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gjm4l
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- Jun 4, 2009
- Messages
- 468
- Reaction score
- 9
- Location
- Jackson County, NC
- Vehicle Year
- 2011
- Make / Model
- Ford
- Engine Size
- 2.3L 4cyl
- Transmission
- Manual
So I've known for awhile that I needed a trans mount and that at least the passenger side engine mount needed it too. Yesterday I finally got off my butt and got it done. I hate wearing gloves (they fill with sweat) and I wasn't really interested in washing my hands every step of the way so I have before and after shots of the mounts installed but it's pretty straight foward.
Just a disclaimer this is my description of how I did this job not an instruction manual on how you or anyone else should do it. Therefore if you choose to undertake this project on your truck you should use your own common sense and judgement and not take the thread of a DIY'er on TRS as the last word and as such neither I nor The Ranger Station Forums are accountable if you try this yourself. If you are not comfortable doing this type of project yourself you should find a qualified technician.
Here's the before drivers side:
Passenger side (yep looks like it went bad)
And the trans mount, yep there should be rubber all around the metal
The tools I needed were as follows:
1/2 rachet (I used a 20" flexhead matco)
1/2 air gun (not necessary but super nice)
18mm deep socket (1/2")
19mm socket (1/2")
21mm socket (1/2")
various lengths of 1/2" extensions
1/2" swivel adapter
15mm wrench
18mm wrench(I used a flexhead racheting wrench if you don't have a set you SHOULD)
flathead screwdriver
8mm wrench
I was able to use the lift at work but this can be done with a jack, some jackstands and wheel chocks in the driveway.
The majority of my time was spent actually fixing the lift at work so I can't give an accurate time to do the job but I would guess about an hour and a half of actual work. Turns out somebody lifted something way to big and bent an arm on it and threw the lift out of whack so before I fixed it, the lift was going up a foot higher on the left than on the right and that is UNSAFE
I also had to use our equipment to straighten out the arm they bent, and no I didn't use heat for fear of weakening the arm, and on monday I will be ordering a new arm for the lift (it's rated and does lift up our big crew cab utility bed diesels so I felt secure lifting my reg cab ranger) but on to the actual job.
I started up top in the engine bay and removed the nuts that hold the stud of the engine mounts (one per side) I didn't remove the upper brackets just the nuts on the studs. On the driverside I was able to snake a socket with swivel down between the head and intake and get on the stud after removing the throttle cable cover (1 8mm bolt) and since it was tight used the rachet rather than the impact driver to have more control.
On the passengerside I took off the air intake tube for room and used the flex head rachet wrench (they are absolutely great for this stuff) to get under the exhaust and at the stud on that side. Mine was tough to get off with a reg lenght wrench, I'm not a tiny fella (200lbs) but it took me bracing against the bumper and putting about all I had with the one arm I could fit in there to get it broken loose. That was also the only blood loss for the entire project which is a good thing. Both nuts are 18mm.
Next I lifted the truck to gain access to the underside. For this I removed the bottom brackets to gain a little wiggle room and I also don't think it's possible to get at the nuts on the bottom studs without removing the bottom brackets. I started on the DS, there is one bolt that goes through the face of the crossmember and the nut can be reached from the underside (its an 18mm) The bolt has a stop on it so no need to get a wrench on there for me. After that there are two on the back side of the crossmember (21mm) They are connected together so again no need for a wrench on the back. Since the ABS module is right there on the framerail on the DS I again used the rachet for more control. The PS is the mirror image of the DS for the bracket bolt location and I get more room to work with so out came the impact!
I then placed a tall screw type jackstand under the front of the engine along with a wood block and lifted the engine up a few inches to get room to get the mounts off. Also while I'm thinking about it I left the trans mount for last since it was shot it gave me both something solid to hold the engine in place and plenty of give (remember it was SHOT) to allow the engine to go up. I should have done a good look around the engine bay before I even started to make sure nothing will get pinched or break when I lifted up the engine to gain clearence for removal of the mounts. I found out after I was at this point that the fan will hit its shroud but at the point of contact I had just enough room to get the mount and bracket out so I didn't fool with removing the shroud.
After pulling the lower bracket/mount assembly it's just a simple 18mm nut holding the rubber puck to the bracket. So off with the old and on with the new! Oh and the lower brackets are different so they will only go back on the side they came off of.
Ummm talk about bad. I gave myself 20 lashes with a fan belt for letting this happen to my baby. Those used to be filled with fluid but who knows how long they've been like that, No wonder she leaks and it feels like the engine is just rolling around up there......... It was
Re-installation is simply the reverse of removal but for me the single hardest part is realigning the keyway with the little key that positions the puck correctly in the upper bracket on the PS because I had to tighten the puck to the lower bracket before I could put it in and it had to line up with the upper keyway but after a trial fit or two I was good to go. DS keyway is on the lower bracket so it's super easy. After getting the lower brackets back in and the bolts back in loosely I lowered the engine a little at a time until the studs went into the upper brackets then tightened up the bottom brackets dropped the engine all the way down. Lowered the truck and installed the nuts on the upper studs and boom new motor mounts are IN!
Next came the trans mount. First I took off the two nuts that attach the mount to the crossmember (18mm). Next I discovered that the transmission doesn't have enough room to move up and allow for the removal of the mount so I had to unbolt one side of the trans crossmember. Easy enough, I supported the trans with the jackstand and block of wood and removed the bolt holding the DS of the crossmember in place (15mm bolt, 18mm nut) allowed the crossmember to hang and took off the two bolts that hold the trans mount to the trans (19mm). In 10min. I had a new trans mount installed. The only trick was one of the 19mm bolts also held a bracket that supported the end of the catalytic converter so make sure that goes back on too. Bolt the crossmember back up and then the two nuts that hold the mount to the crossmember and then step back and
New DS
New PS
New Trans mount
In a few hundred miles I plan to go back under and check the tightness of all bolts involved because since rubber mounts dampen vibration that means they see alot of vibration and they could work loose as they work in.
I give this job an overall difficulty rating of about 3 with a lift and a 4 or 5 on jackstands in the driveway. It took longer to set up and adjust the lift than it did to do the job. Frankly I hate to think of how much fun it would have been to do this on my back in the driveway but it is definitely doable there with a jack and stands.
Just a disclaimer this is my description of how I did this job not an instruction manual on how you or anyone else should do it. Therefore if you choose to undertake this project on your truck you should use your own common sense and judgement and not take the thread of a DIY'er on TRS as the last word and as such neither I nor The Ranger Station Forums are accountable if you try this yourself. If you are not comfortable doing this type of project yourself you should find a qualified technician.
Here's the before drivers side:
Passenger side (yep looks like it went bad)
And the trans mount, yep there should be rubber all around the metal
The tools I needed were as follows:
1/2 rachet (I used a 20" flexhead matco)
1/2 air gun (not necessary but super nice)
18mm deep socket (1/2")
19mm socket (1/2")
21mm socket (1/2")
various lengths of 1/2" extensions
1/2" swivel adapter
15mm wrench
18mm wrench(I used a flexhead racheting wrench if you don't have a set you SHOULD)
flathead screwdriver
8mm wrench
I was able to use the lift at work but this can be done with a jack, some jackstands and wheel chocks in the driveway.
The majority of my time was spent actually fixing the lift at work so I can't give an accurate time to do the job but I would guess about an hour and a half of actual work. Turns out somebody lifted something way to big and bent an arm on it and threw the lift out of whack so before I fixed it, the lift was going up a foot higher on the left than on the right and that is UNSAFE
I also had to use our equipment to straighten out the arm they bent, and no I didn't use heat for fear of weakening the arm, and on monday I will be ordering a new arm for the lift (it's rated and does lift up our big crew cab utility bed diesels so I felt secure lifting my reg cab ranger) but on to the actual job.I started up top in the engine bay and removed the nuts that hold the stud of the engine mounts (one per side) I didn't remove the upper brackets just the nuts on the studs. On the driverside I was able to snake a socket with swivel down between the head and intake and get on the stud after removing the throttle cable cover (1 8mm bolt) and since it was tight used the rachet rather than the impact driver to have more control.
On the passengerside I took off the air intake tube for room and used the flex head rachet wrench (they are absolutely great for this stuff) to get under the exhaust and at the stud on that side. Mine was tough to get off with a reg lenght wrench, I'm not a tiny fella (200lbs) but it took me bracing against the bumper and putting about all I had with the one arm I could fit in there to get it broken loose. That was also the only blood loss for the entire project which is a good thing. Both nuts are 18mm.
Next I lifted the truck to gain access to the underside. For this I removed the bottom brackets to gain a little wiggle room and I also don't think it's possible to get at the nuts on the bottom studs without removing the bottom brackets. I started on the DS, there is one bolt that goes through the face of the crossmember and the nut can be reached from the underside (its an 18mm) The bolt has a stop on it so no need to get a wrench on there for me. After that there are two on the back side of the crossmember (21mm) They are connected together so again no need for a wrench on the back. Since the ABS module is right there on the framerail on the DS I again used the rachet for more control. The PS is the mirror image of the DS for the bracket bolt location and I get more room to work with so out came the impact!
I then placed a tall screw type jackstand under the front of the engine along with a wood block and lifted the engine up a few inches to get room to get the mounts off. Also while I'm thinking about it I left the trans mount for last since it was shot it gave me both something solid to hold the engine in place and plenty of give (remember it was SHOT) to allow the engine to go up. I should have done a good look around the engine bay before I even started to make sure nothing will get pinched or break when I lifted up the engine to gain clearence for removal of the mounts. I found out after I was at this point that the fan will hit its shroud but at the point of contact I had just enough room to get the mount and bracket out so I didn't fool with removing the shroud.
After pulling the lower bracket/mount assembly it's just a simple 18mm nut holding the rubber puck to the bracket. So off with the old and on with the new! Oh and the lower brackets are different so they will only go back on the side they came off of.
Ummm talk about bad. I gave myself 20 lashes with a fan belt for letting this happen to my baby. Those used to be filled with fluid but who knows how long they've been like that, No wonder she leaks and it feels like the engine is just rolling around up there......... It was
Re-installation is simply the reverse of removal but for me the single hardest part is realigning the keyway with the little key that positions the puck correctly in the upper bracket on the PS because I had to tighten the puck to the lower bracket before I could put it in and it had to line up with the upper keyway but after a trial fit or two I was good to go. DS keyway is on the lower bracket so it's super easy. After getting the lower brackets back in and the bolts back in loosely I lowered the engine a little at a time until the studs went into the upper brackets then tightened up the bottom brackets dropped the engine all the way down. Lowered the truck and installed the nuts on the upper studs and boom new motor mounts are IN!
Next came the trans mount. First I took off the two nuts that attach the mount to the crossmember (18mm). Next I discovered that the transmission doesn't have enough room to move up and allow for the removal of the mount so I had to unbolt one side of the trans crossmember. Easy enough, I supported the trans with the jackstand and block of wood and removed the bolt holding the DS of the crossmember in place (15mm bolt, 18mm nut) allowed the crossmember to hang and took off the two bolts that hold the trans mount to the trans (19mm). In 10min. I had a new trans mount installed. The only trick was one of the 19mm bolts also held a bracket that supported the end of the catalytic converter so make sure that goes back on too. Bolt the crossmember back up and then the two nuts that hold the mount to the crossmember and then step back and
New DS
New PS
New Trans mount
In a few hundred miles I plan to go back under and check the tightness of all bolts involved because since rubber mounts dampen vibration that means they see alot of vibration and they could work loose as they work in.
I give this job an overall difficulty rating of about 3 with a lift and a 4 or 5 on jackstands in the driveway. It took longer to set up and adjust the lift than it did to do the job. Frankly I hate to think of how much fun it would have been to do this on my back in the driveway but it is definitely doable there with a jack and stands.
hope she's ok. Make her help so she can learn the lesson. Whether that's how to fix her own vehicles or why she shouldn't damage her vehicle lol. Glad it's helping somebody out
