Alright y'all... think it's time for some motor mounts.

While accelerating under moderate throttle, driving over dips in the roadway, or making hard left turns, I get a light rumbling sound that is felt and heard to be coming from the passenger front of the truck. Sounds exactly like a wheel bearing that's fixin to crap out. But, if I hit the brakes hard I don't hear the noise. If it was wheel bearings, loading them with the weight of the truck during braking should make them complain. And, just last weekend I had the inner and outer hub bearings out to service them. Cleaned em up and they look great, NO galling, pitting, loose rollers, etc. Repacked with hi-temp grease and buttoned everything up with new hub seals and new manual hub locks. Torqued to spec. Just went and jacked the truck up, there is zero play on either side, everything turns smooth and silent.

So I look at the engine just now and see the passenger exhaust manifold is resting on the frame. I just power-braked it to check for play. Obviously I do need motor mounts. Either that or the engine cradle is tweaked. No reason to think it is except that the PO was a hammer mechanic. I'm almost certain that what I'm feeling is the passenger side exhaust manifold hitting the frame and transferring engine vibrations into the cab, not some pissed-off wheel bearings.

My question is, what is the normal amount of clearance to expect over there with good mounts? Is it normally a tight fit?

Do these trucks use those ridiculous fluid-filled mounts that some Ford cars have or are they standard solid rubber?

 

I have only seen rubber isolated motor mounts on these trucks from the factory. No fancy liquid-filled or poly mounts in my experience.

 

Fixed the pics. Guess I broke the links when I reorganized my album.

Good to know rla2005, thanks. I was hoping I could find some poly mounts. I think what I'll do is just pluck the engine out. Since I have to change the timing cover gaskets, oil pan gasket, and now the mounts... might as well make it easy on myself and put a new oil pump in it while I have it apart.