Motor Mount Warnings hatch vs vert

[Strype]

Just wanted to throw this out there so no one goes through what I did this weekend. We changed the motor mounts on my friends 89 hatch.

1) Evidentally there is a rumor that you can change your hatch or notch model motor mounts for the tougher convertible motor mounts. We tried and failed. While in theory I could see it happening if one were to cut the hole in the frame a little while dropping a hoisted motor in, I cannot see this ever working while just jacking the motor from underneath. They just do not line up like the stock set, and the pitch is way off.

2) We exchanged the Convertible MM for the stock set at Advance. The stock set required fabrication:

a) We had to change over the brackets that mount to the block for use on the new mounts. They did not fit the new MM.
b) We enlarged the screw holes using a step bit... That worked. Unfortunately it was crooked when we finally got it on.
c) We filed the bracket so that it would fit correctly... Then it was at least half an inch off from the block holes when we finally went to put it on
d) So we drilled a hole next to the original holes on the block bracket and connected the holes (We slotted the bracket) so that we could slide it into correct placement. That worked.

What started to be an hour job turned into half a day, so just thought I'd throw that out there

 

[GSXRMIXXER]

Just wanted to throw this out there so no one goes through what I did this weekend. We changed the motor mounts on my friends 89 hatch.

1) Evidentally there is a rumor that you can change your hatch or notch model motor mounts for the tougher convertible motor mounts. We tried and failed. While in theory I could see it happening if one were to cut the hole in the frame a little while dropping a hoisted motor in, I cannot see this ever working while just jacking the motor from underneath. They just do not line up like the stock set, and the pitch is way off.

2) We exchanged the Convertible MM for the stock set at Advance. The stock set required fabrication:

a) We had to change over the brackets that mount to the block for use on the new mounts. They did not fit the new MM.
b) We enlarged the screw holes using a step bit... That worked. Unfortunately it was crooked when we finally got it on.
c) We filed the bracket so that it would fit correctly... Then it was at least half an inch off from the block holes when we finally went to put it on
d) So we drilled a hole next to the original holes on the block bracket and connected the holes (We slotted the bracket) so that we could slide it into correct placement. That worked.

What started to be an hour job turned into half a day, so just thought I'd throw that out there

dont you love those days? you finished though

 

[Strype]

dont you love those days? you finished though

I'm hurting in places I didn't know I had

 

[millhouse]

It's not a rumor…you should be able to swap out to convertible mounts with no problem. I believe beginning in 93 Ford started using the vert mounts on all 5.0 mustangs. The only difference is they lower the engine 1/2"-3/4". It sounds as if there was something else wrong with the install. I wonder if AutoZone didn’t give you the wrong mounts altogether!

 

[iwashmycar]

sounds like you may have went through more than you had to

 

[Strype]

It's not a rumor…you should be able to swap out to convertible mounts with no problem. I believe beginning in 93 Ford started using the vert mounts on all 5.0 mustangs. The only difference is they lower the engine 1/2"-3/4". It sounds as if there was something else wrong with the install. I wonder if AutoZone didn’t give you the wrong mounts altogether!

It is a rumor, I tried it. The angle of the big stud that goes into the frame is raked too far. It is mor horizontal than the stock mounts. Go to autozone and sit both next to each other.
Yeah I heard that also about the 93's. My 93 supposedly has them. But trust me... It won't work without changing the hole to the frame, at least not on an 89. Theory only goes so far when you've actually tried it.

sounds like you may have went through more than you had to

Should have just hoisted the motor, cut the frame out a little and dropped it back in with the convertible mounts

Problem is we didn't have the water jacket stud to hoist by, and we didn't have room to cut the frame out any.

 

[millhouse]

It is a rumor, I tried it. The angle of the big stud that goes into the frame is raked too far. It is mor horizontal than the stock mounts. Go to autozone and sit both next to each other.
Yeah I heard that also about the 93's. My 93 supposedly has them. But trust me... It won't work without changing the hole to the frame, at least not on an 89. Theory only goes so far when you've actually tried it.



Should have just hoisted the motor, cut the frame out a little and dropped it back in with the convertible mounts

Problem is we didn't have the water jacket stud to hoist by, and we didn't have room to cut the frame out any.

I too have an 89…and it worked just fine. Many…many others have done this too with no issues.

 

[Strype]

I too have an 89…and it worked just fine. Many…many others have done this too with no issues.

Yeah we got the vert mounts at autozone...
So if you've done it...


I hate autozone


Did you just jack the motor up?

 

[Strype]

Hey millhouse- this is my artist's representation (lol) of the mounts and the problem we had... The vert mounts were much smaller but their brackets werre made into them and were much taller.

If you look, you can see the light blue portion is off on angle. That's part of the problem we had. Also we had the other problem mentioned where we had to slot... I dunno if that would have been a problem on the vert mounts or not since we didn't get that far.

View attachment 403839

 

[Italian-LX]

. . . But trust me... It won't work without changing the hole to the frame, at least not on an 89. Theory only goes so far when you've actually tried it.

That's BS. I pulled a motor out of my '91 convertible and dropped it in my '88 coupe with no issue at all and no change to the motor mounts.

I also just dropped a 418w in the same coupe using brand new convertible mounts from O'Reilly with no problems at all.

There was obviously something else wrong with your install.

 

[Strype]

That's BS. I pulled a motor out of my '91 convertible and dropped it in my '88 coupe with no issue at all and no change to the motor mounts.

I also just dropped a 418w in the same coupe using brand new convertible mounts from O'Reilly with no problems at all.

There was obviously something else wrong with your install.

Does anyone have a picture of the vert mounts? I'm starting to believe we had the wrong ones all along

I'm telling you guys... The ones that we had WOULD NOT FIT. But, If we had more room (ie dropping a motor in) we might could have made them work, though the angle was still off.

 

[Italian-LX]

Hey millhouse- this is my artist's representation (lol) of the mounts and the problem we had...

Yeah, if your little picture is a true depiction of what you got, then someone at the parts store screwed you. both mounts should have the exact same angle since the K-member never changed between the two body styles.

 

[millhouse]

Hey millhouse- this is my artist's representation (lol) of the mounts and the problem we had... The vert mounts were much smaller but their brackets werre made into them and were much taller.

If you look, you can see the light blue portion is off on angle. That's part of the problem we had. Also we had the other problem mentioned where we had to slot... I dunno if that would have been a problem on the vert mounts or not since we didn't get that far.

View attachment 403835

Honestly…it's been such a long time I can't remember what the physical difference between the two looked like. My stockers were quite trashed…so I didn’t really bother comparing anything except the stud and the dowel.

 

[Strype]

Yeah, if your little picture is a true depiction of what you got, then someone at the parts store screwed you. both mounts should have the exact same angle since the K-member never changed between the two body styles.

I'm starting to think so. Those that we had may have been for a crown vic or something because the angle was so far off. We didn't notice until we tried to put them on, then we held them up to those that came off of it. Then when we got the new stock mounts we compared the new Vert mounts and the angle difference was much more apparent. I guess we missed out on that one



I'm on Advance's web site now looking at pictures. What we had was very close to the vert mounts if that wasn't them.

 

[trbkrb]

I've put several sets of mounts on my 87, one set of the parts store garbage ones (lasted about a year) and after that a couple sets of vert mounts. Never had a problem. But I've always used real Ford mounts after the parts store ones. I have another set of vert mounts ready to go in since the last set is now worn (after a good 6 or 7 years).

 

[just4bob50]

I've put several sets of mounts on my 87, one set of the parts store garbage ones (lasted about a year) and after that a couple sets of vert mounts. Never had a problem. But I've always used real Ford mounts after the parts store ones. I have another set of vert mounts ready to go in since the last set is now worn (after a good 6 or 7 years).

How much did you get the ford vert mounts for. Im replacing mine when I put my new motor in. I was going to get the Energy Suspension MM & TM kit for 150$.

 

[trbkrb]

I haven't priced them in a while. The last set I got from Ford was like $75 or so for both, could have been less. The new set I have is from a friend's car since he went with different mounts. They only had a few miles on them.

 

[SPEED FREAK]

I have also used 88 5.0 convertable mounts with less hassle than the stockers. They worked on my 5.0 and my 351w swap as well. Were they side specific maybe? I can't remember that is going back 6 years.

This was on my 88 notch.

 

[Strype]

I'm pretty sure they are side specific- the stock ones are. I'm betting the aftermarket mounts were just like the cheap, non fitting aftermarket fenders and bumpers I've had experience with

 

[cenok is family]

yeah i put convertible mounts on my old coupe, no problems what so ever. They were ford mounts though, if that means anything.