Drivetrain Convertible motor mounts don't fit

[revcor]

I have an '89 hatchback and ordered some convertible style motor mounts from rock auto. Got the old mounts off today fairly easily (jacked the motor up with a block of wood), and got the new ones bolted up to the motor. Problem is, they don't at all look like they fit. The studs line up pretty good with the slots on the K-member, but the flat mating surfaces of the mounts are at a fairly different angle from the flat surface on the K-member to which they're supposed to bolt. I let the motor down slowly, and the studs on the mounts hit the bottom of the slots before the face of the mount is anywhere close to the face of the K-member.

I saw one thread from 2007 where someone had a similar issue, and a bunch of people figured he got shipped the wrong mounts. I took some photos of my situation to see if anyone can tell me if the same thing might've happened to me.

 

[jrichker]

The mounts are side specific and may not be marked.

 

[revcor]

They had part numbers dictating left/right side mounts and I put them in right according to that, but I suppose they could've been labeled wrong. If the studs didn't line up with the slots in the frame I could see that being a potential cause, but as they're both oriented at a shallower angle than the frame I'm pretty sure it would be the same if I swapped sides.

 

[General karthief]

I had to 'jiggle' mine in with a pry bar, I set one side in then pry bar the other, some ream the top of the slot a little bigger to fit them.

 

[revcor]

The studs line up with the slots fine, the mounts are just too narrow and angled wrong, so I’m not sure prying would help

 

[General karthief]

Are the mounts bolting flush to the block?

 

[Steel1]

I had a very similar issue with vert mounts when using them on my 393W build.
I could get the studs to line up but had issues with the locating pins.
With help from friends we were able to lower the motor and get the passengers side in.
Then with prybars, hammers and a lot of cussing managed to fit the drivers side.

I would imagine from the pics that the locating pin would be low of it's mark given the stud is at
the bottom of the slot. If you could pry up on the mounts while lowering it may help.

Oh, one other thing I remember is I had to trim a corner of the drivers side mount to get it to bolt
flush to the block, but this was a 1969 351w block.

 

[revcor]

I ordered some new convertible mounts from NAPA that I’m gonna go pick up right now just to compare and see if I’ve got the wrong ones, or if I just need to manhandle them into place. If I do have to manhandle the ones I’ve got, I’ll check and make sure they’re mounting flush with the block first, and if I try to get one side at a time would you recommend starting with a particular side?

 

[fun331]

I put vert mounts on my 89 as well. They were a bear to get those locating pins into their holes. Are you able to loosen the mount from the engine to get some wiggle room to get the stud through its hole?

 

[Steel1]

I ordered some new convertible mounts from NAPA that I’m gonna go pick up right now just to compare and see if I’ve got the wrong ones, or if I just need to manhandle them into place. If I do have to manhandle the ones I’ve got, I’ll check and make sure they’re mounting flush with the block first, and if I try to get one side at a time would you recommend starting with a particular side?

Passenger side was easier for me to line up than drivers side.

 

[revcor]

So i got the second pair from Napa today, and have come to the conclusion a) i did already have the correct ones, and b) that all these Indian-made parts store ones are flaming piles of . Comparing the Napa ones to the Rock Auto ones, they're all slightly different and off in various planes and directions. So my options are just muscle them to death and try to get them to work, or spring for some polyurethane ones. Attempting the first option now. Also I made the mistake of only looking in one box at Napa, and found out when I got home that the other box contains a mount for a completely different car. This is fun.

 

[Wayne Waldrep]

I don't want to jinx you (more...lol) but I've put several pairs of vert mounts on and never had them not line up. As a matter of fact, I've never heard anybody mention this other than this post. First look at the pics made me think they were on the wrong side. I have them on my car and they line up exactly like the factory mounts. So I'm puzzled.

 

[revcor]

They were definitely on the correct sides I rechecked it. Did you get convertible mounts from Ford when they still made them, or were they the Indian parts store ones? Comparing the two passenger side mounts (from rockauto and from napa) the angle between the block mounting face and the K-member mounting face is way different, with the NAPA one appearing more true to the stock mounts, but the two metal pieces connected by the rubber of the mount are rotated a bit, ie not perpendicular (if that makes sense). I don’t know if I’m just having bad luck with the quality control or what

 

[Wayne Waldrep]

All mine are/were OEM Ford. Maybe that's the difference.

 

[revcor]

Yea I guarantee that’s it, the parts guy at the dealership said it’s an “obsolete” part and they don’t make em anymore. The quality control on these parts store ones is virtually nonexistent.