4 speed tranny and cross member question

[spookylynx]

this is all for my 65

So, I'm replacing the 3speed with s 4speed. No sweat. my question relates to a crossmember at the tail housing.

I know they both basically hang off the bell housing, but the 4spd is obviously a bit longer and gets mixed up in the ebrake linkage.

Ive read where some people have flipped the ebrake xmember and made a transmission mount and I have seen where others say that it is bad to have 3 mounting point in the engine/ tranny combo.

I guess what I'm asking is, is it bad to have mounts at the motor, bell housing, and tail shaft? or do I just let the 4spd hang off the bell housing with no other mounts.

I'll just be running a mildly built 350, not high HP.

[AcampoDave]

I did the e-brake cross member flip deal. Tranny is a Saginaw mounted at tail and bell housing. No problems in 5 years and the e-brake works great too. What could be bad about mounting the tranny in 3 places anyway?

[Captainfab]

A third mount at the rear of the trans could cause a binding situation. If the e-brake crossmember is interfering with the rear of the trans an option is to also bolt it up under the frame with 4 spacers at the bolt holes.

[padresag]

Originally Posted by AcampoDave

I did the e-brake cross member flip deal. Tranny is a Saginaw mounted at tail and bell housing. No problems in 5 years and the e-brake works great too. What could be bad about mounting the tranny in 3 places anyway?

you would have problems lining them up properly and stresses everything.
it is like a 3 and a 4 legged stool. 3 legs will always come in contact with the area where it stands. a 4 legged one may always seem to have one short leg depending what it is setting upon
ron

[AcampoDave]

What about making a cross member at the rear and leaving the bolts out at the bell housing then? A four speed seems rather heavy to leave hanging in the breeze to me.

[padresag]

Originally Posted by AcampoDave

What about making a cross member at the rear and leaving the bolts out at the bell housing then? A four speed seems rather heavy to leave hanging in the breeze to me.

are you the type of guy to wear both suspenders and a belt at the same time?
you really don't have to worry about hanging any trans off the back of those engs. they hang the bigger truck 5 speeds the same way.
those parking brake crossmembers are not really meant nor strong enough for a rear trans mount.
you can run a rear trans mount no problem, but remove the insulators as well as the bolt from under the bellhousing
ron

[AcampoDave]

I guess I am that kind of guy. I don't actually wear suspspenders but I am a bit on the compulsive side.

[padresag]

Originally Posted by AcampoDave

I guess I am that kind of guy. I don't actually wear suspspenders but I am a bit on the compulsive side.

I was giving you as an analogy
ron

[spookylynx]

So, I guess I don't understand / not grasping the whole binding issue.

If I make a proper Xmember for the tail shaft using a proper rubberized tranny mount how would it bind up? I know there is some twisting and motion with the movement of the motor, but as long as everything is lined up, dosent it all move in unison? what am I missing?

[Captainfab]

With that many mounting points, all the mounts would have to have the same amount of movement. If they don't, then binding can occur. It is just something that isn't necessary....having a trans mount in addition to a bellhousing mount.

[spookylynx]

Ahhhhh.... motor moves the most, bell housing moves a little less, and tail shaft would move the least... essentially twisting the assembly at the tail shaft and that's where it would crack. right?