Installing 71 golds aod x member, what am I doing wrong?

OK, first thing I noticed is that the tv cable bracket interferes with install of the x member..no biggie, I can clearance that.

However, once I removed the bracket and was trying to get the x member up, it doesn't really fit.

It doesn't push far enough up to the frame.

Here is the million $ question, what trans mount am I supposed to use?? I'm using a brand new autozone trans mount for a c4 on the aod. Reason I'm doing this, is the 66 mustang t5 x member I use calls for the c4 mount.

It's like the mount though is too tall...so my guess is the obvious..am I supposed to use the aod mount or the c4 mount with this setup??

anyone have any pictures? Thanks!

 

here is the one that I'm using...the c4 mount...it actually looks a little shorter than the aod one, so perhaps this is the right one to use?




now here is the aod mount...it almost looks taller...

 

ok, well I dug up an old picture from dave boyers install and he's def not running the c4 mount.....so it seems that I have the wrong mount as I suspect...

I'm sure someone will chime in tomorrow

 

ok...it is the c4 mount that I'm supposed to use...I found an old aod mount vs the c4 mount...

In order to get this to fit I'm going to likely have to hog out the holes on the xmember...additionally for some strange reason on the pass side, it only has one x member bolt drilled in the frame, so I'm going to have to drill another hole...strange. No biggie. I'll try some force and prying before I hog out the holes..I'm sure a little coersion will make it pop into place

 

Good Morning,
the stock crossmember only has one hole on that side. we put two in our crossbmember so you could mount it with 4 bolts instead of three if you liked.
the C4 mount is what 25+ plus of us used in our installs.
I sent you a reply to your PM asking for a pic. and gave you my phone number to call me.
let's see if we can't get this straightened out...

...Frank...:Handshake

 

Thanks! BTW, you're piece is made really well...I don't think i've ever had a trans x member in any older car just "fall" into place..these cars are old.

I'm going to gather my patience up again, call my brother over and get it a little higher in the air.

it's not off by very much at all, so I'll see what I can do

 

could you have the C4 mount turned backwards?

Frank...

 

that's possible..>I haven't worked on my maverick for over a decade now. I did unbolt the c4 mount completely and just have it hanging in the x member. I've got the mount situated so that the hump part of it faces towards the front of the car...I believe that's how it is supposed to go, as I mocked it up on a couple of old c4's I have.

OK...I managed to get one bolt on in the dr side..the bottom most bolt..It took a lot of convincing, but I got it in. I was able to put the hydraulic jack up and push the trans x member up into place with some force, and the bolt on the other side "almost" completely lined up...it was off by 1/8 of an inch to the left...Problem is balancing the jack and pushing all at the same time...I may have to call a friend over a little later. I'm hoping that with force from the jack and maybe a bfh I can make it slip into place. So i've got one bolt out of three in so far...gotta go to work now, no more time

I'll update later on, thanks for the help and support!

 

might i suggest to take the mount off and see if the crossmember will bolt into the car.


...Frank...

 

I had to loosen the motor mounts a little with my OEM one to line up. I figured that was better than stressing the mounts.

 

That AOD mount you have pictured, is way too tall. I just used a new poly C4 mount, and it slipped right in.

 

thanks guys...right now I have the mount in there but not bolted down at all...

I've got to get my brother over this week and have him help me out. I'll report back when I can get him over...the fit is super close, but not exact...in order to get the first bolt in with the x member loose I had to push up super hard on the x member, pound on it, then slowly wratchet the first bolt through...

Same thing happened with my 66 when I put the aftermarket t5 x member in...I attribute it to age of vehicle and vehicle tolerances, and not the x member itself.

 

here is a small picture of what I'm dealing with..

fyi the trans is jack standed all the way up in the tunnel and the trans mount is very loose in the x member, not bolted down at all.

I've got the one bolt in, then I swung the x member up and even pushing up with a jack I still have a small bit that it's off, as you can see in the picture. I can stick a smaller diameter bolt through the hole, and that's what I did on the other side to hold it, but the other side is off by the same amount


I think I may take a small round file to the x member to hog it out...any other ideas?

Btw, gold, This is strictly a tech thread...I'm blown away-happy with your unit and couldn't possibly be more pleased. This wouldn't be possible without it and what you've done. That being said, this is just simple tech trying to squeeze something and make her fit!

 

That is really close - I bet you're only dealing with Ford's quailty control from back in the day

Just run a drill bit through the holes and you'll be good to go

 

ya, the other side of that bolt hole is off by twice as much...

I'm gonna clearance for what I need then drill the other side for that extra bolt....

appreciate all the help and will post pics when I finish, thanks!