Lower solid mounts 1/2" shorter than stock, is this okay or need shim?

**LakeFever** · 08-30-2018, 01:52 PM

Replacing the lower rubber with solids today. I have uppers but not the time to do that yet so Im only doing the lowers. The lowers I am putting it are 1/2" shorter is this by design or do I need to shim the 1/2" difference back with a spacer or washers? Any tech tips here welcome, thanks S&F

Edit; 1/4" per end shorter so I added 1/4" of stainless washers to make up the difference. Sure made the bolt go through a lot smoother when lining up.

**Forkin' Crazy** · 08-30-2018, 05:39 PM

Let me get this straight. You are mixing solid and rubber mounts??? I hope you don't plan to run it.

**LakeFever** · 08-30-2018, 05:42 PM

That was my plan, lowers only. No good?

**KIRCHNER** · 08-30-2018, 05:49 PM

Originally Posted by LakeFever

That was my plan, lowers only. No good?

Only if your planning using your motor for a artificial reef !

**LakeFever** · 08-30-2018, 05:51 PM

Thanks gents, thats why I posted. To see if I was missing something. Looks like tomorrows gonna be a late night doing uppers too

Wonder why its so bad? I mix and match solid, poly, and rubber suspension bushings all the time in cars?

**LakeFever** · 08-30-2018, 08:38 PM

What all do I need to change the upper mounts? Do I need any gaskets or?

This says a lot about my bad plan

If you call removing the powerhead, spitting the top plates (almost impossible without ringin' off bolts if its rusty) and then takin' the mid completely off the swivel bracket "real easy" then it's a piece of cake. What you're probably referring to is that some people shim the lower mounts to take the slop out. (bad idea) I've even heard of somebody pinning em. (worse idea) The problem is, when you make the lowers non-flexible and leave the uppers where they CAN move (worst idea of all) it breaks things. The only right way to do it is scatter the engine and replace all 4 with solids. Inline mounts aren't as soft as V6 Merc mounts but they can still deteriorate with age. If the stock mounts still seem tight I doubt that you'll get a Whaler with an 1150 runnin' fast enough that solid mounts would be worth the trouble.

Found here

https://www.screamandfly.com/showthr...d-Motor-Mounts

**Merc 2.5** · 09-01-2018, 03:00 PM

You will need your power head gaskets and exhaust adapter gaskets, go ahead pull can out of mid and give u better sound without being to loud

**Merc 2.5** · 09-01-2018, 03:02 PM

I've heard of people mix matching the mounts but I guess that's top solid bottom rubber?

**LakeFever** · 09-02-2018, 06:42 AM

I have an XR2 parts motor. Plan was to use XR2 tuner, carbs, delete oil inj, bump compression, new reeds, lap blocks, solid mounts and try this combo with through hub prop and build a second lower unit with lwp and try over hub surfacing props. See what I like best. This season is winding down fast so I wanted to try a 23p I bought and stiffen it up a little with the lowers only. I dont bash the hell out of the boat anyways, I always back off for waves and ease over. I cant see this 135 tearing apart a mid section from engine torque because of solid lower mounts only but this thread rattled me enough that I didnt take it out yesterday because I didnt get time Friday to wrench on it.

**Forkin' Crazy** · 09-02-2018, 10:23 AM

Originally Posted by LakeFever

Thanks gents, thats why I posted. To see if I was missing something. Looks like tomorrows gonna be a late night doing uppers too

Wonder why its so bad? I mix and match solid, poly, and rubber suspension bushings all the time in cars?

Never mixed solid and rubber on cars either. Like on the OB, it will create a lot of stress in areas not designed for it. All solid it is all rigid in one unit so to speak. If mixed the rubber will want to flex and the solid may break out.

**LakeFever** · 09-02-2018, 10:28 AM

A lot of suspension arms are built with poly one end, heim the other to make it as stiff as possible but eliminating some of the NVH. I run this and it works well, lots of miles no problems. I can appreciate that a mid section on a Merc is not a super tough piece and will crack or break if the entire load is on the two lowers. Im going to try and quickly stab the rubbers back in to run out the season and do the whole mod list over the winter. Good advice guys, thanks again