Ingalls’ Frequently

Asked Questions about the

Stiffy™ Engine Torque Damper

Q: What does the Stiffy™ Engine Torque Damper do for my car?

A: The design of the Stiffy™ is such that it prevents the engine from violently moving in the engine bay. This reduction in engine movement also reduces wheel hop and improves shifter feel.

Q: Why is wheel hop a bad thing?

A: Wheel hop is the result of the engine and transmission not being able to transmit the power to the road. The negative is that not only are you not getting the best possible traction, you could be damaging the suspension and drive train of the car.

Q: How does the Stiffy™ ETD improve shifting?

A: The added rigidity of the engine will allow the shift linkage and shift forks to respond to your inputs much more precisely. This improves shift feel as well, reducing the chance of a missed shift and a noticeable improvement in shift engagement.

Q: Which end of the Stiffy™ is mounted on the engine bracket?

A: There are two sides of every Stiffy™ ETD. There is an adjustable end, which allows for length changes, preload changes, and has a male Heim joint. The other end has the non-adjustable female Heim joint and should always be mounted on the engine bracket. There is only one proper way to orient a Stiffy™ ™.

Q: I can’t get the Heim joints to line up with the brackets or I can’t get the bolts in both sides of the Stiffy™, what do I do?

A: The first step is to adjust the preload to the preload on the Stiffy™. Remember the loosest setting is when the distance from the main housing to the top of the adjustment plunger is 15mm; the tightest setting is when that distance is 10mm. From factory the preload is set to 14mm and is on the softer end of the adjustment. Don’t tighten the Locking Jam Nut for the Adjustment Plunger past 35 ft/lbs. Then loosen the Heim Joint Locking Jam Nut and adjust the length of the unit until it matches the bracket. Tighten the Heim Joint Locking Jam Nut and install.

Q: When I start the car or drive it at XXXX rpm I hear a vibration or whistling sound coming from the damper, what causes this?

A: This is typically caused by either a missing or damaged O-Ring and is easily replaced or installed. Replacement O-Rings can be found at Home Depot or another option is to use a faucet gasket (like from a sprinkler hose). Either option is cheap ($0.50) and easily obtained.

Q: When I put my car in First, Reverse, Drive, etc. it makes a loud pop or click, what now?

A: This is usually caused by the preload adjustment being too loose. Another reason for this issue could be cold weather. As rubber gets cold it gets hard and shrinks which can cause this problem. If the problem goes away after the car warms up, it is advised to leave the preload adjustment alone. If the problem persists, then you might want to consider tightening the preload adjustment.