Greetings from Germany !!!

I just tried to set everything up to mock-up 289 SBF engine/ C4 trans into my 54 F100. I bought the SBF X-Member from SoCal in Phoenix. Guess this is the same X-Member all the other places sell.

I also bought two identical "rubber sandwich" motor mounts to go with this x-member.

Since I have no instructions (looked so simple) now I wonder ...

1. Which way does the x-member go in ? Those tubes thru which you push the long bolt to mount the motor mounts to the x-member have a short and a long end. Which one goes to the front of the truck ?

2. The "rubber sandwich" motor mounts also make me scratch my head. Is it correct that both side use the same or should they have sold me two different ones. One for passenger and one for driver side ?

The whole thing does not look very symetric. Or is it that mounting holes in the engine are also offset from one side to the other side ?

Any one else using this x-member ?

Any thought is very welcome. I will be in the garage when you guys still sleep and try to lower the engine/tranny into the truck and hope that all my questions go away. But what if not ...????

HELP !!!

 

How about a couple of quick pictures, Kai? I've never seen that cross member and I'm having trouble visualizing it.

 

[updated:LAST EDITED ON 29-Dec-02 AT 05:15 PM (EST)]George,

... good idea, but too late to go to the garage (past 11pm over here). So I copied them from one of the F100 shops web site.

http://www.ford.gmxhome.de/rubbermount.jpg

See, they are not symetric. Now since I have two of the same how will that work (unless the mounting on the engine is offset).

http://www.ford.gmxhome.de/enginexmember.jpg

These tubes don't come out very well here. However, as I said, they are each a bit longer on one side. Which one points forward ???

 

Kai, are the two motor mounts the same because both my mounts look just like the left one. You can buy them at any part store cheaper than ordering them from any F100 place. When you bolt the x-member in, then the tube can pivit,put your motor in and set it at the angle you want then tack weld the x-member in place.

 

Kai

My pads are symetrical on my 302. I believe your pads need to match for use with that crossmember. Whether you have an offset to the front or rear is really not going to matter, since you can weld the end pieces of that style crossmember where ever you please. Let us know if you have further questions. I have an uninstalled crossmember like yours fairly handy to compare notes/measurements.

'fenders

 

>You can buy them at any part store cheaper than ordering them
>from any F100 place.

Bob, we gotta remember that Kai doesn't have access to the same parts stores in Germany that we do here in the states. That's probably one of the things that makes it so hard for him to really make headway on his truck.

 

George, you're wright I don't know what I was thinking so I guess modifing some volkswagon motor mounts would be out of the question to, LOL.

 

George, Bob, Dewayne,

... thanx for your comments. Guess I will now just mount the motor mounts to my engine, mount the tranny to the engine, set the x-member loose between the frame rails and lower my engine/tranny combo into the truck. Guess seeing is believing. Either I see what my problem is or I see that there's no problem at all. It just looks odd right now.

Watch for my story tonite.

 

Kai - Gotta be quick, need to split to go to work. Same mount fits both sides - doesn't look right but it is. Mounting pads on block are off set, too, to compensate for cylinder offset. They'll only fit one way and they'll be straight across from each other when bolted to block. You'll see what I mean. Longer part of cross mounts goes to the rear to keep oil sump out of way of crossmember with front sump pan. Some pans may need to go the other way. Doesn't really matter.

 

Kai

I not sure I am tracking along with what rage just said. Bolt them on and tell us what the tape measure says.

Dewayne

 

OK, I'm at work now - got time to slow down and explain. If you look at the mounting pads on the engine block, you'll notice that one pad sits farther forward than the other. This is due to the cylinders also being offset from one bank to the other. To make it so that the mounts will land in the same lateral location in the car - straight across from each other - they designed the mounts with the securing bolt offset one direction. The mount is interchangeable from one side of the engine to the other. When the mounts are installed on the block, the offsets are in opposite directions and cancel each other out resulting in the mounting bolt location being straight across on both sides. If Kai rolls his engine upside down on the engine stand, bolts the motor mounts on, and then looks at it from above, he will understand what I'm trying to say. Some custom mounts do actually have a dedicated right and left, but Kai's kit is not one of them. As for the crossmember, the piece of tubing on each side that the mount thru-bolt goes though is offset to allow for oil pan sump clearance. Most standard front sump pans require the crossmember to be installed with the longer part of the tube to the front to push the crossmember away from the sump. It really doesn't make any structural difference. Turn the crossmember whichever way give you the most clearance.

 

'rage, 'fenders,

... quick update. Just came into the house after a SUCCESSFULL day in the garage. The engine/trans is where it belongs. You are 100% right with all you said above, 'rage.

I'll post a few pics later today. Just one thing: with my home made er Engine Leveler you can tie one of my arms on my back and I will install and pull an engine with one hand and without a scratch or ding in the truck. More later ....:-)

 

Kai

That's great news. Did I misunderstand you? Do the two mount pads you have identical offset? If they do, I am confused what the problem was you thought you had. Not that important now, I am just curious.

'fenders.

 

'fenders,

... yes, both are identical with same offset. But as 'rage said, with mounting on block also offset it equals out. And it did.