First time TJ owner: question on transmission mount

eyekode

eyekode

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Apex NC
New owner here. I recently bought a 1997 TJ 4.0l manual. Very few modifications. Recent motor replacement due to a failed cat.

Taking off in first is a little jumpy unless I really feather the clutch. I thought this was just something I would figure out as I became more used to the clutch. But after a day or two of driving I started reading threads on this forum to see if it could be some deeper issue.

I saw lots of posts on transmission mounts going bad so I crawled under to see what I could see. And... I could not find the mount.
20211015_102056.jpg


20211015_102207.jpg


I feel like I am going a little nuts. But I do see 4 bolts at the right location... With no mount between the pan and the transmission.

How is this thing supported??
 
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You arent going nuts the mount is missing..the engine mounts are supporting the weight
 
Also I would look at the mounting holes in the transmission itself and see if the bolts are broken off and that's why the mount was removed and not reinstalled?
 
Is it just me, or does that skid plate look like it's been welded on?

I'm also curious why cats would require a motor replacement, but we can save that for another time 😁
 
P man said:
Also I would look at the mounting holes in the transmission itself and see if the bolts are broken off and that's why the mount was removed and not reinstalled?
Click to expand...
It looks to me like the 4 mounting bolts were reinstalled into the transmission without the mount. But I will check closely for welds (please dear God no!).
 
The 4 elongated holes in the center of your upper photo should have 13 mm bolts recessed in them. Those fix the T-mount to the crossmember. Support the transmission in front of the crossmember, remove those bolts. Then remove the three 19mm bolts on each frame rail that hold the crossmember to drop it (careful, its a little heavy). The transmission mount is held to the bottom of the transmission with four 15mm bolts. If you replace it, use a stock Mopar unit ($$$) or Anchor brand unit (part no 2882, I think). I've found other non-OEM replacements to have stiff rubber at transmit harshness to body of jeep (NAPA specifically). Hope that helps.

Edit: The holes Vasq circled are the ones.
 
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Vasq said:
Is it just me, or does that skid plate look like it's been welded on?

I'm also curious why cats would require a motor replacement, but we can save that for another time 😁
Click to expand...
The guy I bought it from was not a mechanic to put it lightly so his explanation was poor. I would have loved more detail. But car fax does show the engine replaced with cat, water pump etc.
 
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Woodrow said:
The 4 elongated holes in the center of your upper photo should have 13 mm bolts recessed in them. Those fix the T-mount to the crossmember. Support the transmission in front of the crossmember, remove those bolts. Then remove the three 19mm bolts on each frame rail that hold the crossmember to drop it (careful, its a little heavy). The transmission mount is held to the bottom of the transmission with four 15mm bolts. If you replace it, use a stock Mopar unit ($$$) or Anchor brand unit (part no 2882, I think). I've found other non-OEM replacements to have stiff rubber at transmit harshness to body of jeep (NAPA specifically). Hope that helps.

Edit: The holes Vasq circled are the ones.
Click to expand...
Thanks for all the details! I was just trying to figure out which mou t to buy.
 
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eyekode said:
New owner here. I recently bought a 1997 TJ 4.0l manual. Very few modifications. Recent motor replacement due to a failed cat.

Taking off in first is a little jumpy unless I really feather the clutch. I thought this was just something I would figure out as I became more used to the clutch. But after a day or two of driving I started reading threads on this forum to see if it could be some deeper issue.

I saw lots of posts on transmission mounts going bad so I crawled under to see what I could see. And... I could not find the mount.
View attachment 283787

View attachment 283788

I feel like I am going a little nuts. But I do see 4 bolts at the right location... With no mount between the pan and the transmission.

How is this thing supported??
Click to expand...
Is that an aftermarket skid plate?More pics from the back side would help. It looks like it might be mounted to some kind of crossmember. If not, see other posts for getting a Mopar transmission Mount
 
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I'm seeing what looks like the mount

20211015_102207.jpg

And it should have the rubber "T" piece on the other side with the mounting bolts accessed through the middle 4 holes right? Am I missing something?

20211015_102056.jpg
 
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Vasq said:
I'm seeing what looks like the mount

View attachment 283792

And it should have the rubber "T" piece on the other side with the mounting bolts accessed through the middle 4 holes right? Am I missing something?
Click to expand...
The mount bolts under the back of the piece you circled. It might not be visible in the pic which is from the front (looking toward passenger rear).
 
Vasq said:
I'm seeing what looks like the mount

View attachment 283792

And it should have the rubber "T" piece on the other side with the mounting bolts accessed through the middle 4 holes right? Am I missing something?

View attachment 283793
Click to expand...
That's crazy, there doesn't appear to be a mount present between the skid and the trans. If that were the case, you'd think the transfer case would be resting directly on the skid? It looks like a decent amount of space is still between the two...
 
SvtLdr said:
That's crazy, there doesn't appear to be a mount present between the skid and the trans. If that were the case, you'd think the transfer case would be resting directly on the skid? It looks like a decent amount of space is still between the two...
Click to expand...
If I'm remembering correctly, the factory mount is offset and the rubber is not directly underneath where the mount bolts to the t-case. so either the rubber is there and it's shot, or its not there at all. But these pictures don't show where it "should" be and they look correct to me. 🤷‍♂️
 
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Vasq said:
If I'm remembering correctly, the factory mount is offset and the rubber is not directly underneath where the mount bolts to the t-case. so either the rubber is there and it's shot, or its not there at all. But these pictures don't show where it "should" be and they look correct to me. 🤷‍♂️
Click to expand...
This guy has it: and I am an idiot :)
I wasn't looking far enough back.
20211015_115206.jpg


20211015_115026.jpg


I apologize for the confusion I have caused :). Now back to figuring out first gear shimmies.
 
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eyekode said:
This guy has it: and I am an idiot :)
I wasn't looking far enough back.
View attachment 283806

View attachment 283807

I apologize for the confusion I have caused :). Now back to figuring out first gear shimmies.
Click to expand...
it could still potentially be that mount i suppose, looks a little rough in there.
Then check motor mounts (and their attachments).
 
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