trans mounts

[vdubrookie]

I'm having an issue with wearing out the axle tube boots on my Berrien sand rail. It has solid mounts on the trans & there is very little clearance between the boots & the frame horns which could be contributing to the short lifespan of the bots when I'm jamming in the sand I was wondering if I could fab some sort of aluminum spacers - say 1/4" to raise the transaxle that much without having to re-engineer the shifting linkage & shift box. Thanks for any help on this.

[jeffrey8164]

I would think that raising the tranny would increase the axle angle and could affect a host of things.
Boots are cheap and can be changed wherever. A pain to be sure but...
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[66brm]

Where are they leaking? If they are being pinched by the frame horns then you may need to fit limit straps so the tube doesn't pinch the boot
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[vdubrookie]

I guess I should mention that it has a swingaxle transaxle. Anyone?

[vdubrookie]

Yes, it appears that they are being pinched as they are being torn up on the bottom of the boot. it has limit straps on it that are tight with the vehicle at rest although I know they can streatch. This problem seems to have developed after I took the coil over "pogo sticks" off & replaced them with KY G2's. I also re-clocked the spring plates to eliminate the sag by unhooking the spring plates and unloading them & sliding the plates off the torsion bars & lowering them so the attaching ends were about 2" closer to the floor from where they were - not the most scientific method but I had to work with what I had

[FreeBug]

Could your frame horns be bent?

[vdubrookie]

Anything is possible but I doubt that both frame horns would be bent the same amount to cause this. It's not like I'm doing 10' liftoffs at the top off the dunes.

[vdubrookie]

It drives & handles great, just tearing up the boots in a few months time.

[volksworld]

with the boot off and the suspension at full droop is the axle tube actually touching the frame horn ?the quality of most aftermarket boots is pretty bad...

[tripicana]

if you have some down tubes connecting between roll cage and frame horns, just use a hammer and get more clearance between horns and boot. Swing axle frame horns are taller than irs frame horns.
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[vdubrookie]

[modok]

Use one-piece boots.


if you use the split boots, the seam should be horizontal, not angled up.

[vdubrookie]

Sorry the pic is so big. Do you think I can remove the boot & hit the frame horn with a big drift & hammer and gain enough clearance or will it weaken the frame horn? I think it is supported pretty well by that down tube ahead of the axle. I'd like to have a U shaped piece cut out & a piece welded back in but don't have access to a welder & don't have the cash to have it done proffessionaly. What do you guys think?

[vdubrookie]

Everything I've read on it says 10 or 2 o'clock & not straight up. That boot is brand new, just went for maybe a five mile road test after replacing axle shaft & it's already leaking. It's got to be pinching I would say.

[modok]

Why don't you look at it with the boot off and see how much clearance there is between the axle and frame. Would only take a minute or two.

[Casting Timmy]

Does the front of the trans have the bottom metal strap as well? I can see it has the top strap in your picture, but can't see if the bottom strap is there as well.

I would wonder if the front end of the trans is going down at times since it doesn't have support. I know you said solid mounts, but I assume with you being able to change boots it has clearance sitting still and the problem comes later when driving and it can't be all solid mounts as it's getting pinched hard at times.

Dont' forget to be topping off the oil after it leaks so much out, don't need the trans to go dry as well during all of this.
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As seen in Volks America Issue 14 Page 11 (Full page review)

[vdubrookie]

Anybody have any input on this?

[vdubrookie]

Yes there is a strap underneath and the nosecone bolts directly to the mount also. Modock, there is clearance with it at rest but not much. You can finagle a shop rag in-between the tube & the frame horn but I can't get my pinky finger between it. Definitely checking the oil, don't want to burn up my Leduc Racing close ratio transaxle.

[vdubrookie]

I do have to put a floor jack with a chain from the jack to the upper frame tube to get clearance when I'm changing the boot. Not touching but that little extra makes it a lot easier to work on it. I hate to say it but this problem seems to have gotten worse since I took the "pogo sticks" off & went with the KYB's. I really don't want to put them back on. Could I have went too far or the wrong way with the spring plates when I did that?

[King_vw61]

You can heat the tubes and use a hammer to get more clearance. I did this to get the 930 cv’s to clear. Was told to do this by dave Folts. I had a picture but can’t find it. It’s somewhere in my gallery in the beginning of my build.
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