L&L Mounts bad or just used?

[cgrey8]

From about a year after I did the engine swap, I've noticed that my L&L mounts haven't looked right. But they've lasted 5 years looking pretty much like this. Is this just what they do or are these toast?

Here's the passenger side (the side that doesn't get as much abuse):

Here's the driver's side (the side that gets far more of the twisting-torque):

In this shot, I'm pushing the mount up to show how high the bolt used to be before all the "filling" got lost:

As you can see, the bolt originally stuck up and the gap was filled with some kind of fiberous material held together by stiff rubber goup. You can sortof see the goup coating over the nut. Now most of the filling has gone and the only thing holding it together is the bolt and nut. What I'm not sure of is if this is normal for L&L mounts or if this means I should call L&L and cash in on their lifetime warranty. If so, I won't be putting the truck back together this weekend.

Another aspect that I noticed is the centerbolt that mates the crossmember piece to the engine piece is either corroded or yielded. I can't push the bolt out and both crossmembers used to swivel without effort, they don't now. I can't even turn the bolt with a wrench. When attempted, it just twists the bottom portion of the engine mount. I'm afraid if I got the bolt out, I wouldn't be able to get it back in.

Also keep in mind, this is what happened over 6 years of relatively light duty daily driving on a stock Explorer engine. I'm putting in a 331 stroker with a torqier Crane Cam, ported GT40p heads, & ported GT40 lower. I'm expecting it'll touch 300hp or be very near it. Some estimates have it up around 325, but those are a bit too optimistic. But the point is, if these mounts did this on a used stock Explorer 302, I'm not sure how they'll handle the added load of the 331. Granted, I won't be ragging this engine out, but I obviously will WOT it from time to time. And being it will still be my daily driver, I need it to be reliable.

I guess what I'm talking myself into is contacting L&L and seeing if I can send these back for replacements despite my desire to get this back on the road this weekend.

Thoughts?

[Teddyzee]

I would take the opportunity to install some urethane Mustang mounts at this time.
But I'm never offended by a cheaper solution, either!

[cgrey8]

I bought the L&L Mounts because they are a bolt-in solution. And until now, I'm been completely happy with them. But I'm a little disappointed that they shred like this. But maybe L&L will email me back that they have a better design. But I don't expect an answer back form them until Monday at the earliest.

[plowboy34]

that is pathetic, and you didn't even have a stout engine. if they still have the same design your 331 will eat them up. My boy's stock four banger mounts have done better than that.

[MalcolmV8]

Yeah that's ridiculous. If they don't send you a free replacement set definitely go another route. Although really if they're going to be shot in another year and you're swapping engines then just put in some Mustang mounts and fab up some brackets.

[cgrey8]

I got through to L&L and the guy I talked to said he wouldn't out-right RMA them. But he would take care of most of the cost. He's sending the the upper rubber pieces and new cross-bolts. I was a little disappointed by this, but he said they don't do out-right RMA warranty replacement on parts that are as old as mine. So what he did was figure the cost of just those upper pieces when I bought them and what they are today and is only charging me the difference...$17.50 plus another $17.15 for 2-day UPS s/h. And of course, I have to pay the shipping of the old mounts back which will probably be another $5-10.

I decided to also buy a new sealing washer for my L&L 90 degree oil filter relocation adapter. The washer has an integrated rubber seal. It's rubber so I'm sure it could stand to be replaced and now is the best time to do it if I'm going to. I'm not very familiar with sealing washers, but just looking at it, it's a very specialized looking contraption that I can't imagine is something I could just pick up at a typical hardware store or even the auto parts store. I don't know where I'd go to find something like it locally. I guess it is possible Fastenal might have them. But to avoid looking and putting it back together and having it leak, I decided to just buy another from him. They are a very expensive $8.75, but that was not a surprise given how intricate they are and I never had any problem with the original leaking.

Am I completely happy with this? No. But I'll have replacement mounts in 2 days. And I'm not sure I could fab up alternative mounts to locate the engine exactly where the L&L mounts put the engine in 2 days or for any cheaper. So that, as they say, is that.

[MalcolmV8]

Not the greatest response from them but far better customer service than a lot of places will give you now days. They could have just told you go get lost or buy a new set so that was at least decent of them.

[cgrey8]

My only problem with it is they advertise these as lifetime warranties. If they are limited warranty or pro-rated based on age, then that should be part of their agreement with the customer. But you are right, they could've told me to go fly a kite and is better customer service than I've gotten from other places...far better than that company you bought an external hydraulic slave cylinder from. I can't remember what that company was, but they were only open 2 days a week for like 4 hrs and NEVER answered their phone, even for people trying to buy stuff from them. I couldn't imagine what a PITA it would be trying to get an issue or warranty replacement take care of.

[MalcolmV8]

Oh shoot I forgot about their lifetime warranty claim. Wow that does suck then. Their warranty is nothing more than a worthless marketing ploy. Oh well. Live and learn. Like you said it's done and the replacement parts are on the way.

I remember that slave cylinder ordeal you are talking about. The company that was open for a few hours a week or something. Worthless.

[cgrey8]

Well in their defense, I'm looking on their website and I'm not seeing any mention of warranty. I wonder if they took that away or if that's something they said when I talked to them on the phone or exactly where I got that these mounts were covered for life. If they really don't have a lifetime warranty, then I guess they did more than they really had to for me.

[Teddyzee]

Bright side is that it's costing you less than buying new mounts.
Happy wrenching!

[cgrey8]

New mounts came in yesterday. They are installed and the engine's now sitting in the engine bay. With some luck, tomorrow night, I'll be able to get everything tightened down. And then all the big parts start going back on. Hopefully these will last longer than the other ones did.

[Grumpy]

well i got it in my mind that when or if my L&L mounts do that................ im just goin to make the rubber piece out of some scrap metal and make some SOLID mounts at the same height as the rubber part .. that way they will never break again,,,,, just a thought tho .... i had solid mounts on the 90 Mustang GT i had. was just a thought is all ..... GL and hope it all works out for ya ,,,,

[cgrey8]

I'm crossing my fingers that these don't do what the old ones did. Time will tell. But I got my credit back from L&L. So they've honored what they said they would do and did so without resistance. I got the RMA, sent them the defective parts back, and I got the credit right back to my card. So purely from a customer service standpoint, I cannot complain.

However I do have to admit, if I hadn't already bought into the L&L route, I probably would've been cheaper and better off to have gone the route of reusing the original Ranger mounts relocated lower on the crossmember and fabbing up flat plates to bolt the engine to the mounts. And in the L&L mounts defense. I did get over 6 years worth of use out of them even in this condition. Granted, that's little comfort to someone running 500+hp coming from a guy that never drove the stock Explorer engine HARD, but they never failed or left me stranded and in a daily driver, that's saying a lot.

[v8ranger]

I will stick with my stock ( still original ) motor mounts.. These mounts have given me no problems.. Not bad considering they are 26 years old...