Read a few posts, I remember them, I can't find them, from some of the guru's here on the process for removing the crash bracket from the transmission mount.

I just pulled mine off to sort the transmission filter etc and am inclined not to put it back.

Anyone know where these threads are ? - I did use the site search but it was inconclusive

 

Ben
The reason to do away with it is to enable the trans pan to be removed without having to undo the gearbox support fiasco. It forms a connection, supplementary to that of the gearbox itself, between the rear of the trans pan and the support bracket and thus chassis. As far as I can see it does nothing except perhaps reinforcing the gearbox tailshaft casting in the event of a full, frontal hard crash. I have had it removed and not removed and could detect no difference.
A halfway house, which I favour is as shown in these two pics:

This photo show the collision bracket with the flange that bolts to the trans pan still there

This photo show the collision bracket with the flange that bolts to the trans pan removed

If you cut off the bit of the bracket that actually bolts to the pan rear, then you can refit it with everything else staying as normal, but still have the benefit of being able to remove the pan without having to disturb anything else.

 

It isn't going back - decision made - the amount of messing about just to do a filter change is crazy - if I'd been paying attention to my own plans I'd have removed the darn thing while I had the engine out

 

Hmmm - decision may be unmade - going to sleep on it - I'm wondering if it does serve another purpose, your mention of protecting the tailhousing and why it would even need such protection had me looking at it - that casting is pretty thin back there - need to go and look at some GM's in the US to see how it is mounted on those - I know it isn't as complicated as Jaguar though but then none of the GM's are V12's, either way the transmission sump is back on.

 

Ben
AFAIK, no other installation has it. THey all just bolt up the 'box to a big thick rubber pad on a steel crossmember.
There is no load on the gearbox from normal use however hard, that the presence or absence bracket can affect.

 

Sound like a plan - I looked at a GM and many of them are just a single piece of hard rubber on a cross brace.

Either way the task is done, I don't agree with Jaguars torque for the sump pan, 12 ft/lb is way to tight for a cork gasket. Pinched them up to around 8 ft/lbs until I saw the cork squeezing out and distorting. There's blue Hylomar on there anyhow.