Learn me motor mounts

Long story short, I put new Anchor motor mounts on my Trooper 700 miles ago. They're already shot. I use it like a truck, but I don't abuse it.

So, how do I avoid this problem in the next set? As far as I can tell, my choices are Balkamp, Beck/Arnley, Westar, DEA, and Carquest. Autozone/Advance don't have any motor mounts for a Trooper. I've found these options on Napa, Carquest, and ThePartsBin.com.

Price is no object; well it is, but I don't think it's possible to spend much on Trooper parts. I'd probably even pony up for urethane bushings if somebody made them for my truck.

So, which should I choose, and have I found every option?

I had the same problem on my 'rolla, two or three autocrosses would wreck all my engine mounts and I wasn't driving rough. You might have the same problem of the stock mounts being dainty, squishy little things that tear easily. Either mod them with a moderate amount of urethane or get inserts to stiffen them up a bit. The solid urethane mounts are HARSH, it might be like driving a paint shaker, including things being shaken loose so I wouldn't go straight to those.

You could ask my buddy, Johnny, at PolyBushings.com to see if he could make you some mounts (assuming enough Trooper folks would buy them, to offset the cost of the mold, etc.)

He can do a variety of durometer levels as well to avoid too much vibration, etc.

Window Weld them up! =]
why? because racetrooper.

Do you guys have a lathe in the garage over there?

Tom Suddard wrote: Long story short, I put new Anchor motor mounts on my Trooper 700 miles ago. They're already shot. I use it like a truck, but I don't abuse it. So, how do I avoid this problem in the next set? As far as I can tell, my choices are Balkamp, Beck/Arnley, Westar, DEA, and Carquest. So, which should I choose, and have I found every option?

All of those are probably reboxed Anchor.

I have an RX-7. RX-7s break driver's side motor mounts if you look at them funny, and they aren't safety retained so the engine tries to put a dent in the passenger side fender when you accelerate. I got fed up and I just chained the driver's side down, with a (broken) motor mount in there to hold the engine up. It's been like that for maybe 25-30k with no further issue.

No idea on that application specifically, but be sure that nothing else is floppy and causing increased force on the failing one(s). Anchor makes the cheapest cheap you can buy, and most of the aftermarket ones you buy will be reboxed versions of the same. How did it fail, delamination, torn rubber, or...? There's always the option of just trying another cheap one to see if it may hold up longer, also (depending on how difficult the job is). It's entirely possible that you got bad luck with one part.

Bryce

Nothing else is loose, I changed all 3 mounts at once. The mounts collapsed and now sit metal to metal (they have a failsafe built in so they just go metal-to-metal after failure). The rubber looks nearly like play do.

are we dealing with something like this?

if so... depending on the height bolt size paterns you might be able to use one of these it's energy suspension cj7 mount... might take a little work, shimming and maybe drilling the cross member... but i've got the cheap parts counter version and they are solid and have the interloc built in.

That's exactly what I'm dealing with. You wouldn't happen to have any measurements, would you?

I'd suggest a custom build. Keep in mind with what donalson I'd showing you, you would have no saddle, so if it pops lose, more damage will occur. You could always modify.

I tend to agree with corytate - maybe buy another set and windowweld them up and let them set before installing them. Probably won't be too much more vibration, but should be a lot more durable. May want to check the trans mount, too.

Figure out a way to make them out of hockey pucks.

...seriously, theyre damned near impossible to destroy, and are easy to cut/machine. If comfort isnt your sticking point, and utility/durability is key ("I use it like a truck..."), then you cant go wrong.

Also, if youre thinking about modding an OEM set, Id skip the windoweld...Ive been having some issues in this regard recently. You can buy castable 80 and 90a urethane from Mcmaster Carr or Smooth-on websites. $25-$35 will get you enough urethane to do several mounts, and maybe some other projects as well (exhaust hangers, Diff mounts etc).

Hmm, the Urethane is a good idea, the factory mounts have lots of gaps I could fill with Urethane. That should be a good compromise, and fairly easy, too.

I don't really want to make custom mounts or modify anything other than the mounts, as I like having the saddle to catch the engine when (not if) they do fail.

I also plan on traveling to some fairly remote places in this truck, so being able to use factory replacement parts (as in not a custom mount I made with custom holes drilled in the frame) is fairly important to me. I went out of my way when I did the transmission swap to use factory Isuzu/ Chevy parts as much as possible; the only non-stock part is the clutch line– because I didn't want a hydraulic damper.

I built the engine mounts for the Jensenator using Energy Suspension tee bushings. They look sorta like this:

That's a Trans Dapt brand kit, they might even have a bracket ready made to bolt to the engine. Make up the frame side and you are home free. With that type, there's no way the engine can fall out unless it makes a damn sight more torque than I think.

I used tool steel with great results.

Curmudgeon wrote: I built the engine mounts for the Jensenator using Energy Suspension tee bushings. They look sorta like this: That's a Trans Dapt brand kit, they might even have a bracket ready made to bolt to the engine. Make up the frame side and you are home free. With that type, there's no way the engine can fall out unless it makes a damn sight more torque than I think.

Also pretty much what AWR sells for outrageous money.

N Sperlo wrote: I'd suggest a custom build. Keep in mind with what donalson I'd showing you, you would have no saddle, so if it pops lose, more damage will occur. You could always modify.

nope there is an interlock (or saddle) built inside of it... it's more obvious on the OEM version... but there is that security built in.

I'll try and get out to the garage and get some rough measurments for ya...

one quick question... are both of the mounts trash?... are the failing form tension or compression? if it's compression then filling them should help A LOT but if it's tension it won't do much of anything

In reply to donalson:

Gotcha'

donalson wrote: one quick question... are both of the mounts trash?... are the failing form tension or compression? if it's compression then filling them should help A LOT but if it's tension it won't do much of anything

Depends on how many are the "block" type and how many are the "hoop and bolt" type, where filling helps with both tension and compression...but on this truck they're probably all "block" types.

Are OEM mounts unubtanium? My friend has a MITSU Gallant that ate aftermarket motor mounts like candy, we switched to genuine OEM parts, and the difference was obvious. The price on the OEM parts wasn't bad either. (which I admit was surprising )

These are the exact mounts I have:

donalson wrote: are we dealing with something like this?

They're failing from compression; the passenger side goes first, then the driver's side. It's a GM 2.8, but keep in mind I spend a fair amount of time in 4-low with the rear (and center because it doesn't have one) differential locked. Nothing else seems wrong, and it went 150,000 miles on the stock mounts. It appears that I just got cheap crap rubber.

OEM mounts are hard to find, but I might be able to get some through a Planet Isuzoo member that used to own an Isuzu dealership.

Right now my game plan is to buy the best mounts I can find, then fill them with urethane and hope for the best. I'm not switching to a custom mount, see my earlier post about sourcing parts in the middle of nowhere.

I found OEM mounts! $50 a pop, not too bad for another 150,000 miles.