hello, I'm new to this forum and I came here looking for some help. I have a 1975 F-100 Ranger SWB 4x4 with a '79 351w swapped in place of the factory 360, and BW T19 4speed in place of the MP435 that was in from the factory. I went to go replace the clutch pack, throw out bearing and it is a mess under there! A previous owner rigged a piece of plate with a rubber factory style mount to the transmission crossmember. When I lowered the transmission the mount fell apart and I noticed the trans had a crack in it as we'll as the extension housing to the transfer case. Why would they mount the transmission to the cross member in this manner? I know my engine/trans combination is awkward but it did work as I drove the truck for awhile before deciding to replace the clutch. This issue with the transmission mount has me worried though. Does anyone have any suggestions on how I should go about solving this? I'm worried this setup is what caused the stress cracks in the trans and extension housing. I have the new clutch and I also installed new u-joints in the drive shafts. I had the transmission looked at and I was told it was repairable. He thinks he can repair the extension housing as well. So my only issue is with the transmission mount/crossmember.

 

Ignore picture... I was testing how to import pictures. Thanks.

 

If there is any blame to award I'd say it was that previous owner who jerry-rigged the mount and caused undue and awkward stress on the components. There were thousands of OEM set ups and this is the first time in this here forum that I've heard of a cracked trans.

To me, the fix is to reassemble the driveline and then relocate/modify the crossmember to where the trans directly transfers its load to the mount and crossmember. If I am imagining it correctly, the geometry of the plate between the trans and X-member basically acted like a lever and stressed the trans case unlike it was designed to take it.

Shadetree engineering at its best with reasonably foreseeable results?

 

I believe you're absolutely right And that is why I'm trying to figure out if there is a possible crossmember that would be factory opposed to re-riging or altering the factory crossmember that they have previously demolished . I just don't know if I have that option ?!? I'm trying right now to Post pictures of the crossmember and what's left of the transmission mount now