92 stock 22RE 4x4 pickup: I figure now is the time to change mounts since I got the tranny and exhaust off but how much of a PITA is the job? My only floor jack is now underneath the tranny so I only have some cheap scissor or toyota jacks. No engine hoist or anything like that. I plan on getting a tranny mount too but do I need to buy OEM mounts or will aftermarket ones like DEA (1/3rd the price) suffice? I don't want or need the solid mounts that LCE sells. Truck is from AZ so rust is not a problem. Thanks!

 

With a scissor jack might be a PITA. I used a engine hoist. I can speak on mount makers, mine are drilled out with a 1/2" bolt ran through them to stop motor from ripping mounts out with dual cases.

 

I cannot speak for myself for either installation or aftermarket parts as mine are original, however, you can read what 22RE Performance has said about aftermarket mounts: https://22reperformance.com/mounts-a...c/motor-mounts

Just some food for thought from a business I trust.

 

Never broke a set of 22re mounts. If you did OEM or Marlin crawler would probably be the least troublesome choices, maybe not the cheapest but you are not doing it twice.

 

A quality pair of aftermarket, but not cheap, mounts should be good. Once your trans is back in do them with your floor jack. Access from underneath MAY be easier.

 

So the engine has to be lifted a bit to remove old brackets or just holding it in exact position is enough?

 

Definitely has to be lifted up some. Your engine is putting it's full weight on those 2 mounts, so the rubber is under compression.

I thought I figured out a good workaround when I replaced my mounts a couple years ago. I bought mounts out of an old Celica for $20 on ebay. They're in great shape and way less beat up than if they'd lived their life in a truck. Unfortunately, the mounting holes were smaller and closer together, so I had to cut larger holes to make them work. It was more time-consuming than I hoped and now I still have +30 year-old rubber supporting my engine. Wish I'd just thrown down for new OEM ones. I stayed away from the cheap aftermarket supply after hearing so many people complain about the poor fit and causing the engine to sit so much higher after making them fit (drilling out the mounting holes might even be necessary).

Do it the right way now or regret it later on.