'd be .

 

auto or ZF six speed?

either way, jump on that tailshaft housing for $85.

Here's what happens over time, the c beam is relatively soft aluminum, the bolts that go through it ain't...so gradually the toque arm / c beam move and the mounting holes in the c beam become oversized or egg shaped which just makes the problem worse.

Short term solution is to make sure the proper size bolts are installed (sounds like maybe one of yours is not the proper bolt) and torqued properly. Now here's where it gets tricky, a lot of guys just keep tightening which deforms and eventually cracks the mounting web on the tailshaft housing. And then they just keep tightening.

So how to do it right? pull the c beam and inspect the mounting holes both at the transmission end and differential end. Repair or replace if needed.

Inspect the mounting pads/webs on the trans and differential for cracks; again repair or replace as needed.

Reinstall; but be aware that the factory used adhesive in the mounting areas; some guys claim it was to prevent electrolysis...but I believe it was a patch work fix to help prevent movement between the C beam and the mounting areas on the tailshaft housing and differential....any way my favorite adhesive is "Liquid Nails, contractor grade"; your tastes may vary.

Reassemble. Consider purchasing "Beam Plates"; or fabricating your own; they spread the clamping load of the mounting bolts over a much larger area and if the top nuts are captured, make installation and removal much easier.

 

6 speed thanks for the thoughts. any good videos of this work exist?