Clearing the suspension cross-member to remove transmission mount

[unckybob]

Hi,

I am in the process of changing out my transmission mount. It is the one located in the center of the suspension cross-member. I have taken out the sway bar and I have taken out most of the bolts connecting the suspension cross-member to the car body. The car is supported with the wheels off the ground.

I have removed all the bolts from the engine mount.

I can not get enough clearance between the suspension cross-member and the car body to remove the engine mount.

As I said I have most of the bolts connecting the suspension cross-member to the car removed. I only have the fore-most (toward the front of the car) two bolts still in. I'm concerned about taking them out.

The suspension cross-member (or perhaps I should call it the front-end) is quite heavy with all the wheels and suspension connected to it. If I take the remaining two bolts out, the cross-member may go out of alignment and it might be quite difficult to get it back together again.

It looks like someone could just put a jack under both sides of the cross-member, remove the bolts, let it down, change out the transmission mount, jack up the cross-member, and screw it back to the car again.

Has anyone ever done this before and did it work out anything like I'm hoping it will?

[pdq]

You are correct. To remove the rear lower engine mount, you need to drop the crossmember down about 3 inches to give clearance for the mount's studs. I agree that you should put a jack underneath it for control, as it is heavy.

I'm not sure of your motivation in changing this mount, but from what I've seen, the two mounts that usually need replacement are the lower front mount and the upper passenger-side mount. The rear lower engine mount and the upper driver-side mount (aka the transmission mount) don't take as much of the load on the engine.

Good luck.

[unckybob]

Thanks, you were right.

I found an excellent video on how to drop the cross-member here:

You Tube

You Tube

which was very useful.

The automatic transmission was making a sort of rattling-whirring noise just before it shifts. I took it to a mechanic and he said that it was the lower transmission mount (the one you are referring to as the rear lower engine mount is actually mounted to the transmission).

I finally got it off and it looks just fine. In fact all of the engine mounts look just fine.

Have you got any idea what this pre-shifting noise is?

[pdq]

Nice video find. Someone should put that one on the FAQ.

Have you dropped the transmission pan and checked/replaced the filter? Also, have you checked your transmission fluid level to make sure it's not low? You have to check the back of the tranny dipstick while the car is on, warm, and in "park". Maybe you will get lucky and just be low on fluid.

If neither of those easy checks/replacements are the issue, you could have something wrong within the transmission itself.