Replacing body mounts

[Joe Flanagan]

This weekend I replaced my body mounts. First picture shows how I got the body up off the frame;

This is the body separated from the frame and you can see the old mount still attached:

Removing the old mount:

[Joe Flanagan]

This is one of the old mounts:

Here's one of the new ones I got from Roberts. I was surprised how much thicker than the originals the new ones were. The old bolts were too short and I had to get longer ones:

Here's one of the new mounts in place before I torqued down the bolts:

Here's how it looks after torquing the bolts down to 15 PSI, which is what the manual calls for. I had to use one of those torque wrenches with the needle indicator because mine starts at 25 and goes up. My neighbor loaned me his. Does anyone know if those things are even reliable? It seems like the bolts are torqued down too much. The mounts got pretty distorted as you can see in this picture:

Maybe that's the way they're supposed to be but they sure seem torqued down pretty tight to me. I know 15 PSI isn't very much but maybe the wrench is no good. What do you fellows think?

My retired mounts:

[Don Coatney]

Joe;

I am really impressed with your work.

[eric wissing]

Joe, good work. The old ones looked like they were good for atleast another 50 miles. Eric

[greg g]

What??? There's sposabe rubber in there???? mine must be thinner than your old ones. don't throw them babies out a little WD40 and they're good for at least 200 miles.

[PatS....]

Looks good, Joe.

I would be inclined to back them off a bit if it were mine. No real point in having them that distorted IMHO. I would also use a lock washer I think.

Your progress is really impressive. Thanks alot for keeping us up to date. I know it keeps my interest and enthusiasm up and I learn alot as well.

Thanks again and keep 'em coming!!

Pat

[Jeff.P_46]

Hi Joe,

I bought some mounts form Bernbaums for my '46 and they came the size you have which looked wrong to me (to thick) so I bought some from Steele's and they are like the original ones. Does your body sit higher now?

Jeff

[Young Ed]

I wouldn't put them looser then factory spec. When I built my pickup I didn't have the proper cab mount bolts so I made my own. They werent getting the cab tight enough and the cab would flex and allow the doors to pop open!

[Joe Flanagan]

Pat,

There was no lock washer with the original mounts. I just put things back the way I found them.

Jeff P.,

Once I tightened the bolts down, the car looked like it was sitting about the same as before. If it's higher, it's so slight as to be unnoticeable.

My question is, will the mounts still do what they were designed to do if they are as distorted as they are. On the positive side, they look just like the originals. Aside from being cracked and basically fossilized, it looks like the originals were down pretty tight as well.

[central52]

Wow, what a job. Excuse my ignorance, but just how is the body connected to the frame? Just those 4 body mounts? And you can actually lift the whole body off the frame yourself by this method shown in the pics? Ed P.

[Joe Flanagan]

Ed,

There are a total of six bolts like the one shown in the pictures and then an extra two in the trunk. These eight bolts are what hold the body to the frame. And yes, you can simply jack the body up after you have the bolts out. I used two jacks (though I only showed one), one in the front and one in the back. The body isn't as heavy as you might think. Bear in mind the body of my car is currently without the hood, fenders, trunk, and two doors. Basically it is a shell on a frame right now. You need to get the body up at least four inches to have enough clearance to get the old mounts out and the new ones in.

[Jim Yergin]

Joe,

Looking good. I hope you got most of it done on Saturday and did not have to work in the cold and wind that arrived here on Sunday.

Jim Yergin

[oldmopar]

I wouldn't put them looser then factory spec. When I built my pickup I didn't have the proper cab mount bolts so I made my own. They werent getting the cab tight enough and the cab would flex and allow the doors to pop open!

If this is your 46 wc who did you get mounts from and do you still have the part # when I get to working on my 46 wd I would like to replace the cab mounts also.

Ed

[Young Ed]

It is my WC. These trucks have 3 longer bolts with a spring and then 1 short one that gets bolted tight. Well I copied one of the bolts with a spring from Dads 40 ply pickup. What I didn't know was that post war trucks the front cab mounts were moved up on the side of the frame to eliminate the block of wood that used to sit on the mount. So the bolt I had copied was way too long. So I redid my work with a bolt from the rear of his truck and that worked out. The bolts themselves are just hardware store items. I did have to drill a cotterpin hole in them and I think add some threads. The rubber mounts aren't car specific items like Joe pictured. Mine are just a ~1/2 in thick rubber sheet that sits on top of the frame. They are made from a truck mud flap found on the side of the road. How's that for recycling!

[oldmopar]

What ever works is good I think the original bolts are mounts are there so I should be ok with the bolts but its good to know I can make my own if I do not locate the correct mounts.

Ed

[Young Ed]

Wow of all the pics I have from the project none of them captured the mounts. I have a few that show the frame horns but no rubber on them in the pictures.

[Joe Flanagan]

Thought it would be interesting to post this old picture of the underside of my car. You can see one of the old mounts in this shot. I even captured one cat and one dog in the picture, too, which was unintentional.

[Heavy Flat Head]

I would think that if you did not have the mounts flattened down you would get a lot of body roll.

Looking good, do you know you have a piece of the car missing?

Man that is a big hole!

I could go on and on but enough is enough.

I can not help myself!

Were is the floor.

What did you do to the side of the car.

Inquiring minds would like to know.

Ed.

[toddbracik]

Joe, where did you get the rounded rocker supports that the mounts bolt to and are welded to the inner rockers? Todd Bracik.

[Joe Flanagan]

Todd,

Those were there originally. Badly rusted in some places but still very sound. I blasted the heck out of them and treated them with Picklex 20. Then they got two coats of Zero Rust. I think Tim Adams fabricated some, though.

Ed:

For most of the time I've had this car it's been more hole than car. I took out more rusty metal than you can imagine. Knowing where to stop was the challenge. I had to get pretty drastic with the surgery. The only thing the Chinese are getting out of this is the stuff I don't want. Mainly, rust. The rest of it stays and will be rolling down the road some day.

[Plymouthy Adams]

Joe..keep io mind that the replacement rubber is just that..replacement rubber..it is rated in hardness by durameter or something like that..if the hardness of the rubber is differenct from original the compression factor will look greater..however the resistance to compression is the readback of the torque guage and should give you equal all around and that is the key to keeping the twist out of the body yet allow it some ability to flex..I think you are moving along real well in the right direction following a sensible plan and informed methods as outlined in the book..keep plugging away...

[Heavy Flat Head]

Todd,

Those were there originally. Badly rusted in some places but still very sound. I blasted the heck out of them and treated them with Picklex 20. Then they got two coats of Zero Rust. I think Tim Adams fabricated some, though.

Ed:

For most of the time I've had this car it's been more hole than car. I took out more rusty metal than you can imagine. Knowing where to stop was the challenge. I had to get pretty drastic with the surgery. The only thing the Chinese are getting out of this is the stuff I don't want. Mainly, rust. The rest of it stays and will be rolling down the road some day.

My hat is off to you Joe for such a wonderful job of saving a mopar. Alot of people (most likley one of them would be me) would of used her as a parts car then crushed the rest.

Ed.

[Kustom52Mopar]

Joe I see you had your cat and dog out there helping ya. Wish my cats would come out and help me more.

[Joe Flanagan]

Sometimes they get curious about what I'm doing. It's kind of funny. But they're not mechanically inclined. It would probably be hell trying to teach them how to hold a wrench. No opposing digits and all.

[David Maxwell]

They match the image seen in the parts maunual exactly. They are not supposed to be so much a shock absorber, but rather a vibration damper. 15 lbs is correct for the Steele mounts. Not sure if you should change that for the softer, thicker ones from Roberts and Bernbaum.