2.3L ('83-'97) Need help with 2.3 4x4 motor Mount brackets

[stamina]

Alright, whole truck is torn apart and 2.3 is ready to go in, or so I thought. Come to find out unlike the v6 mounts which bolt directly to the frame crossmember the 4 cylinder mounts bolt to a bracket that then bolts to the frame. I didn’t know this before yesterday evening but figured it out pretty quick when I went to put the mounts in. So I went to the junkyard this morning and quickly swiped a set of these brackets off of a 96 2wd….. Went to install and both of the brackets are missing the third hole on top of the frame crossmember and don’t look like they fit well at all, none the less I drill the hole out, and put the mounts on. Tried to drop the engine in and no dice. It just doesn’t fit right, it’s crooked and I can only get 3 out of 4 pins, I’m assuming where I went wrong was a 2wd truck brackets and mine is a 4wd (later Dana 35). If anyone can confirm or deny this, has some pictures of the 4x4 brackets, or HAS some 2.3 4x4 Dana 35 brackets I would greatly appreciate if you would reach out. Kind of in a prickly right now LOL!

 

[scotts90ranger]

Oof, those brackets aren't common... yes the frame side brackets are different from 4x2 and 4x4 and the 2.3L brackets are different than others and to make things fun they changed to the 300 I6 motor mounts in '87... so you need frame brackets for a '87-97 Ranger 4 cylinder...

I could get pictures but they'd be crap since there's a busy engine in the way of mine, I don't have any frame side brackets "in stock" or I'd offer them...

 

[stamina]

Oof, those brackets aren't common... yes the frame side brackets are different from 4x2 and 4x4 and the 2.3L brackets are different than others and to make things fun they changed to the 300 I6 motor mounts in '87... so you need frame brackets for a '87-97 Ranger 4 cylinder...

I could get pictures but they'd be crap since there's a busy engine in the way of mine, I don't have any frame side brackets "in stock" or I'd offer them...

Are you sure about the 87 number? I’ve got a guy 40 minutes away with an 85 and. 86 2.3 4x4’s

 

[scotts90ranger]

As long as you can get the brackets and mounts I think you should be good, might need the engine side bracket too but not sure, I only have the experience with the '90 personally...

I am not sure the year, but if the isolators look like what you have (studs on each end with an alignment pin) they are right, the older version was a bigger piece of rubber that was longer, never seen one in person though...

 

[stamina]

As long as you can get the brackets and mounts I think you should be good, might need the engine side bracket too but not sure, I only have the experience with the '90 personally...

I am not sure the year, but if the isolators look like what you have (studs on each end with an alignment pin) they are right, the older version was a bigger piece of rubber that was longer, never seen one in person though...

I think I’ve seen what you’re talking about on rock auto for sale for 80’s 2.3 rangers, I also read that the 4x4 2.3’s even after 1990 used a false Dana 35 that was really a 28 for some reason that gives me hope that they’re just metal brackets, guy won’t respond right now but if and when he does I’ll let you know and try to get pictures even if they’re the wrong ones for my application

 

[scotts90ranger]

The early ones were real dana 35's, it wasn't until the last couple years that they had the hybrid differentials, if there are any ribs on the diff housing that's usually a sign of a standard D35 not a hybrid or if you take out the fill plug and see diff parts instead of the beam...

 

[stamina]

well god smiled upon us yesterday, guy hit me back and i drove 40 minutes out to check out the 86, sure enough, they were them. took some pictures for anyone else down the road who may find this, these are the brackets for the dana 35 and 28 crossmember it doesnt matter which one. truck was a 86 and had a 28 mines a 90 and has a 35 and they bolted up perfectly. FYI passenger side mount is a flaming pile of ferd. were real close to getting her running!

 

[scotts90ranger]

The engine mount brackets are not axle specific, just engine specific... if that was on a '86 apparently I was off on the year but good find! Those are rare for sure...

Be very wary of that drop plate bracket for the passenger axle beam pivot, they are very well known for breaking holes in Dana 35 differentials, not quite so much on Dana 28's since they're smaller, there's a thing on it in the tech library and in the 4x4 suspension section...