Subframe Mounts????

[Lankin]

92 Cont.(Be nice smile.gif )
I am in Florida but the car came from Michigan.Salt filled roads are known to wear away rubber mounts.Anyway,everytime I get on it hard enough for it to downshift,I hear and feel a big clunk.It also seems to roll a little much when I park it on an incline.First thing I thought of was a motor mount.Well it wasnt a motor mount.It is the two front subframe,also known as the engine cradle,mounts are missing their rubber.I put a jack under the subframe lifted it up and sure enough that things moves about 2 inches until the subframe bottoms out on the unibody.When the car is in park,I can rock the car back and forth with the hood up and man does that engine move!Could be why the person before me had the exhaust all welded up.Motor moves but exhaust couldnt move as much so it creates leaks and cracks.
To my point,I cannot find these anywhere.I havent called the dealer yet as it is a weekend.Anyone have any ideas?I may have to build my own out of what we used to use to make lifts on trucks,Hockey pucks!
I know ther was a recall on the rears but not on the fronts.I just hope the bolts break loose.I have heard horror stories on the rear mount bolts.
Sorry so long.

[ December 14, 2003: Message edited by: Lankin ]

[pro-five-oh]

I am having a hard time finding the link again, but it seems that all Taurus/Sable/Continentals have a minor problem of engine movement when the engine cradle mounts are in good shape. Sounds like yours has gotten worse with the bad bushings.

There is a fix posted SOMEWHERE on the internet showing how to attach a chain to the motor and the subframe to reduce motion. Seems like a good idea, after you replace the bushings.

I am surprised that Autozone or whatever can't find the parts. They might be under Engine Dampners too. But Ford will have them. smile.gif

[Lankin]

Thanks Pro.
I will check with them again.I usually try and tell them what it is I am wanting.Having to enterface what I am needing,with their knowledge of cars,and how they interact with that stupid computer.If its not in the computer they dont have it.I wonder if the Taurus/Sable have the same part #'s?
I have looked all over the enet but cant seem to find it.I will try to look under dampners.
We will see how much it moves after the bushing replacement.May have to find that chain tiedown mod.
Thanks for the help.

[ December 14, 2003: Message edited by: Lankin ]

[MissingLINC]

Taurus/Sable/Conti are the same. I got mine from the Lincoln dealer. About $30 total I think. There are 4 ea upper and lower. The uppers are different than the lowers. Makes a big difference.

[Steve Moran]

The problem with your Conti is also a recall that Ford is doing. You can check out any auto recall at this site http://www.nhtsa.dot.gov/
It is the sub frame rusting out and Ford has repair parts available.
:D

[Lankin]

Yea thats the problems I was mentioning for the rear mounts.
Thats not my problem.I actually dont have any rubber whatsoever on the front subframe mounts.The bolts and inner metal framing for the rubber is there,but no rubber.
I guess I will give the dealer a call tomm.
Any advice on the install?
Thanks for the help fella's!

[Steve Moran]

I have no special advice just need a way of jacking up the car and I suggest loosening one (rear) side of the K frame and totally dropping the other (rear) side down I wouldn’t want to leave it gray enough that you unbolted the whole cradle. And the bolts can be stuck or rusted to the nuts if so I think you can spray penetrating oil in the sub frame and then trying. Be very careful that you don’t bust off the nut inside the sub frame or you will have a fun project ahead. Not hard just time consuming.

[Lankin]

Well I found the parts!
Ford part number,
F6DZ-5400155-A
Insulator
For the front it looks as though all you have to do is pull the bolt out,remove the mount,and replace.Sounds easy.
Will let you know how it goes as I plan to do it this morning.

[Lankin]

Ok heres the results.
The mount is pretty straightforward and easy to change.The mount,or bushing rather,has 4 studs mountted into it.The bushing is really a big chunk of rubber with 2 big washers and a metal bushing encapsulated into the rubber.The studs mount off of one of those big washers.The mount bolts to your subframe with those 4 studs.The nuts on them are 10mm.Not the easiest to get to and not the hardest.Once you get the 4 nuts off of the bolts,you can get your impact out and hit the big mount bolt out.I think it was a 15 or 16mm.
I only had one mount that was really bad.With the otherside on its way out and the rubber in bad shape.The mounting washer that has the 4 studs sticking out of it was completely ripped clean from the rest of the mount.Letting the subframe move the length of the mount unitl it botommed out on the body.
I went ahead and changed both.I checked the engine mounts after I was done and they are in ok shape.
Boy what a difference.No hard clunking,no accessive movement when parking.Before I could feel the subframe move when I was coming to a stop.Right when the car completely stopped,I felt a little final motion if you will,that rocked the car when I stopped.That is now gone.
Sorry so long.Any questions?Is anyone even keeping up? ;)

[ December 23, 2003: Message edited by: Lankin ]

[pro-five-oh]

Excellent. I don't even own a V6 Conti and I've been keeping up!

Might wanna check on making that torque strap out of a chain, I posted the link on another thread. smile.gif

[Steve Moran]

I am glad it worked out well for you. I checked out my Contis and all is well The bushings are all good. My first Conti had a Rack-n-pinion problem when I dropped the K frame the bolts where stuck tight to the pressed metal nut in the frame and I broke them off on both sides and it took me about 5 hours to get them apart.

[Lankin]

My Cont has a rack problem as well.There is some play in the steering wheel when tracking down the road in the straight ahead position.Just enough to bother me.
Thought it may have been the tierods so I changed all of them.
I thought it was possible to change the rack without dropping the rear of the subframe?
There is a kit that the dealer sells to take care of those frozen bolts on the back of the subframe.You have to pul the carpet back and drill some holes and go to work.Doesnt seem like it would be all that much.My front bolts came out no problem.I did soak them with PB Blaster and used the impact to get them out though.

[Steve Moran]

Lankin I was reluctant to drop the K frame and I too used PB Blaster but it was stuck. I did have to pull the carpet back and all that stuff but what took so long was that the nut froze its self to the bolt and came apart, leaving this threaded sleeve attached to the bolt. And that was the booger of the whole project. It took the usual stuff to get it apart, time and many, many swear words. But it came.