Note to self (and others) when using new motor mounts

[storm9c1]

On 67-72 trucks, if you decide to replace your engine mounts (or drop in an engine with new mounts), save yourself 3 hours of work and loosen the engine mount cradles/brackets on the frame. Do this after you remove the mount bolts (one on each side) and lift the engine a bit to release the weight.

I don't know what happened to my brain because I spent 3 hours fighting one engine mount bolt that was literally off by 1/8". I tried everything from more lifting and dropping, to pushing to prying, to lots of profanity. But nothing would make up that 1/8" to get the bolt in straight (I got one side and left it loose but could never get the other started). Of course I also cross threaded it and had to run a tap through it to clean up the threads.

Finally when I loosened the bolts attaching the brackets/cradles on each side at the frame, the brackets wiggled enough and the engine sunk down to the place I needed to thread in the attaching bolt. Then it hit me that I should have done that 3 hours prior. At that time, I also realized that it's MUCH easier to put the engine mount bolts in without fussing with the right engine height on the hoist once those brackets are loose on the frame (much more room to play). I left the frame bolts really loose but still in place. Then simply lift the brackets up to the engine rather than trying to lower the engine into the brackets. There is more play where the brackets bolt to the frame than you would think since the holes are elongated and widened. Much more than 1/8".

(Double face palm moment)

Hopefully I'll save someone else the insanity (especially when switching to polyurethane motor mounts).

Even when we've done something many times before, the simplest things sometimes escape us.

[crazy longhorn]

I have run into this also....What I do, if the eng is out ,is to drill the holes in the stands to 5/8"....problem solved. crazyL

[storm9c1]

Originally Posted by crazy longhorn

I have run into this also....What I do, if the eng is out ,is to drill the holes in the stands to 5/8"....problem solved. crazyL

Yes, I considered doing just that! It was my backup plan. But my stance on that type of solution is if I have to modify the vehicle instead of the part I'm putting in, I really need to THINK of all the options before I make the modification. Of course this only applies to stock parts...customization and fabrication is all about making stuff fit where it wasn't designed to fit. But in this case, my instincts were screaming at me that there was an easier way! And indeed there was. Loosening the brackets on the frame literally made it a 5 minute job with no further modification.

The frustrating part of this job was that someone else was there who used to be a mechanic for a living and was the type that would rather force, hammer, cut, grind or drill before thinking things through. I tried to reason with him that all of the yanking, lifting, dropping, prying, pulling and pushing wouldn't make those holes line up. It wasn't until he left that I had the epiphany and finished the job in minutes. I really respect his experience, but using force was just the wrong idea this time.

Hopefully I'll save someone else the same frustration by posting my mini-rant here.

[crazy longhorn]

I installed urethane mounts on the longhorn a couple yrs ago, & had to oversize 2 of the holes on 1 of the mounts to get them to fit on the block! I think the fit issues come from the aftermarket mounts not being "spot on" with the placement of the holes. crazyL