Engine torque strap concept?
 

Wow, ditching the p/s system sure made a lot more room in there. I was playing around with some hardware and fabbed this up for a torque strap. Assuming it clears the hedders, would this be a effective way to reduce the motor twisting so much?I have brand new stock motor mounts and a poly trans mount. The car has welded in subframe connectors and aluminum mounts.

This particular one is a cheap aluminum one, I would pick up a stronger one for final assembly.

Thanks,

Works great. Ran one exactly like that back in the 80's. But will bend a little. If you drive it a lot you might want to get into a chain with minimaul play.

i use a similar type of strap, mine hooks to a ring that i put through the frame. this way i can leave a little slack so the normal engine movements dont abuse the strap. but its tight enough to limit the movement so the motor mounts dont get over extended

That looks like an aluminum buckle. I'd swap it out for a steel one.

i'm not a fan of using the head itself for an anchor point. i usually fab a 1/2 inch thick aluminum plate that bolts onto the end of the head using all three bolts and then anchor to that.
another way is to extend a piece of metal fron the front engine mount bolt and atatch a length of chain to the frame from there. just make sure the bolt going into the block is the proper length

I run this...

http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y21...1/100_0444.jpg

Here's a chain and some brackets that I fabricated into my fathers Tempest.. No problems at all with this setup when running in the nines..

Here is mine:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v2...1/P1010016.jpg

Jagtec1, I can read your block code. how do you get such sharp focus photos?

That Passenger plate worth 10x driver plate in my opinion.
A Rear Passenger Head "plate" of equals would complete the force diagram in my opinion.

So you figure the compression of the pass. side is a much better idea than the extension of a driv. side plate?

I would think you would want some movement though no?

I can't help but think of the amount of vibration transmitted through those plates.

BTW, im new to this.

Does the use of this tie down strap help 1/4 mile performance or 60' times or is this just a pro-active step to prevent motor mount failure?

I use a bolt welded sideways on the motor mount, it is the best of both worlds. You have the rubber mount at idle and a solid mount when torque is applied. I think it was Jim Hand that originally had this idea. It might not work as well for the big boys but it works great for me, thanks Jim! -Jim Thompson

And on a light-hearted note in remembrance of Larry Davis, here's a picture of his. Notice anything special about it? :)

Just got mine done this weekend!

"This particular one is a cheap aluminum one, I would pick up a stronger one for final assembly."

You'll need a nut on the RH threaded end to lock it in place.

BILTIT, I'm just guessing. Yet my opinion is to help the Block Main Saddles, not the motor mount. Keep them Mains from splitting, also keep the Dowel pins from tensile stressing the caps. IT's all there under load.

Helpful to think of the Factory motor mounts as fuses that blow-out to save the Block Mains from damage.
Also helpful to figure on the real multiplied TQ generated at the Trans Tail, and how it is manifest at the Block Bellhousing. That another compressive plate placed at the PAss-Head rear would make a mechanically dynamic stable joint, for the block length to deliver TQ out the crank flange.

Then the Driver-side lift can be addressed as a reaction to the Pass-plates.

Hmmm, might be something for me to look into.

I like it Darin - How are those plates attached at the frame?

They are bolted with grade 8 bolts to angle iron that I welded to the frame.

I have stock motor mounts (LS with the Jim Hand mod), and a soft trans mount.

I needed to space my alternator bracket for pulley alignment, so I made the spacer plate double as an attachment point for my torque-limiter chain.

The 3/8" thick aluminum plate is sandwiched between the stock alternator bracket and the head, held on with three 3/8-16 bolts. I tapped the plate for 3/8-24 thread instead of just drilling a thru hole for the chain attachment bolt, makes for a much tighter fit. The Grade 8 chain attachment bolt is tightened up first, then the nut is locked down to make doubly sure it doesn't loosen up.

I drilled a hole through both walls of the frame near the top of the rail, it hasn't started to collapse any even though there's no tube inside the rail for support.

The chain was attached to the spacer plate first and pulled tight, then the lower frame attachment tab was marked for drilling. The tab was also tapped 3/8-24 like the top plate. The chain still has almost zero slack, it hung in there fine for over 10 years of transbraked launches. My car isn't all that powerful or quick (12.0s) but I never had any issues with engine movement or engine mount breakage.

http://i137.photobucket.com/albums/q...e/DSC00922.jpg

http://i137.photobucket.com/albums/q...e/DSC00924.jpg

Fwiw: I lost my 462 a coulpe of years back due a #3 cylinder collaspe!! Cracks in block were present from DS M mount/rail to point of #3 cylinder wall destruction. Even near boss on outside of block.I had been using solid mounts. Cracks came from water jacket side. Think I posted pics here?? I have since went with a allpontiac.com front plate + stock soft mounts.
I think a torque limiting "something" is a must on high HP motors..

Makes a fella ponder the 3 Freeze plug blockss vs 2 freeze plug blocks huh.

I really think cast block metal continues to work better in cyclic compression, rather than cyclic tension.

Uhmm....it's for a "reverse rotation" engine?

:D

Yep. He did such nice work on that car, and was justifiably proud when he'd post pictures here. He took some ragging over that one, though, if I recall correctly.

Front and rear driver side mount. I fabbed up some straps using stock frame holes. Seems to help the 60's a lot and better weight transfer. The block bolts (gr 8) completely bottom out in their holes

Does that just mount to the original motor mount bolt?

No, The bolt I am using is much longer but the same bolt hole's (each end) Both bolts run thru the fabbed strap original mount then into the block..

It was rough on the stock driver mount ripping two previously.

That's a very neat job. Effectively makes it a soild mount. Your fab skills are good. Can you remove lower bolts for street use? If you check out block bolt location you can how close it is to bottom of the rail. My old demised 462 had cracks behind the DS mount by front bolt and went from rail to bottom of bore on inside....I think fatiauge does in the 50+ year old blocks. Filling the block would help..IMO

Thanks Troy,

The new engine block I have now is hard filled. Maybe it will last. The idea was to still look stock from the top and not see the mod.

Torque strap?
 

I can't believe you guys are still using chains !!!! Diamond Jim has the right idea. I used a short length of pushrod welded to the driver's side stock motor mount. Like he said: best of both worlds. Go for it!!!

Spare the motor mount and waste the block! :confused::confused:
At least on strip only cars.
Again....JMO
I ran a chain for years and then went with soild mounts...wasted block shortly afterwards....coincidence ???
Had to do it over again I would hard block it..

Unclescratch and Diamond Jim's method sound great can you give me a better description on how and where the bolt or pushrod is welded. Can this be done with motor already in car?
Thanks,

'69,
Check out the thread at:

http://forums.maxperformanceinc.com/...d.php?t=402971

It may not be possible to adapt this mod to all engine mounts. But if you drive on the street, it is a wonderful compromise, providing normal rubber damping at light throttle, but a positive solid connection when the engine is loaded.

Jim Hand

Couldn't agree more Jim for a hot street/strip car. I used it myself for a while before going strip/race only.
Take care Jim.

Here is a link to a pic of the mount modification:

http://216.178.81.108/forums/showthr...t+modification

I defer to the master. Thanks Jim Hand for this and a lot of other great ideas! -Jim