I talked to jess today at highangle, and he said the angle of the rear driveline is pretty bad, and every inch I could lower the transfer case would help alot.

So, I pulled out the ole math hat, and figured a few things out..

operating angle is 27 degrees; length is 20 inches. Lowering the engine 1" will change the angle from 27 degrees to 23.5 degrees. 2 inches, 20.5 degrees. 1.5", 22 degrees.

So I'm trying to figure out how to drop the engine mounts about 1" - 1.5" without doing massive surgery. Any ideas? Would the dodge engine mounts do it? Transfer case mount is easy. Radiator is easy - I'm a little worried about exhaust, but it can dealt with.

if you're wanting to buy something to do this.....i heard that petroworks new 1.6L kit drops the engine an inch or so....there's also the 'ol cut and hack method as always:D

Originally posted by zukiboy
if you're wanting to buy something to do this.....i heard that petroworks new 1.6L kit drops the engine an inch or so....there's also the 'ol cut and hack method as always:D

I called them. didn't know, wanted me to call back later.

Originally posted by tdavis


I called them. didn't know, wanted me to call back later.

i didn't say they were smart....i've never had very good luck with petroworks anyway.....just repeatin what i heard...good luck:flipoff2:

why not leave the motor where its at and drop the transfer end an inch? off the shelf lift kits go this route all the time.

I don't know how it is with a 1300, but with a 16v if you start tilting the motor back the distributor will hit the firewall. I talked to Petro a while back and the kit sounded like a pair of plates that vertically offset the motor mounts @ the motor. Seems like a doable concept.

Several reasons not to tilt the engine:

1) stresses the wimpy engine mounts even more.

2) distributor hits the firewall.

3) raises the front output even more, past vertical, into negative angle.

okay fine you found me out.....i don't have a zuk:D .

Originally posted by larryboy
why not leave the motor where its at and drop the transfer end an inch? off the shelf lift kits go this route all the time.

I wonder how much mis-alignmnet the stub shaft from trans to t-case will allow? This sounds like a good idea. What type of lift kit uses this method?:grinpimp:

Jeep Wrangler lift kits over 4" often use 1" shims to drop the t-case down a bit to help with the rear angle.
I know a couple guys who shimmed up the front t-case mount to tilt the case more rearward. Seemed to work great, no crazy vibes. I have the SPidertrax Poly t-case mounts, and it looks like I could just take out one poly puck out of the middle mount (there's two) to drop the whole case evenly about 1/2" or so. Might be worth a shot for some of you. But anyway, TDavis has no stub shaft................

T-Davis, how much room do you have below the t-case until it starts to hang below the frame rail? I should be picking up my RingeR from Kerry this week, can't wait to get this stuff bolted up.
Chris

I think everyone is missing a VERY important point here...... Zuk's have a divorce mount transfer case.

Why not just drop the t-case a little and keep the motor in the same place? If you have to, get a short CV style shaft in place of the tranny-t-case mini-driveshaft and lower the t-case that way...

If you lower the motor mounts, tranny mount AND the t-case you could probably accomplish what you want, but then your t-case would be rather vulnerable.

Jeeps lower the t-case and tilt the motor down because everything is all attached together and it's necessary to create better angles.

Matt

Originally posted by TrailCarnage


I wonder how much mis-alignmnet the stub shaft from trans to t-case will allow? This sounds like a good idea. What type of lift kit uses this method?:grinpimp:

he isn't running divorced my friend;) .

Originally posted by ManglerYJ
I think everyone is missing a VERY important point here...... Zuk's have a divorce mount transfer case.


Matt


not this one:D

yup, that's right, I'm not running a divorced case. :) the RingeR does that for you..

I spent some time underneath it last night, going to try some stuff tonight.

Originally posted by tdavis
yup, that's right, I'm not running a divorced case. :) the RingeR does that for you..

I spent some time underneath it last night, going to try some stuff tonight. OK.... gotcha..... now that I'm used to the "SEARCH" button, I completely over-looked the "Madame Cleo's Psychic Friend's Network" button, otherwise I'd have KNOWN he used a fixed t-case

Matt

Well, I tried calling Ms's Cleos Psycho Hotline, but it was closed down due to fraud.. :D

I did however, drop the bootied fab cross member (note - not the final member, just a temp one) 1.5 inches to see what would happen.

Yea, it does put a twist in the engine mounts. The distributor still just clears the firewall. The only thing really hanging down is the front output, and the tranny mounts.

It looks like this:

http://www.explorerforum.com/tdavis/zuk/cross-member-belly-3.jpg

I don't think it would be that hard to fab up some new motor mounts that would lower the sucker down an inch. Infact, since you are now using the toy t-cases, I'd say it would be a very good idea to do something along those lines as I would expect the stock Samurai motor mounts are not up to the task of controlling all of that torque they are going to be seeing now. Just ask a Toyota owner. :p

You might want to do something like what I'm using:
http://RZ-Products.COM/WAYNE/UPDATES/021125/waynes1%20561.jpg
Not a very good shot, but about the best I have right now. You can just see the motor mount in the background. It is a fully enclosed rubber mount, so it can not seperate like a stock mount, yet no nasty vibrations like a spring bushing that some use. Check out motor mounts from front wheel drive vehicles.

-Wayne

Yea, I'm figuring on popping the stock mounts..

But this hopefully gives me a few more weeks to think about what to do about them.

howdy,
you can use dodge engine mounts to drop the engine just abit.
Just a couple of things you should know. There are 2 types, one with an interlock and one without.
The "stagger" is a little more than the OEM mounts. This means, depending on how you orient them, you can raise your motor or lower it a bit.
If you opt to raise it a bit, you'll only be able to use the interlock mount on the driver's side. Then, you can use the one without the interlock on the pass. side.
Either way, you'll have to drill out to 1/2" the mount "arms" that are bolted on the side of the block (no biggie). You might have to trim the length of the mount studs, but maybe not. If so, no biggie either.

Napa part #602-1346 (interlocks)
#602-1170 (no interlocks)

You can of course use the mounts without interlocks on both sides.....
FROM OFFROAD.COM BBS
http://tellico.off-road.com/wwwthreads_uploads/955767-Dscf0023b.jpg
but i run Dodge Power Wagon engine mounts. they come from late 70's (76, 77, 78) .Dodge Power Wagon 4x4 with the 318 in it. you have to drill out the stock holes alittle bit though. here is a pic. i also think roadlessgear.com sells them too.
http://tellico.off-road.com/wwwthreads_uploads/914628-318mounts.jpg

Nice o2 sensor.:flipoff2:

howdy,
not my sammi. it's someone else's. i don't think i could live with a stock exhaust manifold.

Cool. The interlocking ones will come in handy. I thought I read somewhere it those mounts tilt the engine though..

Hey T I have a set of those mounts if you want them. (Pay back for the bellhousing.) I was using them with the rotary, but they are just sitting in a box of spares now. I bought them at PepBoys for next to nothing. I had to trim them up a bit to fit my needs.

http://RZ-Products.COM/WAYNE/UPDATES/020113/waynes1%20049.jpg

Let me know if I should ship them up to you.. (need your address again.) I don't think the dodge mounts will get your engine low enough anyhow. You will probably need to make some other mods, but it shouldn't be tough.

Personally I'm much happier with my new FWD style motor mounts.

-Wayne

p.s. I still have the rotary engine if anyone wants to buy it!