LS bellhousing stiffener rods

[TotalyHucked]

Nice!

 

[Blazerbiker]

What everyone is missing here is that all the later model drivetrain pieces that did not have side braces came in IFS trucks that don't have plunging driveshafts. The strut rod is there to keep driveshaft plunge forces from working on the adapter and the back of the transmission. It's not a bellhousing brace. It is nice that the later trans housings and adapters are generally beefier than earlier stuff but if you end up with a sticky front driveshaft on a leaf spring suspension, something is going to move and with a side brace, at least the trans tail will live for a little while. That side brace is a good idea.

Don't confuse this will the side brace going to the frame rail. It served that same purpose but also was a problem with frame flex and motor mount wear. Those side braces are a bad idea.

 

[Camar068]

before I did my swap, they were there but not hooked up. With that I deleted since they didn't fit anyway. I used the 5.3/4l60e/adapter out of a 2006. No issues, but I'm not lifted more than stock.

 

[K5Rob]

#1 The strut rod is there to keep driveshaft plunge forces from working on the adapter and the back of the transmission. It's not a bellhousing brace. It is nice that the later trans housings and adapters are generally beefier than earlier stuff but if you end up with a sticky front driveshaft on a leaf spring suspension, something is going to move and with a side brace, at least the trans tail will live for a little while. That side brace is a good idea.

#2 Don't confuse this will the side brace going to the frame rail. It served that same purpose but also was a problem with frame flex and motor mount wear. Those side braces are a bad idea.

So side brace #1, or strut rod as you called it, is the long one from bell housing to the tcase (good idea)

And side brace #2, going to frame rail, would be the two rods going from bell housing to motor mount plate (bad idea)

Am I reading you correctly?

 

[Hunter79764]

My very limited experience is that I opted not to reinstall that bar from the bellhousing to T-case, and shortly thereafter cracked the adapter between the T-case and transmission. There were other factors involved for sure, but I hate thinking that my decision not to find another bolt (the reason I didn't re-install it) might have been the deciding factor that cracked the adapter housing. I'd put it back if you can.
Generally speaking, OEM's don't do things like that for no reason. And the newer stuff with no brace is all IFS, as pointed out above, and that can definitely make a difference in how the load is applied.

 

[TotalyHucked]

What everyone is missing here is that all the later model drivetrain pieces that did not have side braces came in IFS trucks that don't have plunging driveshafts. The strut rod is there to keep driveshaft plunge forces from working on the adapter and the back of the transmission. It's not a bellhousing brace. It is nice that the later trans housings and adapters are generally beefier than earlier stuff but if you end up with a sticky front driveshaft on a leaf spring suspension, something is going to move and with a side brace, at least the trans tail will live for a little while. That side brace is a good idea.

Don't confuse this will the side brace going to the frame rail. It served that same purpose but also was a problem with frame flex and motor mount wear. Those side braces are a bad idea.

And this is exactly the kind of info I don't have experience with. Thanks for that

 

[1lejohn]

I don't run the bars going from the motor mounts to the bell housing. I deleted mine because when we pulled the old motor the kids had one job mark the mounts pass and driver, up and down. They failed. When we stabbed the motor the bars where wrong. I cut them off! I swapped the 700R for a 350 and don't have the cast bell housing half that has the bolt holes for the rods. So oh well. I don't really wheel the truck anyhow. I would like to have kept the 700 housing. Another fail.

 

[K5Rob]

I don't run the bars going from the motor mounts to the bell housing. I deleted mine because when we pulled the old motor the kids had one job mark the mounts pass and driver, up and down. They failed. When we stabbed the motor the bars where wrong. I cut them off! I swapped the 700R for a 350 and don't have the cast bell housing half that has the bolt holes for the rods. So oh well. I don't really wheel the truck anyhow. I would like to have kept the 700 housing. Another fail.

Thanks for sharing. So no issues to report?

 

[1lejohn]

Thanks for sharing. So no issues to report?

No I haven't run into any issues driving the truck. I daily drive it to work over some horrible roads here on the SE side of Houston.

 

[Blazerbiker]

So side brace #1, or strut rod as you called it, is the long one from bell housing to the tcase (good idea)

And side brace #2, going to frame rail, would be the two rods going from bell housing to motor mount plate (bad idea)

Am I reading you correctly?

That is correct, sort of. You put 2 separate things in #2. The side brace to the frame rail is essentially an angle iron with a couple of bushings that bolts to the side of the T-case and the bushings attach it to the frame rail. These were in the earlier 70s trucks and were a bad idea.

The rods from the motor mounts to the torque convertor cover don't hurt anything but real world use indicates that the bellhousings don't break often at all and those rods are generally lost or don't fit with changes. If you have them, it doesn't hurt to keep them. If you don't have them, I wouldn't (and don't) spend any time putting them on.

 

[K5Rob]

That is correct, sort of. You put 2 separate things in #2. The side brace to the frame rail is essentially an angle iron with a couple of bushings that bolts to the side of the T-case and the bushings attach it to the frame rail.

Thanks for clearing that up. I wasnt aware of the side brace.

 

[GATruck85]

If anyone happens to have the two brackets/spacers that go between the clamshell on the engine block for the Bell housing support rods. I’m looking for one.