Lowering the transmission/transfer case with modified transmission mount?

[jmakinen]

Hey all, been awhile since I've been here. Also been too long since I've worked on the Comanche, but here I am. Anyways, I've got a 1990 Comanche shortbox with the 4.0/AX-15/NP231 combo. I'm trying to make the belly flat. In the process I think I'll be making a new crossmember. I'm going to be clocking the transfer case as well. Now for the question.

 

I'll be losing space between the tunnel and transmission by making a crossmember that doesn't hang lower than the frame. I would like to combat this by either removing the transmission mount completely and bolting the transmission directly to the crossmember (less likely plan) or else using some sort of flat rubber bushing between the crossmember and transmission (more likely).

 

If I got the flat rubber bushing plan I'll probably try it out first with hockey pucks (readily available, I have a ton of them) and if that fails I'll have to find something else.

 

So my question is, what am I missing here? I've heard the "hockey pucks are meant only for hockey" argument against using them for body lifts, but what about transmission mounts? They're hard rubber, I'll probably use 4 of them with two sides cut so they square up with each other, and they'll be a lot shorter than a normal transmission mount. I really can't see how they'd fail any faster than a regular transmission mount. I've done squish tests on a large vise before with impressive results.

 

Am I crazy or might this work?

[mnkyboy]

My crossmember is completely flat and attaches where the crawl box bolts to the T case,i could probably have put it in the stock location and used the stock mount.

I cut the tunnel out of my truck then lifted everything up into the cab so along with the flat belly everything actually sits up out of the way too.

 

 

[Pete M]

I used a TJ AX-15 mount bracket (came with the TJ trans so I figured I'd try it) and used it to mount to a custom crossmember.  raised the trans up a hair I think.  The TJ trans clocked up the t-case too and it's reeeeeeal close but doesn't touch the tunnel so all is well.  shifter brackets were a combination of custom and oem stuff.

 

here are some random pics that may or may not help with explaining it (taken so long ago they were snapped with film!)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Pete M]