"C" beam plates

[secondchance]

A couple of questions regarding beam plates:

1. Where can I get them?
2. Is it necessary to remove exhasust to install? Is it relatively simple procedure?

[tccrab]

They're made by Bill Boudreau, the "ZF Doc":
http://www.zfdoc.com/c4beamplate.htm
They're not that hard to put on, figure on spending a Sunday afternoon, 2 or 3 hours at most. It might be possible to put them on with the exhaust in place, but there's not a lot of room under there. It's not that difficult to remove the exhaust.

TomC
'Crabs

[Scrrem]

A couple of questions regarding beam plates:

1. Where can I get them?
2. Is it necessary to remove exhasust to install? Is it relatively simple procedure?

Yun,
I put mine on when I installed my 4.10's and had the exhaust off anyway. I don't think you would have enough room to get the bolts out with the exhaust in the way. It's a piece of cake once you have the exhaust off :thumbsup: Sounds like a job for WAZOO!!!
Rich

[secondchance]

Thanks guys.
Yes, Rich. Sounds like one of my "to do" list item.

Rich,
Did you notice any difference after the install?

[Scrrem]

Thanks guys.
Yes, Rich. Sounds like one of my "to do" list item.

Rich,
Did you notice any difference after the install?

No, but I have been baby'ing the Z with the new gears for the first few hundred miles or so. I'll let you know at BG once I get my first run down the drag strip :mrgreen:
Rich

[tccrab]

Thanks guys.
Did you notice any difference after the install?

It is VERY noticeable the first time you hammer the throttle after installing them.
:mrgreen:

Worth every penny.

TomC
'Crabs

[QB93Z]

Once some of this snow melts, we will schedule a WMD and we can put the C-Beam Plates on your car. I have a set here that you are welcome to use and replace if it turns into a long-lead time item.

Jim

[tccrab]

You might want to check with ZFACTOR, we may have some available at the Registry store.
JeffVette may have a set or two also.

TomC
'Crabs

[jonszr1]

i have them on both my cars ,and love them . especially when you get on her in first gear and hit second the car goes dead straight .before them she really kicked out the rear end . and the other plus is ,if and when, you have to remove the rear end and tranny it makes short work of putting the bolts back on. to me its a must do

[secondchance]

Thanks guys.
I will order from ZF doc and see.
Thanks for the offer Jim. Hopefully it's not a long lead item.

[Dynomite]

Thanks guys.
I will order from ZF doc and see.
Thanks for the offer Jim. Hopefully it's not a long lead item.

I just sent a PayPal to the ZF Doc billb@zfdoc.com for the C4 Beam Plates :thumbsup:

[Paul Workman]

I just sent a PayPal to the ZF Doc billb@zfdoc.com for the C4 Beam Plates :thumbsup:

You'll not be sorry. If all it does for you is simplify the trans/clutch swap maneuver, they are well worth it! Makes Cbeam on and off a breeze!

P.

[tomtom72]

two more cents on the Beam Plates......get them, you'll love'em!:mrgreen:


It maybe my impression of them is flawed, but I swear with them installed my car seems to not squat as much as it did pre-beam plate install. It for sure goes straighter without the rear wanting to kick out. I think that they improve the "working" of the chassis upon hard acceleration, as the chassis seems to transfer weight more effectively in that the car remains more level under hard acceleration....it could be my imagination though?:o

:cheers:
Tom

[XfireZ51]

two more cents on the Beam Plates......get them, you'll love'em!:mrgreen:


It maybe my impression of them is flawed, but I swear with them installed my car seems to not squat as much as it did pre-beam plate install. It for sure goes straighter without the rear wanting to kick out. I think that they improve the "working" of the chassis upon hard acceleration, as the chassis seems to transfer weight more effectively in that the car remains more level under hard acceleration....it could be my imagination though?:o

:cheers:
Tom

Tom,

Not your imagination. I have them
on my car and had them on my 84. On the track,
the 1-2 shift doesn't cause the tail end to go squirrely.

[secondchance]

Thanks for all your inputs. With endosements like that I got to install them.

Thank you guys.

[Aurora40]

Ron may still have some for sale also. I got mine from him.

I think how much difference it makes depends on how your car is currently. Mine did not jump around much before, so the after difference wasn't all that big.

[secondchance]

Ron may still have some for sale also. I got mine from him.

I think how much difference it makes depends on how your car is currently. Mine did not jump around much before, so the after difference wasn't all that big.

Great! I just sent him an e-mail.

[tf95ZR1]

Do not over tighten the front C Beam bolts (by the trans rear seal).
Don't ask me how I know............

[Jeffvette]

Do not over tighten the front C Beam bolts (by the trans rear seal).
Don't ask me how I know............


Or the bolts at the differential either. It will do the same thing.

[Dynomite]

Or the bolts at the differential either. It will do the same thing.
ZF Doc says 40 ft-lbs (front by trans) and 60 ft-lbs (rear by differential). Actually 37 ft-lbs and 59 ft-lbs.....so what will it do and what is "it" :rolleyes:

And.....what is overtightening?

I have 4 different size torque wrenches I use and they overlap so I can use any two on any bolt :mrgreen:

I use blue loctite on most bolts as I did on the C-beam plate original bolts.

Do not over tighten the front C Beam bolts (by the trans rear seal).

Don't ask me how I know............

How do you know? ;)

Did you use a torque wrench (did you lubricate the bolts or use them dry)? Did you use a torque wrench that was damaged? Did you hold the torque wrench so it did not read correctly? Or did you just tighten the C-beam bolts with a BIG wrench with no torque feedback? :mrgreen:

Or did you read required torque in Newton-Meters (80 Nm) and select Ft-Lbs on torque wrench applying 80 Ft-Lbs.....or apply 60 ft-lbs to front C-beam bolts rather than the rear C-beam bolts :mrgreen:

It is sometimes a lot harder to figure out how someone else did something stupid than to do it stubidly yourself :sign10:

[jonszr1]

yes just ck the front.

[rkreigh]

I have 2 more sets left and then that's it

$155 shipped or pick up for 150

[Hammer]

Questions for those that have installed the Beam Plates:

Exactly where do you check the alignment?
Do you jack the transmission towards the upper and right tunnel to get the alignment right?
Do you tighten the back differential bolts and then check alignment?
Or
Are all the bolts just snug and then you check alignment?
Do you use red or blue locktite on the threads?

Thanks Guys

[Dynomite]

Questions for those that have installed the Beam Plates:

Exactly where do you check the alignment? I checked between C-Frame and side wall/underbody at location of C-frame bolts (transmission extension housing).
Do you jack the transmission towards the upper and right tunnel to get the alignment right? I placed jack under transmission (with a little upward pressure) BEFORE I loosened C-frame bolts.
Do you tighten the back differential bolts and then check alignment? I installed the C-Frame Plates at the rear (differential) first after placing a jack with a little pressure under the transmission (but not loosening the transmission extension C-Frame bolts). I tightened those differential C-Frame bolts and then moved to the front of the C-Frame (transmission extension housing).
Or
Are all the bolts just snug and then you check alignment? That is the idea......but on mine I tightened them up and found that the alignment was perfect anyway since I did no jacking or moving of the transmission after loosening the C-Frame bolts. And, since I did the differential C-Frame Plates first.
Do you use red or blue locktite on the threads? I used blue Loctite since I might recheck from time to time. I use blue Loctite on anything I think I will recheck such as the Plenum bolts for example.

Red loctite on the starter bolts, and the crankcase ventilation cover for example. Blue loctite on the oil pan and red loctite on the the oil pickup and baffle within the oil pan for another example.

Thanks Guys

It is kind of a corny measurement since you are measuring between the C-Frame and the side wall/Underbody which is heavily coated and made of light steel and the accuracy of the measurement needs only to be within 1/4 inch + or -. I think you are just making sure you did not put an angle in that front driveline U-joint by moving the transmission appreciably during the installation of the new C-Frame Plates.

The 1.77 in spacer should fit between the top of the driveline support to the underbody. The 1.1 in spacer should fit between the right side (passenger side) of the driveline support to the side wall. The driveline support is the "C" Frame.

You might check that alignment spacing before you start the project to see where your alignment is now. Then just keep that alignment with the installation of the new C-Frame Plates.

USE A TORQUE WRENCH :sign10:

The guys still have not told me what happens if you OVER torque the front or rear C-Frame bolts :mrgreen:

[Hammer]

I'm not just installing the beam plates, clutch too. I like the idea of checking the alignment before I start.
Thanks

[Dynomite]

I'm not just installing the beam plates, clutch too. I like the idea of checking the alignment before I start.
Thanks

If you are starting C-Frame Beam Plates installation from scratch (removing the C-Frame completely for clutch installation), I would align the front (transmission extension) first and install those Beam Plate bolts (not tight).

Then install bolts on the differential C-Frame Beam Plates (not tight). Tighten (Torque) front Beam Plate bolts (after you verify alignment) after you have the differential beam plate bolts installed but not tight.

I would then tighten differential Beam Plate bolts last since there is no alignment to be done on differential :cheers:

Do you understand..... :sign10:

[Hammer]

If you are starting C-Frame Beam Plates installation from scratch (removing the C-Frame completely for clutch installation), I would align the front (transmission extension) first and install those Beam Plate bolts (not tight).

Then install bolts on the differential C-Frame Beam Plates (not tight). Tighten (Torque) front Beam Plate bolts (after you verify alignment) after you have the differential beam plate bolts installed but not tight. I would then tighten differential Beam Plate bolts last since there is no alignment to be done on differential :cheers:

Do you understand..... :sign10:

Yepper. Got it.

[Dynomite]

Yepper. Got it.

Darn...let me finish first :sign10:

[Hammer]

Darn...let me finish first :sign10:

You had more?

[Dynomite]

You had more?

No...you will see what you copied is different a bit than what I ended up with (organization only).....:sign10:

I could not even understand myself what I wrote for a while :mrgreen:

I write these essays to get feedback on my own sanity :sign10:

[2nd94Z]

sold

[Hammer]

I could not get close to the 1.77" on the top. Maybe an inch. I checked before I took everything apart though and that's about what was there. the side was fine.

I can really tell the difference, the arse no longer kicks to the right when I grab second gear. Very noticable difference.

[tf95ZR1]

THAT mistake for which they will not tell you what happens :sign10:

Sorry, I did not see the rest of this thread. There is a post years ago where I told the story of my shifter lifting 2 inches when I would jump on it. I thought the C beam might be loose, so I took it to the dealer where they put it up on a lift and tightened the bejesus out of all the C beam bolts. A few months later my trans seized. Coincidence? I think not. Very expensive lesson. As Jeff said, I think the tail piece distorts, seal doesn't seal, and viola, no lubrication!