motor mounts

[sj]

I am going to try and put in new montor mounts in my 87 FJ60 saturday. Most people make it sound like a fairly easy job. Hopefully it wont be to bad for me. I have the manuals but I can't find anything about the motor mounts. What I have heard is that I have to jack up the engine using a wood block on the oil pan. After that is is just a bolting on the new mount? The motor mounts look like they have bolts on both sides. Anyone done this before that can offer some tips.

Sean

 

[pismojim]

I did mine for the second time last weekend. I'll assume you're doing the driver side since that's the side that always seems to break.

First you need to remove the nuts, top and bottom. The top is a bit of a challenge. 17mm gear wrench is a big help. Take off the splash guards, including the one along the frame rail under the steering box.

Everyone says jack on the oil pan but Ive been able to use a hydraulic bottle jack on a small flat section on the block next to the oil pan (front left corner). It takes quite a bit of lift to get the old mount out and even more to get the new mount in.

Remove the nut from the opposite side mount and start jacking slowly. Stop and check the vacuum lines, three or four of these will need to be disconnected (or they disconnect themselves) as the engine moves up and rotates right. Watch the radiator hoses, the fan at the shroud and anything else that gets tight.

After you put the new mount in you may want to wrap it with a small piece of chain bolted to the frame perch. I did this as a trail fix and ended up running it that way all last year. This time I put the chain back after replacing the mount. Hopefully, it will keep the new mount from failing during the next steep climb with the crawler gears.

I still have a lot of "shifter flop" climbing in low range. I'm thinking about using a bolted bushing type mount instead of the stock motor mount.

Hope that helps,

 

[sj]

I am actually going to do both. I figured as long as I am doing one might as well do the other. If I lift from one corner can I still change both mounts? Would I have to lift from the other side to get the opposite mount. I was thinking that if I lifted from the oil pan I should be able to do both at the same time. Is this correct thinking?? Every project I take on seems to take 3 to 4 times longer than people state. I would like to do this in one day if possible.

Sean

 

[theferg]

I've replaced my drivers side twice in the last year, and the rear motor/tranny mount once as well. IMO, I wouldn't bother replacing both unless both are broken. You'll probably break the driver's side one again before you break the passenger one. As to your question, it's pretty much impossible to change out both sides if you only jack up one corner. The reason being is that the force of jacking one side up will be trying to bring the other side down.

-Ferg-

 

[lovetoski]

Hi Sean,

I did my DS mount last November, in the dark, while it was raining. It was in my driveway, but still it wasn't fun. My projects seem to have a similar time multiple as yours, which for the most part I attribute to the learning process. Most of the repairs I'm doing to my two cruisers are new to me. My power steering pump had been puking everywhere, so it was really slippery and messy working on the DS mount. That said, it took about 2 hours. The hardest part by far was that I couldn't get the bolt to line up with the frame mount in the front/rear direction. I ended up using a comealong to shift the engine back/to the side, and this worked great.

One thing to keep in mind, you might end up putting your fingers inbetween the mount and the frame. If the jack slips and the engine drops, you could crush a finger.

Removing the fender or spash guard and a wheel would have made the job a lot easier - I did it all from below.

Good luck - but I'm sure you'll do fine!

 

[sj]

After reading your guys imputs I will only replace the DS and see how that goes. If I still have problems I will always have another sitting around. Plus that gives me half the work to do.

Ferg, why did you replace the tranny mount? Did you have any reasons/simptoms to change it?

I ask because I am pretty sure my motor mount is bad but I am not sure if there is a larger problem with my tranny/txfer case. When 4-wheeling I will sometimes hear the fan rubbing the fan shroud - hence the new motor mount. But lately when in 4 hi it will pop back into 2wd. I can't recall if it also pops out of 4 low. Anyways I am planning and replaceing the motor mounts and go from there. Hopefully they are the same problem, probably not.

Sean

 

[lovetoski]

Hey Sean,

I had to replace a tranny mount also. I think that once a motor mount goes, it puts more stress on the remaining mounts. Good to check 'em while you're under there.

 

[theferg]

Yup, my fan was grinding hard on the shroud. I replaced the DS mount and like a month later, it was broken again. When in the cab, my levers would push over to one side hard when I was givin' it any torque whatsoever. I never had issues of it poppin' outta low, though I've heard that's one of the symptoms. Anyway, I just thought I would look at my rear mount and with my skidplate off underneath, I got a flashlight and shined it just right and I could see the rip in the mount...or atleast I thought. I'd wager yours is gone too if your poppin' outta low. That one isn't fun to replace, that's for sure...

-Ferg-

 

[hj60]

Sean- Quit driving my Cruiser.
Exact same symptoms. No time to swap in new parts. :-\
Have the new motor mount.
While you're looking around, check the bolts on your rear driveshaft.
Mine loosened up as a result of my motor shifting when the mount went
south. Well, it took a long while for em to loosen, but check em anyways.
Easy to do.

 

[sj]

I replaced my motor mount Saturday morning. Took me about an hour or two. The old mount was broken in half The top was seperated from the bottom. I put the jack in a very poor spot. I used a piece of wood and placed the end in the front of the oil pan between a metal piece that hangs down. When I finsihed I noticed I put a good dent in my oil pan .

Hopefully this will fix the rubbing sound. One great note is that my knocking sound is gone. At least I haven't heard it since I replaced the mount. I used to be able to hear/feel a very loud knock when I would turn. I think becuse the mount was broken in half it would turn and rock making the loud knock. This makes my day that this sound in gone. In return I went and purchased new speakers from best buy for my blown door speakers and put them in Monday.

My next project is 4.11s. I will post a new topic about this. Thanks for everyones advice. The funnest part was trying to connect all the hoses that popped off in the process.

Sean