73, big weight bolted over driveshaft near axle...wth..is that...

[bandit67]

Guys, do I have a Dukes of Hazard car already set up for those amazing jumps...or was this car just so fast they had to slow it down...ha ha. Found about a 10 to 12 pound weight bolted with three rubber isolated bolts to the underside near the rear axle, why did they do that. Is it for vibrations or balancing purpose. Mopars got weights on auto trannys and driveshafts....never seen that on GMs....is it a unibody thing.....thanks....

 

[fratzog lover]

Pics!

 

[#41]

Its to dampen vibrations.

 

[moparmarks]

Dampener on non.hp cars. Older cars had them on the drive shaft. 71 they went to the big weight in the tunnel. Later they put a big weight on the tranny tail housing.
HP cars didn't have them
Here the tunnel weight

 

[SureGrip]

Dampener on non.hp cars. Older cars had them on the drive shaft. 71 they went to the big weight in the tunnel. Later they put a big weight on the tranny tail housing.
HP cars didn't have them
Here the tunnel weight

View attachment 945998 View attachment 945999 View attachment 946000

I have a '74 B-body BB trans with the wight on the tailhousing.

 

[bandit67]

Ok, so, my car was a factory 4 speed car and I was told 4 speed cars were limited to the 400 and not the 440. So, was there a 440 HP in 73 and did those cars only have the tail shaft weight? Was a weight ever used on the manual tranny? I can understand a weight on the drivetrain having a dampening effect but seems it would not have the same effect on the body....hmmmnnnnn. thanks..