Engine Mount Repair/Replacement

[SiliconAngel]

Hey kids,

After getting my car back on the road the other day, I'm continuing to hear a knocking/clattering sound, particularly over rough surfaces and bumps that seems to be coming from the front RHS corner. I've just replaced all the suspension and checked it several times, so was getting quite annoyed. Yesterday I discovered the top engine mount has a huge crack through the rubber - that would cause it!

Steve from TME has given me a quote on replacements, but I can't afford to pull the whole mounts off and send them to him. What's involved in removing the rubber inserts and replacing them? Do they need a 1 ton press, or can they be hammered in?

Thanks,

Trevor

 

[naughtika]

best is to use a 20-ton press to push it out, otherwise use blow torch to melt the rubber then hacksaw carefully the metal insert, that should allow it to come off easily

 

[SiliconAngel]

So the difficulty is in the removal, not putting the insert in?

 

[jungle]

Hey Trev, what about getting a shitty set and sending them to Steve to fit. Then all you need to do is fit them?

 

[SiliconAngel]

Hey Simon

I guess that's an option, assuming I can find a set. I'm finding it a bit odd how difficult it is to find out how to get the inserts replaced - I wouldn't have thought it was that difficult. But having a full replacement set would probably make the swap a heck of a lot easier anyway...

Is anyone parting out a car atm?

 

[jungle]

All my engine bits are gone sadly

 

[SiliconAngel]

All good mate, I'll check the for sale forum.

 

[naughtika]

Bring it to your local suspension workshop, surely it'll only take $20 or less to press it in?

 

[SiliconAngel]

Thanks for the suggestion Chris. I called my local suspension/tyre place, they told me it would take about ten minutes per mount to replace the rubber insert so cost would be really minimal. I've ordered the inserts from @TME_Steve so hopefully should have them next week.

 

[Ridgie87]

I’m looking at running these
https://rover.ebay.com/rover/0/0/0?mpre=https://www.ebay.com.au/ulk/itm/202384320549
When I put my new motor in. There is a YouTube video on how to remove the old bushes

 

[SiliconAngel]

I’m looking at running these
https://rover.ebay.com/rover/0/0/0?mpre=https://www.ebay.com.au/ulk/itm/202384320549
When I put my new motor in. There is a YouTube video on how to remove the old bushes

I wouldn't if I were you - urethane isn't the correct material for heavy load bearing applications.

 

[SiliconAngel]

*sigh*
After replacing the top engine mount insert (which was so badly cracked I could have probably pushed the entire damaged rubber insert out with my fingers) I've definitely eliminated some of the knocking/rattling coming from the front of the car over rough surfaces, but not all of it. I swear it sounds like loose suspension, but everything is tight - I've checked it three times. If the wheel bearing was on the way out, the wheel would have some play, wouldn't it? There is no wiggle or movement from the wheel, suspension, steering or drive shaft, yet when driving over bumps *something* is rattling like heck. FFS.

 

[jungle]

Mate, check the bolts that attach the anti roll bars to the suspension arms are firmly tightened! Mine sounds like something's about to fall off when it comes loose!

 

[SiliconAngel]

Haha good call Simon, turns out one of the swaybar links wasn't tightened up all the way, which was difficult to figure out because it gets pulled tight with the car jacked up. After pulling the wheel off and checking everything three times over the past few weeks I threw in the towel and took it to Pedders suspension for a look over earlier today and they found the problem. They lift the car directly on the wheel hub knuckle so you can easily feel if the swaybar links have play. Annoyingly I had even tightened that exact bolt two weeks ago (yes, with a spanner on the inner bolt so it was immobilised) until it was torqued up, but apparently that's not uncommon because of the way everything pulls with the wheel dropped down when the car's jacked up. The stupid thing is I fitted my ARB's myself about eight years ago and I managed to not screw it up then... Oh well, they didn't even charge me for it, so a bruised ego's the only cost really.

Everything feels tight again now, no more rattles - yay!

Looks like I have some movement in my lower control arms though, so that's up next! There was a silver series 1 Legnum on the hoist in there that had a failed LCA that had ripped the driveshaft out, torn the boot apart and damaged the guard. I assume they're either not a member here or don't want to admit to ignoring a very well known problem until it inevitably resulted in exactly the same outcome as Christian so spectacularly demonstrated about what, 7½ years ago?

Interestingly when looking up parts in ASA I saw this:

That's the kit that was supplied for the recall work. Apparently they didn't just replace the straight (lateral) control arm, they replaced the curved one and the hub knuckle, so there must have been something wrong with the design of the whole assembly, which is pretty scary.

Anyway, full points for diagnosing the exact cause of my problem about an hour before we found it Simon!

 

[SiliconAngel]

Update - my rattle came back so I checked the swaybar links, and sure enough the same one had loosened again. I tightened it until I was worried I might shear the bolt this time, so I'll be extremely surprised if it gets loose again.

Hoping to replace my lateral (straight) LCAs next week, I've been babying the car since discovering there was play in one - no point in tempting fate!