Body Mount Replacement/Upgrade

[shevanigans]

Hey everyone, I'm in the process of building an 02 ford e350 into a campervan and wanted to replace the body mounts while they're still easily accessible. The only replacement mounts I've found are the Dorman or other similar cheaper quality mounts. I was hoping I could use something more like these Silicone S&B Body mounts (https://sbfilters.com/products/body-...-2003-crew-cab). Does anyone have any experience adapting F250 body mounts to an E350, know of a way to make custom ones, or know of a company that makes nicer than OEM E350 mounts? I plan on doing 4x4 and being pretty hard on this rig so I'm looking for something that will last.

Open to any and all suggestions

Thanks!

[Timerider]

shevanigans,

As you may already have discovered, Energy Suspension makes an awful lot of polyurethane body mounts for Ford F-150, F-250, and F-350 trucks.

Given Ford's slight tendency to use similar parts between the F-series trucks and E-series vans, it wouldn't surprise me if there were parts from an Energy Suspension F-150/F-250/F350 kit that would work for an E-350.

Have you explored this avenue already?

Timerider

[shevanigans]

Hey Timerider,

I’ll definitely look more into Energy Suspension. Like you said, I have a feeling there’s some cross compatibility as well but hard to find a concrete answer on what would work

[yateskid]

I am also looking into replacing the body mounts on my 2008 e250. I'm having trouble finding any tutorials online. How do you access the front body mount (position 1)? It looks like I have to remove the bumper to access the bottom, but what about the top of the bolt? Is that somewhere in the engine compartment?

[shevanigans]

Hi yateskid,

yep turns out replacing body mounts is huge pain. I ended up just doing the back four and calling it quits. Had to cut them out.

From what I saw, it looks like the you only have to take the battery out and you've got pretty good access to the top of the bolts in the engine bay. And then, like you said, there's a little square cutout in the front of the frame rail that you can access once you take the bumper off.

Another thing to note, my van's a 2002 and the body mount sold as position 5 (I ended up buying the dorman ones off rockauto) is definitely not the right one. All the mounts looked the same except the two you're taking about in the engine bay. so know what you're buying.

[yateskid]

Hi shevanigans,

Thanks for the info. Are these bolts welded to the body? I would love to do this repair without pulling apart the inside of my van. This van has lived its whole life in a low rust environment, so I'm hoping I won't have to cut.

[Timerider]

yateskid,

Don't forget: Supco Rust Buster (or something similar) is your friend in these situations. (I have no affiliation with this particular product.) Soak rusty nuts/bolts with it and then allow some time (a half-hour isn't excessive) to soak in before trying more torque. What's on the outside may have evaporated, but it's what creeps inside that counts!

I've used Rust Buster for almost 30 years. It really helps, especially with dry hard rust that's keeping nuts and bolts together - just like the kind you find underneath vehicle bodies.

You can buy Rust Buster from Amazon, but then, you can also buy it elsewhere for half the price. Just search for "Supco Rust Buster".

As an aside, musicians who play valved brass instruments like trumpets, cornets, french horns, baritone horns, and the like will instantly recognize the smell of Rust Buster. It's called "valve oil" in their world, and it can be found under that name at any musical instrument store.

Don't sniff Rust Buster (principal chemical name: glycol ether). When I was a young trumpet player, they told me it causes dain bramage - but I've never noticed any such effects . . .

Good luck, and may your nuts always bust loose freely!

Timerider