Motor Mount Warnings hatch vs vert

Strype said:

Just wanted to throw this out there so no one goes through what I did this weekend. We changed the motor mounts on my friends 89 hatch.

1) Evidentally there is a rumor that you can change your hatch or notch model motor mounts for the tougher convertible motor mounts. We tried and failed. While in theory I could see it happening if one were to cut the hole in the frame a little while dropping a hoisted motor in, I cannot see this ever working while just jacking the motor from underneath. They just do not line up like the stock set, and the pitch is way off.

2) We exchanged the Convertible MM for the stock set at Advance. The stock set required fabrication:

a) We had to change over the brackets that mount to the block for use on the new mounts. They did not fit the new MM.
b) We enlarged the screw holes using a step bit... That worked. Unfortunately it was crooked when we finally got it on.
c) We filed the bracket so that it would fit correctly... Then it was at least half an inch off from the block holes when we finally went to put it on
d) So we drilled a hole next to the original holes on the block bracket and connected the holes (We slotted the bracket) so that we could slide it into correct placement. That worked.

What started to be an hour job turned into half a day, so just thought I'd throw that out there

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theres the problem right there

I bought a set of "convertible" mounts at autozone last time i put my engine in and i also had a hell of a time getting it to go in evenly.

Me and a buddy spent 3 hours messing with it. While i was pushing on the motor, the car suddenly rolled back off the wheel ramps and gave me a nice scrape down my knee and a slight heart attack lol. After that we tried again and it finally went in . We just kind of figured the body must have been tweaked a little the way it was sitting on the ramps and thats why it wouldn't go in.

So lesson learned if your using wheel ramps don't drink too much beer and forget to put wheel chocks all the way around lol, and motors go in easier when the body is on flat ground.

As I remember, putting fresh mounts in my notch was a bit of a PITA, but it wasn't because they weren't ever meant to fit in there for any reason - it was just getting the old ones out and maneuvering the new ones into place juuuuuuust right. I wound up having to elongate one of the holes of the passenger-side mount because the manufacturer apparently drilled them just a hair too close together, so I couldn't get the bolt in at a straight enough angle to get it to thread it properly with a bit of "help" from the ol' 3/8" drill.

Mounts for 'verts and non-verts ARE side-specific. The part numbers for right and left are different, so it's VERY important to take specific note of which part number goes to which side and to write it on the box AND the part (just in case you get 'em mixed up when you take them out). Everyone slams Autozone, and I can't argue that they do hire some complete idiots for their counter help (hell, I used to assistant-manage a couple of their stores, I should know), but I can assure you that their part number listings for the motor mounts is spot-on accurate. It's best to research the part numbers on your own and just walk in with a "go get me this stuff" printed list.

I lucked out in a slight sense because the original owner of my notch had already upgraded to 'vert mounts (presumably during the motor rebuild/tranny swap), so I just had to compare the old mounts to the new to figure which one went in what side. Even so, they'll only go in there one way, pretty much idiot-proof due to the bolt hole alignment and studs, so I don't think it'd be an easy task to get them mixed up.

Also, you've gotta make sure you jack that engine WAYYYYYY the hell up - the springs will go up quite a ways as you take the load off of them by lifting the motor's weight, and I had to use a couple of screwed-together 2x4 blocks under the oil pan to get enough lifting travel out of my puny little 2-ton jack. (Of course, having it up on ramps also did put things a bit higher than normal, too.)

I have vert mounts on my car and they work just fine.

Sorry bro...vert mounts here as well...looks like you may have fallen victim to the piss poor customer service dept of that chain. They might have in fact sent you two of the same side mounts, I know ford did miss mark some RT sides as LT sides...I did experience that and ended up with two RT sides.

Yea you definitely got the wrong mounts, I had both in my hands like a month ago...

Sorry I have no real information to add, but Strype, that avatar is great hahaha

our vert mounts from autozone worked just fine, as mentioned you sure you didn't swap the wrong sides?

as well, you don't have an early k member do you ? 79-82 style? those are different, whatever happened, you got screwed and went through WAY more work than you had too, plug and play, that's how they go. sorry to hear that, but at least it's going. hopefully you didn't cut up your frame too badly to mess up an install with the correct mounts next time.

Vert mounts here also. no problems.

v8only said:

our vert mounts from autozone worked just fine, as mentioned you sure you didn't swap the wrong sides?

as well, you don't have an early k member do you ? 79-82 style? those are different, whatever happened, you got screwed and went through WAY more work than you had too, plug and play, that's how they go. sorry to hear that, but at least it's going. hopefully you didn't cut up your frame too badly to mess up an install with the correct mounts next time.

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It wouldn't matter if he had a 79-82 style unless it was a I6 k member. I have a 5.0 with convertible mounts in a 79 that has never had the k member removed from it. Everything fit fine without any modification at all.

The 93 vert mounts are 104.00 bucks from ford, just picked up a set. they are side specific.

Strype said:

2) We exchanged the Convertible MM for the stock set at Advance. The stock set required fabrication:

a) We had to change over the brackets that mount to the block for use on the new mounts. They did not fit the new MM.
b) We enlarged the screw holes using a step bit... That worked. Unfortunately it was crooked when we finally got it on.
c) We filed the bracket so that it would fit correctly... Then it was at least half an inch off from the block holes when we finally went to put it on
d) So we drilled a hole next to the original holes on the block bracket and connected the holes (We slotted the bracket) so that we could slide it into correct placement. That worked.

What started to be an hour job turned into half a day, so just thought I'd throw that out there

Click to expand...

Even the 'stock' mounts required work to get them in.
Either the wrong mounts were sold to you, or there is something wrong with the car.

Has the car ever been wrecked?


Sorry you had such a rough time with it, but I bet everyone here has had a similar experience


jason

I have vert mounts on my 89 just fine.

If vert mounts lower the engine .5", is there a dif in the trans mount? would it need to be lower too to keep the engine an trans level/in line?

I too have vert mounts in my 91 GT. I got mine from autozone for $25.99 each. The first time, I got both the same sides and had to take one back to get the correct one and I lost the receipt to the other one, but ONE part number is 130962 2725 and it seems like the other one was 2726.

I found out the hard way that they were side specific. I put 'em on the wrong sides and tried to drop the engine in to find that it was going back about an inch or two too far. After I discovered the problem, hoisted the engine up and swapped the mounts real quick, it went in after that. I was working by myself, so it did take some time to get it lined up (I was also installing the engine w/ the tranny mounted to it and my load leveler was a POS). I didn't have to cut anything.

See if you can check the part number against mine. I do know that they have diff. numbers for each side mount, but I'm not real sure how I ended up w/ two of the same side.

I have vert mounts in mine, no problems. Ooops, my car is a vert; nevermind!

Lems

Ford Vert mounts in my 91 GT, never had a problem.

AUTOZONE strikes again!!! all i buy at autozone and o'reillys is oil, antifreeze, air filters, stuff like that.

just the other day i went into autozone to get a vacc. modulator and the guy behind the counter told me he had NEVER worked on a car until 3 weeks ago when he did a 4 hour long "tune-up" on his car. WHAT THE HELL??? i aint NEVER gonna understand how these people get jobs in these places. he didnt know grand cherokee was a JEEP!!!!! i dunno..... i give up....

I used 'vert mounts when I completed the 2.3 to 5.0 swap on my 89 hatch... no problems here...