Contents

– Identifying the gearbox support arm 

– Replacing a gearbox support arm

Generally, the modern powertrain, consisting of the engine and the transmission bolted together and forming a compact unit, is held together by 3 brackets: the engine bracket, the transmission bracket and a third bracket, which, depending on the configuration, will support more the engine or the transmission (all these brackets interact). Did you think that maybe your transmission problem is coming from one of those supports? Without further ado, in this article, we will discuss the gearbox mount specifically.

Gearbox mount: identifying it

The drivetrain is, on modern vehicles, often positioned at the front of the car. The attachments connecting it to the car body are called “mounts” (engine mounts and transmission mounts). Let’s take a look at the gearbox mount.

General constitution

It is composed of a metal plate (form) made of steel or aluminium alloy fixed by 2 or 3 screws to the gearbox housing and by a screw or a nut to the vehicle’s body by its other end. At this point, it includes a rubber silent block, necessary to filter engine vibrations and transmission jerks.

Read: What is an Engine Block Silencer

Different types of transmission mounts

Depending on the position of the gearbox mount, its action will be different:

– The fixed compression mount: often positioned at the bottom of the gearbox, it is made up of a very rigid silent block that supports its weight. It, therefore, acts in compression, as the gearbox has no range of movement. This configuration limits transmission jerks.

– The balancing compression support: the support silent block is much more flexible and positioned on the gearbox’s upper part. It supports the box but does not limit its swing. It is assisted by intermediate support at the bottom, the rear of the box, and the engine. This type of support allows for better vibration filtration.

Replacing a gearbox support

The breakage of a support in its metal part is very rare. On the other hand, cutting of the mounting silent block is frequent. This case leads to violent jerks, slams, and difficulties or impossibility to shift gears.

Several solutions exist for the supply of a new part:

– car centres;

– on the sites of scrap cars;

– car parts stores are suppliers of this type of part, generally between $50 and $100.

Note: you must be very careful about the quality of the parts offered, especially the silent block. Indeed, these adaptable parts often have inferior characteristics to those of an original part sold in the manufacturer’s network (but 30 to 40% more expensive).

The difficulty of replacing the gearbox support varies greatly depending on accessibility. In addition, you need a lifting jack and jack stands (be careful to respect the safety rules for lifting vehicles).

Read more:

– The manual transmission is a part of the transmission of a vehicle allowing more flexibility in the transformation of the movement provided by the engine to the wheels.

– Gearbox oil is essential for the operation of this transmission mechanism.

– What could cause a transmission leak?

– Are you going to fix that humming transmission?

– How to successfully repair a gearbox?

– Do gearbox additives work?

– What are the main symptoms of gearbox problems?

– Read this before replacing your steering gearbox!

– Why is your gearbox getting hard?

– 5 things to know before opting for an automatic gearbox.

Should you be looking for a professional mechanic to service your car, FIX IT TRANSMISSIONS is the name to remember in Cheltenham.