'68-72 C3 rubber body mounts?
Thread Starter
Melting Slicks
Joined: Oct 2000
Posts: 2,630
Likes: 10
From: Drag racing junkie Va.
'68-72 C3 rubber body mounts?
A friend wants to replace his '68 aluminum body mounts with rubber and has heard they are available in different heights than the '73 & up mounts. I did a search on here and couldn't find an answer.
Thanks in advance for the help.
Dave
Thanks in advance for the help.
Dave
Last edited by hookedup; Nov 9, 2015 at 03:09 PM.
Race Director
Joined: May 2006
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did you look a what the vendors offer such as poly
https://willcoxcorvette.com/corvette...urethane-63-72
https://willcoxcorvette.com/corvette...urethane-63-72
Team Owner
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 31,301
Likes: 4,389
From: Westminster Maryland
Hi Dave,
"Steering issues"…. as in making the connection from the steering column to the steering box through the coupler, or, as in actual changes in how the car steers?
Regards,
Alan
"Steering issues"…. as in making the connection from the steering column to the steering box through the coupler, or, as in actual changes in how the car steers?
Regards,
Alan
Team Owner
Joined: Jun 2000
Posts: 38,923
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From: Southbound
Cruise-In II Veteran
I read somewhere - possibly here, possibly old Corvette magazines - that the 73 and up rubber mounts are about 1/8" thicker than the aluminum. I can't say whether the 1/8" would make any real difference in body installed height or create steering issues.
Thread Starter
Melting Slicks
Joined: Oct 2000
Posts: 2,630
Likes: 10
From: Drag racing junkie Va.
Alan,
Don't think he had actual steering isses as much as the misalignment at the coupler.
Mike,
You're on the right track. I have been told, if you raise the body with the thicker later model rubber mounts, it is very difficult to align the coupler between the box and the shaft because the column mounting to the body is out of position. I've also heard you could slot the bracket on the column or slot the frame to tilt the box with moderate success, trying to avoid these mods. I was hoping to find out if someone made a rubber mount closer to the same thickness the originals. Also heard that used/old rubber mounts compress over the years and are closer early mount height?
Haven't had to do this myself, just trying to help out a friend.
Thanks for the help
Don't think he had actual steering isses as much as the misalignment at the coupler.
Mike,
You're on the right track. I have been told, if you raise the body with the thicker later model rubber mounts, it is very difficult to align the coupler between the box and the shaft because the column mounting to the body is out of position. I've also heard you could slot the bracket on the column or slot the frame to tilt the box with moderate success, trying to avoid these mods. I was hoping to find out if someone made a rubber mount closer to the same thickness the originals. Also heard that used/old rubber mounts compress over the years and are closer early mount height?
Haven't had to do this myself, just trying to help out a friend.
Thanks for the help
Last edited by hookedup; Nov 14, 2015 at 04:08 PM.
Race Director
Joined: Sep 1999
Posts: 11,361
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From: Plano TX
I have the 73-up rubber mounts on my '71. Yes, they are a bit taller. 1/4", maybe 3/8".
The bumper brackets had enough adjustment to make up the difference and the lower steering column mount also had enough adjustment.
It made a big improvement in ride and noise and there is no handling penalty.
The bumper brackets had enough adjustment to make up the difference and the lower steering column mount also had enough adjustment.
It made a big improvement in ride and noise and there is no handling penalty.
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Le Mans Master
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From: Las Vegas - Just stop perpetuating myths please.
Replaced my rubber mounts with rubber so nothing to report there on the steering but u do get them to squish when torqued down. I had to reduce my applied torque as the factory assembly manual called out torque that made my two rear mounts (#4 behind the rear tires) split. And i had to replace those a second time using "it feels good enough to me" torque values. But all others went in at factory manual torque spec and i didnt notice any splits in those.
If i was to do this again i would use rubber mounts just under the passenger compartment (#2 & #3 mounts). Then use poly mounts on the front and rear mounts (#1 & #4 mounts) to keep the frame to body rigid but allow some comfort under the pass compartment. Yea i put all poly mounts under my '70 GTO and it made that big car feel like a tank even on the freeway. I dont know how corvette owners tolerate the aluminum mounts?
Hope this helps.
If i was to do this again i would use rubber mounts just under the passenger compartment (#2 & #3 mounts). Then use poly mounts on the front and rear mounts (#1 & #4 mounts) to keep the frame to body rigid but allow some comfort under the pass compartment. Yea i put all poly mounts under my '70 GTO and it made that big car feel like a tank even on the freeway. I dont know how corvette owners tolerate the aluminum mounts?
Hope this helps.
Race Director
Joined: Sep 1999
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From: Plano TX
I had to reduce my applied torque as the factory assembly manual called out torque that made my two rear mounts (#4 behind the rear tires) split.
Race Director
Joined: Mar 2003
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From: Eustis ( Area 51 Bat Cave ) Fl
On my 69 someone had installed rubber and as far as my research went I couldn't find rubber in the proper height for the 68-72 I didn't want to go with the 73- rubber mounts and have the body up higher, it just was an OCD thing.
I also haven't been been at all impressed with how quickly new "rubber" parts start to crack and dry rot, so I went hunting poly also hearing horror stories starting with the VBS poly bushings on my transverse kit that all are in need of replacement, VBP didn't care and pretty much just said yeah, they do that, they were new no miles.
So I did find the full body mount set in poly at the correct height for 69-72 and the fellow who sells them when I asked about cracking replied that he has them out there only all kinds of hard use trucks and cars and in 15 years not one has cracked, but if they do he will replace it free.
I do unlike some people feel a different when going from aluminum mounts to rubber not so much with poly but it's still not as harsh as aluminum to me.
If any crack I will just replace with aluminum.
I also haven't been been at all impressed with how quickly new "rubber" parts start to crack and dry rot, so I went hunting poly also hearing horror stories starting with the VBS poly bushings on my transverse kit that all are in need of replacement, VBP didn't care and pretty much just said yeah, they do that, they were new no miles.
So I did find the full body mount set in poly at the correct height for 69-72 and the fellow who sells them when I asked about cracking replied that he has them out there only all kinds of hard use trucks and cars and in 15 years not one has cracked, but if they do he will replace it free.
I do unlike some people feel a different when going from aluminum mounts to rubber not so much with poly but it's still not as harsh as aluminum to me.
If any crack I will just replace with aluminum.