officespace56

I have had this problem for a while, it is more of a nuisance than anything. After I installed my JBA longtubes, the steering shaft is slightly rubbing up against part of the LT. Not always, but sometimes when I am taking a curved road at a moderately high speed, I can feel and hear the steering shaft rubbing against the LT. Anyone know how to fix this? Would aftermarket motor mounts drop the engine a little lower than stock, hence dropping the longtubes with it to get rid of the steering shaft issues?

Thanks for any responses,

-Matt

habu

JDM sells a set of "shaved" Prothane motor mounts that will lower the engine. The other suggestion and it's not a great one is to ding the header where the steering shaft is so that you get your clearance.

70MACH1OWNER

+1 I added Prothanes which stops the motor from sloshing from side to side and put a small flattened area on the header tube. It doesn't hurt a thing functionally anyway. I have never had an issue with rubbing.
Scott

tom281

Lowering the engine will probably make it worse. The normal (non-JDM) Prothane mounts will actually raise the engine about 1/4", which will provide more clearance.

TacoBill

I don't have LT's, but doesn't the motor have some side-to-side play if you loosen the motor mounts? Not sure if moving the motor off center does more harm than good.

blkstang06

If your having contact problems lowering the motor will do nothing but increase the problem. It will move the header closer to the shaft. The standard set of Prothane mounts should correct your problem in two ways, First, even though the Prothane mounts are the same hight as the Hydro mounts, the Prothane don't give or settle with the weight of the motor so in real world terms this gives you about a 1/4'' of hight gain, Second you do loose as mentioned the motor roll that you get with the Hydro Mounts !

and your right Scott dinting the header at the point of contact will not influence the performance of the header, in fact this is the remedy that the FRRP techs suggest in solving contact issues with the Ford headers !....

tom281

Yes, before I installed Prothane mounts I loosened the stockers and moved my engine towards the passenger side- it is not much but it helped with the contact problem.

I thought I just said that..... just picking on you!

blkstang06

you said, probably!....I said will....

officespace56

I think I will try to flatten out the area of contact. How have you guys gone about doing this? Go at it with a hammer?

70MACH1OWNER

Not exactly but kind of. Here are the tools I used to flatten my longtubes. They were 1 5/8 dia. tubing. You use the wooden block to support the headers from underneath against a concrete floor. You use the black end of the hammer. The hard end to massage the header tube. I weighs about 5 lbs., so it does not take alot of effort. It will make subtle changes in the contour of the tubing. No sharp dents. I would be willing to send my massaging tools to you if needed. You pay the shipping only. Do not use a ballpeen hammer!!!!!
Scott

officespace56

Here are some pictures of the rubbing. You can see the black ring on the steering shaft caused from the friction. I think I will be ordering some Prothanes in the near future....

70MACH1OWNER

The Prothanes will help for sure. But you still may need the hammer!!!
Scott

officespace56

My question is how do you get the hammer down there to bend the tubing?

70MACH1OWNER

Well this is the bummer part.....It needs to be done off the car...Not on it. Sorry!!!!!

tom281

Oh sure now you tell him.......

70MACH1OWNER

Sorry!!!!

officespace56

Thanks for the help anyways Scott, I guess I will be gettin' some Prothanes and see if that helps.

tom281

hahahaaa, you know I'm just picking on you. I was joking, just inferring that you should have told him before he installed the headers.

blkstang06

Have you noticed all of 70MACH1OWNER's mods involve the use of hammers or large pieces of pipe !.....

officespace56

I installed the headers last summer I think before he put the OBX's in. But thanks for all of the tips guys!