Engine & Trans Mounts?

Discussion in 'General Ranchero Help' started by Blanco, Jun 27, 2012.

  1. Blanco

    Blanco In Overdrive

    Messages:
    512
    Location:
    Los Angeles
    Tell me what you see here?

    I wonder what is proper & what is junk!?!?!?


    I had a vibration & so it had me wondering about the mounts?
    The center bolt on this trans mount was loose & so I tightened it, & yeah its a wee bit better but theres still lots of vibrating stuff in the car....


    Trans:
    [​IMG]

    [​IMG]


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    [​IMG]

    I must say I do enjoy this Site but hate the restrictions of only 5 images per post.
    I would post so much more on this site if not for that!
     
  2. plumcolr

    plumcolr In Maximum Overdrive SILVER MEMBER

    Messages:
    1,854
    Location:
    Freehold NJ
    From the pics they look OK, but they're pushing 50 and may need changing.

    When do you get the vibration? when moving? at idle?

    May be just (just?) a rough idle. Check exhaust system carefully.
     
  3. Blanco

    Blanco In Overdrive

    Messages:
    512
    Location:
    Los Angeles
    After tightening this single bolt with the washer it cut it down some.

    [​IMG]

    Yet the cross member seems ok but its only that single bolt holding the trans to in?!?!
    That has me wondering if its some sort of mickey mouse set up?
    its a piece of metal extending back from the mount, shouldn't it be a bolt in the mount? vs it being extended from the mount back 5 inches?

    Remember this engine & trans if out of some other car, so the mounts may actually not be that old or home made?

    It shakes mostly under load but also shakes a bit while reving it in park. :confused:

    The mount
     
  4. burninbush

    burninbush In Maximum Overdrive

    Messages:
    8,512
    Location:
    near SF
    @ blanco ... I'm dizzy from trying to get oriented on your front mount pics -- is it possible some of those are upside-down or sideways?

    Are you sure there's not a stock or aftermarket rear crossmember you could use instead of that kludge that's in there now? I can't quite get the year of your car from the sig pic.

    Think it is safe to say that neither front or rear mounts are stock.
     
    Last edited by a moderator: Jun 27, 2012
  5. Blanco

    Blanco In Overdrive

    Messages:
    512
    Location:
    Los Angeles
    Its a '64 with an '85 302 & probably the trans that came out of the same car.....?

    I just wanted to see if any of you knew for sure if these are good or mickey moused parts?
    I dont wanna just through money at it to be safe, money is tight & if the parts are stock or good, then I'll just let it be.
     
  6. Blanco

    Blanco In Overdrive

    Messages:
    512
    Location:
    Los Angeles
  7. kirksss32

    kirksss32 In Overdrive

    Messages:
    663
    Location:
    michigan
    they look home made (micky mouse) look at the tail of the bar the hole drilled in it is 4 times the size of the bolt....
     
  8. Blanco

    Blanco In Overdrive

    Messages:
    512
    Location:
    Los Angeles
    Actually its not, Its just that it was very loose & has some where marks around the washer.
     
  9. Rayell

    Rayell In Overdrive

    Messages:
    835
    Location:
    Macon Ga
    Are you using a stock trans mount with the rubber insert? If so put a new mount with rubber insert, and weld the fabricated extension to the cross member. I have done this many times and it works for me.
     
  10. ribald1

    ribald1 Banned PLATINUM MEMBER

    Messages:
    19,727
    Location:
    California
    For some reason your factory assembly has been changed to a hardware intensive set up.
    If you have the stock engine and transmission you would be better off pulling the stock set up from a yard and installing it.
    If not, get a competent fabricator to make the mount.
    Set ups like this often have improper an output angle, that is a recipe for vibration.
     
  11. plumcolr

    plumcolr In Maximum Overdrive SILVER MEMBER

    Messages:
    1,854
    Location:
    Freehold NJ
    The rear part of the trans mount is similar to the original where it bolts to the crossmember. What you have is a hack. The original sort of looked like that but had springiness and was longer. Yours has been "engineered" to adapt to a later transmission. Engine vibration is transmitted directly thru the trans mount to the steel bar to the crossmember. I'll have to see if I can find my original 289 / 3.03 rear mount so I can send a picture.
     
  12. Hillbilly

    Hillbilly In Maximum Overdrive

    Messages:
    6,505
    Location:
    Winchester, TN.
    Hey Rayell, originally didn't that three leaf spring bolt directly to the trans. and the only rubber was a biscuit kinda' like a shock rubber at the big hole with the single bolt ? I know it won't have any effect on shake while not moving but if the trans mount isn't aligned correctly front to rear and side to side along with having the front U-joint too high or low - - Could that be his problem shaking while in motion ? I know there is a sweet spot for the u-joint angles but don't know them for early unit body Rancheros. How about a refresher course on this Rayell ?
     
  13. Blanco

    Blanco In Overdrive

    Messages:
    512
    Location:
    Los Angeles
    Looking forward to seeing that.

    I remember being told that the u-joints looked bad at a shop I took it to now that you mention this, ( they looked fine & firm too me :confused: maybe I should climb under there tomorrow? May they have gotten worse? ) I figured a U-Joint would have a clunk when going into drive & reverse, yet I get none of that?
     
  14. Rayell

    Rayell In Overdrive

    Messages:
    835
    Location:
    Macon Ga
    Hillbilly, It is according to the transmission that was used. The 2.77 had a flat bar with a weight on the end of it bolted to it. That was used as a stabilizer. The 303 did not have that, IIRC none of the automatics had it.

    The rule of thumb for the drive line angle was no more than 6 degrees on the drive shaft, and 1 1/2 degrees on the u-joints. The sweet spot was somewhere in between according to the RPMs. Another factor that could be involved was the transmission angle, and pinion angle.

    That picture looks like the original transmission was a 2.77 and it did have a biscuit type rubber washer. The 303 and automatics had a differant rear mount. Correct me if I have forgotten.
     
    Last edited by a moderator: Jun 28, 2012
  15. Blanco

    Blanco In Overdrive

    Messages:
    512
    Location:
    Los Angeles
    :confused: Huh?

    I wish there was a shop in the SF Valley good with what your talking about that was cheap enough that I could afford to have them look at all this & correct what ever this might be about?
     
  16. ribald1

    ribald1 Banned PLATINUM MEMBER

    Messages:
    19,727
    Location:
    California
    Optimally the pinion angle and the transmission output angle are exactly the same.
    In the real world flex from the transmission mount, plus spring flex and give in the rear end alter the positions of both ends of the drive shaft.
    Even when the vehicle is moving at a steady speed the drive shaft changes speed every revolution. speeding up and slowing down thru each half of its rotation.
    When both ends are exactly at the same angle, this cancels out perfectly, yielding a smooth ride. When they are not, it translates to vibration.
    Ford invested a fair amount of time coming up with the proper compromise of angles. Sadly, most manuals do not list those angles.
    If you are unable to return to the stock set up your choices are to either learn how to measure the angles and flex in the system, or have a competent shop do it.
     
  17. alfred9744

    alfred9744 In Second Gear

    Messages:
    26
    Location:
    florida
    That just looks wrong.Shouldn't the crossmember run across the frame under the mount??? Looks to me like it is running parallel behind the mount..
     
  18. BillyC

    BillyC In Fourth Gear

    Messages:
    379
    Location:
    franklin, tn
    That is stock Ford mount. Trans is setting rubber in crossmember. The rubber is probably deteriorated and smashed flat not absorbing vibration.
     

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