2006 Corvette

[asshanson]

A company just started making transmission mounts for the c6 so I decided to buy a package with those and the motor mounts and I got the transmission mounts installed this afternoon. I'm doing a writeup for the corvette forum and thought I'd share the install here too.

Here are the new poly transmission and motor mounts. The engine sits on the two round ones which are on the front subframe, and the transmission sits on the rectangular ones which are on the rear subframe.
http://www.dsmstyle.com/photopost/data/663/medium/new_mounts.jpg

First I had to take off the four nuts on each transmission mount, you can see the bottom ones here circled in red, and there are two more on top (which are impossible to get to, the install easily took an extra 45 minutes because of those bastards). The lower two are 18mm and the top two are 15mm.
http://www.mitsustyle.com/photopost/data/663/medium/lower_trans_mount_bolts.jpg

After all the nuts were off I put a jack under the transmission to hold it in place while I lowered the rear subframe (four 21mm nuts). The back two are above the swaybar.
http://www.mitsustyle.com/photopost/data/663/medium/rear_cradle_bolts.jpg

And the front two are above the transmission mounts and toward the outside of the car a bit. The transmission mount is circled in red and the rear subframe bolt is in green:
http://www.mitsustyle.com/photopost/data/663/medium/front_cradle_bolts.jpg

After all four subframe bolts were out it sagged down about an inch or two. I raised the transmission/diff an inch and it gave me enough clearance to get the mounts out:
http://www.mitsustyle.com/photopost/data/663/medium/trans_mount_out.jpg

The studs on the Hinson transmission mounts were a little longer than stock so it took a little work to get the new ones in, you can see the difference in this pic:
http://www.mitsustyle.com/photopost/data/663/medium/old_and_new_trans_mounts.jpg

Here is a new mount in before I lowered the transmission:
http://www.mitsustyle.com/photopost/data/663/medium/new_mount_in.jpg

It took a little work lining up the mounts while lowering the transmission, just had to lower it a bit at a time and everything went into place. Then tightened up the new mounts and that was it. I did this in my garage with jack stands and pucks, only hand tools, and it took me about 2.5 hours from start to finish. No driving impressions yet, I'm going to start on the motor mounts tonight. After those are installed I'll take it for a drive.

[93gtpeater]

Nice write up. Looks like a straight forward install. What are your plans after the mounts?

[19TsiAwd90]

TURBOOOSSSSSS

[asshanson]

Got the motor mounts installed, took me three hours. I'm pretty happy with that, because I've heard numbers like 5-6 hours for the install. Again, it was pretty straightforward: unbolt old motor mounts, place jack under oil pan, lower front subframe (had to unbolt the upper control arms on both sides to get it to lower enough), take out old mounts and reverse process to put back together.

The whole reason I ordered this kit was because a couple months ago I saw a bunch of brown liquid sprayed all over the passenger side of the front subframe. I assumed the motor mount had broken, either before I bought it in May or at the road course event I did back in June (same thing happened to my CTS-V last year, and I upgraded to poly mounts then). Anyway, this is what it looked like:
http://www.mitsustyle.com/photopost/data/663/medium/old_motor_mount.jpg

The top part just flops back and forth, it's very broken.

I took the car out for a few mile test drive with a bunch of stop and go, and I absolutely love the new mounts. The car has a 427 LS3 with a pretty big cam and monster stage 4 clutch. The car used to shake a lot at idle (1000rpm), and it sometimes bucks while cruising at low speeds. Also, the clutch would sometimes shake the entire car while starting from a stop if I didn't have the RPMs high enough.

Now, the car doesn't shake side to side nearly as bad at idle, but I do feel more vibration. This isn't really bad, I actually like the feedback. While cruising if it bucks/hesitates I do hear more drivetrain noise, that is really the only complaint I have, which I'm sure I'll get used to in a week or two. While starting from a stop, the car actually behaves a LOT better, no more bucking and shaking the car. I assume all this was because the one motor mount was falling apart and the motor could shake all it wanted. Oh, and the shifter doesn't move around anymore, it's very planted and shifting feel is definitely improved (hoping I never miss another 2-3 shift again, haha).

What are your plans after the mounts?

Eventually I want to go FI, but we'll see what happens. This winter I'm upgrading my dual 2.5" exhaust to a full 3" system with bi-mode mufflers that are either quiet or straight pipes. Sort of like an exhaust cutout inside the muffler from the factory.

[turbotalon1g]

supercharger, roots/screw type!!!

whipple.

[19TsiAwd90]

supercharger, roots/screw type!!!

whipple.

yumm love that sound

[scheides]

Hah, no idea your mounts were blown so bad, that's crazy! Glad you like the new ones; hopefully the vibration isn't too much, but then again this isn't exactly your DD :D

[asshanson]

Getting a big brake kit soon I think, debating between three different colors - black, red, or blue. What do you guys think? I tried to find some pics of similar c6's but couldn't find any black ones with black wheels and calipers.

http://www.fototime.com/59D7DA707381DF4/orig.jpg
http://downloads.xdesktopwallpapers.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/11-1/Black-Chevrolet-Centennial-Edition-Corvette-Z06-Side-Pose.jpg
http://i16.photobucket.com/albums/b19/dcmidnite/C6/BremboFront.jpg

I'm sort of leaning towards the blue, I think it's a nice contrast on the black.

[viridionplague]

ill agree. i like the blue as well. sweet ride chief.

[A//// Guy]

RED.