Torque Box

[280bb0]

Hey guys need some help!!!  What is a torque Box ? are the just for the rear of the car ? I have a 72 hard top im redoing and Im going from a 318 to a 440 car does have a 8 3/4 rear. Do I have to have them ? will  frame connectors do the same       

                                Thanks for the help  Brian

[Mike DC]

"Torque boxes" were the factory's version of frame connectors.  They're basically 4 small metal plates that weld onto the underside of a muscle-era Mopar.  They help attach the factory subframe rails to the rocker panel boxes mroe securely. 

TB's were originally invented by the factory to stiffen the unibodies on the roofless convertibles back in the day.  Then the factory also decided to add them onto 426 Hemi (and some stick-shifted 440) cars as a little added precaution against body twist.   

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


Even if the car also has aftermarket-style subframe connectors, it's still a good idea to add the factory-style torque boxes too.   

But the TB's basically work by tying the loads of the subframes into the loads of the rocker panel structure.  That means if your rocker boxes have gotten rust-compromised over the years then the TB's will not be as beneficial as they would be on a 100% solid unibody. 

[280bb0]

Thanks for the info and the explanation !!  Does anyone know if they sell  torqeu boxes for my 72  if so where  Thanks

[Ghoste]

I've always thought the torque boxes were the rocker panel structure and the welded in pieces were just known as "boxed in"?

[Mike DC]

 
Look up ART, "Auto Rust Technicians." 

They deal in that kind of frame/chassis stuff.  They're into doing practical real-world repairs on these kinds of old rusty cars.  Even if reproduction TB's don't exist for your application they could probably still custom-make a set. 

 

[doctorpimp]

http://www.autorust.com/k_24252.html

[The70RT]

Or this thread  http://www.dodgecharger.com/forum/index.php/topic,26598.60.html