Motor Mounts - 2008 Chevy Tahoe Z71 4x4

[Dustin Jackson]

For about a year my Tahoe has had a clunk when accelerating quickly from a stop and I always thought it was something to do in the rear end. Today I tried hitting the accelerator while my foot was on the brake and I was able to replicate the problem. I popped the hood and did it again and I can see my motor shifting and causing the clunk.

I have done a little bit of research and found that I will want to use H3 motor mounts but most of the videos I have seen on this job are for 2WD Tahoes. I climbed under the front and see that the front axle completely covers the driver side mount.

I am looking to you guys for wisdom on your experiences of replacing the motor mounts on a 4x4 08 Tahoe with hand tools and a floor jack in a driveway or if I just need to take it to the mechanic.

I appreciate any personal experiences or tip/tricks.

Thanks for your time.

 

[wsteele]

Every single member on here who I have read that did it, got the job successfully done. It is fussy work, but doable with the tools you describe. Only you can decide if it is worth doing yourself.

Most in the know, use the passenger side Hummer H3 mount (solid, fits both sides) versus the liquid filled OE mount.

 

[Dustin Jackson]

Every single member on here who I have read that did it, got the job successfully done. It is fussy work, but doable with the tools you describe. Only you can decide if it is worth doing yourself.

Most in the know, use the passenger side Hummer H3 mount (solid) versus the liquid filled OE mount.

@wsteele Do you know how they went about getting it out? It looks like to get the bolts on the block side of the mount I could use some swiveling attachments and get it from above and reaching down into the engine bay. If it’s easier to come from the bottom that would be good to know.

 

[wsteele]

@wsteele Do you know how they went about getting it out? It looks like to get the bolts on the block side of the mount I could use some swiveling attachments and get it from above and reaching down into the engine bay. If it’s easier to come from the bottom that would be good to know.

There are a lot of approaches I have watched, from the top, through the wheel well liner, from the bottom. I have not seen what I would call ca consensus. There is a YouTube video that includes using the cat to lift the engine up to get clearance, that is a from the bottom approach, looks pretty straight forward, if a bit sketchy lifting the engine using a cat as your jack purchase point.

The H3 mount is the passenger side that works in both I believe. There will be someone along soon who did it who can confirm.

 

[Dustin Jackson]

After some more research I think I found my answer.

 

[Dustin Jackson]

 

[swathdiver]

When we did ours, the truck was in the air having the control arms replaced. The wheel well liners were out and we jacked up the motor some and got the driver's side out but the passenger side kicked our butt and I was too weak to keep at it and just left it in there. It wasn't bad like the driver's side but was wanting two fresh ones. Being the purist, two new factory ones were purchased along with the rear solid transmission mount; which I never got around to either!

Going in from the wheel well was our preferred way.

 

[Fubar0715]

I had contemplated doing my mounts myself cuz, ya'll know, we can do anything!

At the end of the day, just needed to realize my limitations and sucked it up and had it done. Was pricier than I like to pay but sometimes you just have bite the bullet. I saved doing the 02s and the oil pressure sender myself - this was just more than I wanted to tackle.

 

[Dustin Jackson]

@wsteele @swathdiver @Fubar0715 This last weekend I did the driver side and got it done. Just removed the steering shaft and manifold heat shield was enough to get the driver side out. I will be doing the passenger side this weekend.

After more research it seems the best way to do the motor mounts is to remove the steering shaft, starter, and manifold heat shield from both sides. Then what you do is remove the 3 bottom bolts of both the passenger and driver side mounts this way when you jack the motor up the engine gets high enough that the 4 block side bolts are staring you in the face and its easy as pie.

This is what I will be doing this weekend to get at the passenger side, undo both mounts to get it high enough in the air. It seems like removing the starter is needed but it isn't very hard to do on this platform. I am going to try to get away without removing the passenger fender liner but that is where the mount will have to come out so we will see. I did not have to remove the driver side liner, I pulled the mount out through the steering shaft gap.

It took me 3 hours, sockets, a jack, and a block of wood to do the driver side mount in my driveway.

I am afraid that I damaged the passenger side mount when I jacked the motor up because I didn't undo the passenger side mount before I jacked the motor up, that is why I am going back in to do the passenger side. I will also be looking into doing the transmission mount.

 

[wsteele]

@wsteele @swathdiver @Fubar0715 This last weekend I did the driver side and got it done. Just removed the steering shaft and manifold heat shield was enough to get the driver side out. I will be doing the passenger side this weekend.

After more research it seems the best way to do the motor mounts is to remove the steering shaft, starter, and manifold heat shield from both sides. Then what you do is remove the 3 bottom bolts of both the passenger and driver side mounts this way when you jack the motor up the engine gets high enough that the 4 block side bolts are staring you in the face and its easy as pie.

This is what I will be doing this weekend to get at the passenger side, undo both mounts to get it high enough in the air. It seems like removing the starter is needed but it isn't very hard to do on this platform. I am going to try to get away without removing the passenger fender liner but that is where the mount will have to come out so we will see. I did not have to remove the driver side liner, I pulled the mount out through the steering shaft gap.

It took me 3 hours, sockets, a jack, and a block of wood to do the driver side mount in my driveway.

I am afraid that I damaged the passenger side mount when I jacked the motor up because I didn't undo the passenger side mount before I jacked the motor up, that is why I am going back in to do the passenger side. I will also be looking into doing the transmission mount.

Thanks for the feedback. It is a job I likely will be doing one of these days, probably sooner rather than later. When you get it all done, posting your experiences is invaluable to all of us who have yet to embark on that journey.