Hello everyone, I have a T-5Z, and am using the mount from 71gold everything is okay, but I only have 4 small diameter bolts holding it in, and am about to install a poly trans mount bushing as mine is pretty tore up. I am questioning the strength of the crossmember to frame connection with my power on my new sticky tires. I have estimated (probably high) 350hp motor (crank obviously), 275 toyo proxes tq, calvert split leaf mono's with solid front bushings, poly bushings in the rear shackles. 4.11 gears and a locker. regular mustang clutch and flywheel (autoparts store "performance" replacement) so its a soft smoothe clutch. I feel like it should be welded in, but realize that would make removing the trans difficult in the future. My original 6cyl/c4 just had two bolts in it and one of the frame holes was actually all chewed up. I also have a subframe brace welded in on the left and right side from the front to back. And will have a 8 point cage put in Monday. What do you think?
You don't have anything to worry about. I seen the same style trans mount on a 780 hp all motor mid 9's Ranchero. It breaks parts but not the trans mount
That's a good point Craig! Something you may want to seriously thing about is some way to limit how much the motor moves around under torque. In really bad cases, it can mess with clutch linkage and other things too. My 351 repeated broke the right rear exhaust hanger until I had it reconfigured, because it is on stock mounts. There are motor mounts that, while still encased in rubber, have an internal lock that stops them if they get laid over too far. I forget the brand name. Maybe "Gorilla Mounts"... You can take a standard motor mount, drill all the way through it, and run a bolt from top to bottom. Another tactic is to run a chain or turnbuckle from the left head to the frame rail. The motor can move left but not right. There are solid motor mounts, but they really are too harsh for street use. Really transmit a lot of motor shake to rest of the car. If you get the motor mounts scienced out, you shouldn't have to worry about the trans mount. The triangulation of the whole set-up means they deal with the motor torque. If your original trans mount is in bad shape, a lot of times it is due to being coated with oil or tranny fluid, and they soften up a lot. A poly mount won't do that. EDIT ... just read some opinions that a poly or solid trans mount can crack the trans case, and that it is better to focus on the motor mounts.
My family owned several fox-body LTDs and Marquis with the 3.8L V6 back in the day. I remember that they had an engine strut attached to the engine on the LF via a plate that bolted to the front of the engine. The bottom of the strut fastened to the frame rail.
I don't think my little 302 could break the transmission case. Seriously. It might make 300 to the wheels if lightning struck it from zeus himself. I am just trying to keep the chassis as stiff as possible, I am running 4.11 gears, a locker, and sticky 275 street radials, with split leaf mono's and soon a cage. Oh and it is all through a T-5Z. So it really gets moving when you hammer on it, theres always a gear to grab up or down. Unfortunately the 225's that were on there, If I floored it at any time in first or second it would get sideways....also sometimes in third at like 4k. So it became...a safety issue. We will see how the new tires do (put em on today)
