Transmission mounts: To upgrade, or not to upgrade.......

The LS based engine's rear driver's head-to-firewall distance on my car is 1/2" .... with C5 Bellhousing and .6" adapter plate, I had to slot the rear tranny hanger 5/8" rearward or the tranny mount would bind. The Factory rubber mount was stretched like Strech Armstrong, the reason for the slotting. Now the Tranny hanger is just a tad under 1/8" close to the fuel tank and is too close for comfort. I can see where I bumped into it during the tranny hanger reinstall. What this means is if you have less than IMO 1" clearance between rear driver's head and firewall, you will definitely need to slot the rear tranny hanger or your mount will suffer a short demise.

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Hmmm....I don't have that hanger

Dawg said the EARLY car tranny mounts bolt to the undercarriage (no removable hanger). This makes sense as There is no drawing/schematic of an EARLY car tranny crossmember/hanger. My point is the positioning of the V8 in the later cars is critical to tranny hanger placement. If one wanted to install a 100% solid tranny mount, the engine placement is limited up front.

Dawg said the EARLY car tranny mounts bolt to the undercarriage (no removable hanger).

He is correct, the first time I did a clutch on a 944 it was my 84, and I was nearly killed in the tranny installation- no seriously, the tranny slipped off the floor jack and almost squished my head like a grape. The later mount may have it's issues with durability, but the early mounting system is a real bear if you don't have a good tranny jack or some way of stabilizing and leveling it. The late one, you just get it up in the vicinity and slide the bolts in, no problems.

I just installed Rob's (xschop) transmission mount in my 86 Turbo. I want to remove the slop from the gear shifting behavior.

On the removable cross member cars the job is real easy. Unbolted the two bolts that go through the transmission and the bolts that hold the cross member to the car. Unbolted the fuel filter that bolts to the cross member and moved it out of the way. Used my transmission jack to lower the tranny about two inches, pulled the cross member with the old transmission mount still attached out from the passenger side rear wheel well. Installed the new Xshop mount and slide the cross member back into place, bolted up the tranny. I did have to shave about 1/8 inch off the new transmission mount to fit into the cross member. I did not remove the shift linkage, axle shafts or drive shaft.

I am also polishing the aluminum suspension arms and bits, turning the rotors, new brake pads and painting the calipers, so I won’t get the car back on the road for a test drive until next week. (I still have the 4 cylinder turbo motor in the car). I will post feedback on shifter improvement next week.
Greg

Finally got the car back together and took it for a spin. The gear shifting action is much improved and a lot of the slop is gone. I am getting a bit more gear noise in the cabin of the car than before. My new transmission mount fit rather snug between the cross-member side rails. I plan to remove the transmission mount and narrow it down to create additional space between the mount and the cross-member side rails.

Greg K.

Welcome to the world of solid mounts! That noise that you hear is because of the mount. No rubber means no isolation.

No, he had to trim the sides where it inserts into the tranny hanger. Totally my fault as I sent out a couple of sets before I actually pulled my tranny hanger and realized the old factory mount that I mic'd fits jam-snug in the hanger. I took a grinder to the sides of mine as well. should be 1/8" between tranny hanger inner wall and billet mount sides. Also the 2 different tranny hangers I have vary by 1/8" in there because these hangers are stamped steel and may be warped a little.

Also In this process I realized something else about the V8 swap and I'll say it again.....If your LS engine rear driver's side head to firewall distance is not 0.875" and you install a SOLID mount....you will more then likely have to slot the tranny hanger holes where they attach to the body....I am making the next batch of mounts specifically for the V8 swap that sets the billet attachment point back 5/8" for maximum adjustability and no tranny hanger slotting to get the V8 as far back as possible.

Removed the transaxle mount and used a metal band saw to cut down both sides of the mount so that I had 1/8 inch between each cross-member side rail. All the gear noise that was coming into the cabin of the car is now gone. Thanks Rob for the transaxle mount.

Greg K.

Sorry X I hope it wasn't something I didn't send that screwed you up.

No, this was on the first couple of Late mounts. This actually shed more light on the problem when you stick the V8 in first with the factory rubber mount, it stretches the piss out of it. Later when you go to put in another rubber or even worse, a solid mount, depending on engine placement,you will be in for a pleasant surprise....
I think for the Early 2-piece mounts, I will slot the mount-to-body bolt holes, Actually making it easier to install/adjust the V8 in the Early Cars.

Hey,

I'm a bit late on this thread, but I don't want to start a new topic for this question.

The plan is to use a solid tranny mount on my car, I was going to use the one that Lindsey Racing sells. I was reading this thread though and it looks like xshop makes a mount as well? I'd be interested in buying one from you instead. Is it completely solid like the LR mount or is it still on rubber mounts? Is that it pictured a little ways back in the thread?

I've got a removable crossmember car, I didn't realize that it was common to have to move the tranny mount. If it's a solid mount I suppose you won't have the option of stretching it to fit though.

Thanks,
Luke

The mount I designed has upgraded Polyurethane (60A) bushings that give a solid mount feel without the vibrations. I also designed it to where you can drill out the 4 holes in the late tranny X-member to 1/2" and install bolts (no poly bushings) for a true solid mount if you so wish....

I am finishing up a batch ATM that are V8-944 specific in that the engine can be set back to almost the firewall without having to slot the tranny x-member.....

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great, thanks!

could you PM a price? My zip is 04627 if you need it for shipping.

after about 30 mins I managed to get my hands around the bolts to the intermediate mount to remove the cross brace. I wish I had the trans out it would be alot easier, but I dont want to have to jack it all back up there again. lol. i will if I have to though. I am about to add this mount to the crossbrace, wish me luck.

does anyone know which way to face the mount? the offset is to one side but on the original it is in the center.

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So do I face the intermediate support towards the front or rear of the brace?

this is what I have taken out Robert. Did I not take out something?

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I think I found the piece you were talking about.
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After you drill the 4 X-member tranny mount holes 3/8", mount the Billet-Urethane mount bottoming the threadlocker nuts ensuring the bottom washer does not get jammed between the shoulder bolt edge and threadlocker nut. The mount will be "free-floating and secure on the X-member. Reinstall the X-member and attached billet-poly mount back to the 944 body. The intermediate trans hanger bracket is then easier installed to the billet mount with the 2 supplied m8 x 1.25 x 45 bolts. Then just slide the 2 intermediate bracket-trans bolts thru the side trans holes and tighten those bolts.

Spray that nasty intermediate bracket with some oven-off,let set for 15min and wire brush it clean

the whole bottom of the car needs sprayed with that stuff.

here's a pic where you can see one of those m8 x 1.25 x45 bolts facing forward inserting thru the billet mount and screwing into the intermiate bracket threading......

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I think I got it how you told me. I have taken the pictures that document it.

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Its still dirty I know, but here is a good step-by-step installation on the brace. Tell me if its right.

It does feel alto stiffer already. I could wiggle the old one by hand but can not budge this mount.

That's the ticket.

I got the cross brace installed last night. The trans is still hanging down some so I can install the VSS setup.

My next concern is, on the previous page it showed the brace was slotted on the two outside holes. I know we discussed this on the phone some. I have my front crossmember slotted already, does this mount require me to slot the rear brace holes?

I just want to make sure before I bolt it up completely. Or is it something that I can do after the engine is installed if I need more clearance?

You have the V8 specific mount that eliminates the need for slotting the tranny hanger to move the drivetrain back and having to trim the tranny hanger near the fuel tank to get 1/2" to 5/8" extra setback of the engine, Torque tube, tranny. It is calculated into the billet trans mount where it bolts to the intermediate bracket. You will either simply slot your front crossmember to upright holes rearwards or chop off 1/2" from the front facing of your uprights where they bolt to the rubber engine mounts.