Help warped engine mount advice
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Elder User
Joined: Sep 2006
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From: Katy(Houston), Texas
Help warped engine mount advice
I made my engine mounts and was pretty prowd of the way they turned out. This 1/4 inch steel was a job to cut with a grinder fitted with a 4" cutting wheel but I got it done. Tacked and test fitted everything to my satisfaction. Now the problem came when I was welding them in 
. Once I got them welded in and went to drop the engine back on the mounts...ya, you guessed it...one of the mounts had moved back and now the engine wont fit on the drivers side. As far as I can tell the MII crossmember is still straight and everything looks fine but the mount is back about 1/2"-3/4".
My question is would it be possible to do come controlled heating and pull it back into position (very carefully) or should I just cut them off, grind it clean and start over. I really hate to remake these because it was a lot of work to produce these simple looking mounts and I'm guessing I couldn't reuse these so it would be a start from scratch situation.
This is before I reinforced where the ening bolts to the mount with some triangle shaped wedges (damn i cant remember the propper term right now).
. Once I got them welded in and went to drop the engine back on the mounts...ya, you guessed it...one of the mounts had moved back and now the engine wont fit on the drivers side. As far as I can tell the MII crossmember is still straight and everything looks fine but the mount is back about 1/2"-3/4". My question is would it be possible to do come controlled heating and pull it back into position (very carefully) or should I just cut them off, grind it clean and start over. I really hate to remake these because it was a lot of work to produce these simple looking mounts and I'm guessing I couldn't reuse these so it would be a start from scratch situation.
This is before I reinforced where the ening bolts to the mount with some triangle shaped wedges (damn i cant remember the propper term right now).
Last edited by lowtrkn2k; Sep 26, 2012 at 06:38 PM. Reason: adding picture
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Joined: May 2010
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From: Moyie, BC Canada
I made my engine mounts and was pretty prowd of the way they turned out. This 1/4 inch steel was a job to cut with a grinder fitted with a 4" cutting wheel but I got it done. Tacked and test fitted everything to my satisfaction. Now the problem came when I was welding them in . Once I got them welded in and went to drop the engine back on the mounts...ya, you guessed it...one of the mounts had moved back and now the engine wont fit on the drivers side. As far as I can tell the MII crossmember is still straight and everything looks fine but the mount is back about 1/2"-3/4".
My question is would it be possible to do come controlled heating and pull it back into position (very carefully) or should I just cut them off, grind it clean and start over. I really hate to remake these because it was a lot of work to produce these simple looking mounts and I'm guessing I couldn't reuse these so it would be a start from scratch situation.
This is before I reinforced where the ening bolts to the mount with some triangle shaped wedges (damn i cant remember the propper term right now).
. Once I got them welded in and went to drop the engine back on the mounts...ya, you guessed it...one of the mounts had moved back and now the engine wont fit on the drivers side. As far as I can tell the MII crossmember is still straight and everything looks fine but the mount is back about 1/2"-3/4". My question is would it be possible to do come controlled heating and pull it back into position (very carefully) or should I just cut them off, grind it clean and start over. I really hate to remake these because it was a lot of work to produce these simple looking mounts and I'm guessing I couldn't reuse these so it would be a start from scratch situation.
This is before I reinforced where the ening bolts to the mount with some triangle shaped wedges (damn i cant remember the propper term right now).
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Elder User
Joined: Sep 2006
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From: Katy(Houston), Texas
I'll probably have to cut them off and remake them because I can't get a cut off wheel in there and it's 1/4 plate so will have to just remake them. If I cut them it will end up being too short. Good thing is I should only have to remake one side. I also went back and looked at it again and it's only off by about 1/4" +. I'll work on it over the weekend when I get a little time.
Logistics Pro
Joined: Jun 2010
Posts: 4,965
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From: East KY
I completely agree. I'm definitely no expert, but with those 2 opposing plates essentially laying almost horizontal (without buttresses, etc.) as they reach out toward the engine, you're completely depending on the welds on the crossmember to support the entire mechanism. I'm afraid the weight and torque from the engine will just simply bend them downward and collapse the mount. Some other people need to chime in on this.
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Elder User
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From: Katy(Houston), Texas
How does this look. I had added these but I didn't have a pic with them at the time. You can see up by the engine where I added some1/4" support wedges. It's actually pretty "beefy" and seems really solid.
Do you think this will be enough?
Do you think this will be enough?
Logistics Pro
Joined: Jun 2010
Posts: 4,965
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From: East KY
I see what you've done. And those little triangles may help some to prevent the potential rotation, and subsequent possible failure, of your mounts, but I honestly don't know if it will be enough. Some of the other guys need to chime in and give you an honest opinion about that. When it comes to things like engine mounts, safety is the top priority above everything else.
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Elder User
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From: Katy(Houston), Texas
Ok I agree. When I originally built these I was thinking about cutting a piece of tubing and welding it in vertically around the center area but then decided to just wedge the corners up front thinking that would give it strenght and prevent them from collapsing under the weight of the engine. If anyone else has anything to add please do.
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Hotshot
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 15,882
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From: Durham NC
I would have fully plated at least one side (1/8" stock would be plenty) to form a C channel shape than relying on those tiny gussets. Amazing how much 1/4" plate will warp when welding! Don't weld in one continuous bead, use skip beads no more than 1/2" long and no closer than 6" to each other. Skip around, front to back, side to side. Allow to air cool completely to room temp before adding more welds. May not look as "pretty" but will reduce warpage. Patience while welding will take less time than doing over!
Postmaster
Joined: Aug 2003
Posts: 3,222
Likes: 6
From: Houston
I think Ax is right, a plate covering one side of the mount will make it much stronger. And whatever Ax says about welding should be listened to. He has a great thread here about welding that should be read by all. His posts have helped me understand much more about welding.
Hotshot
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 15,882
Likes: 88
From: Durham NC
After reexamining the photos, I would rotate the mount design 90* so the 1/4" plate is vertical rather than horizontal. Laying horizontal it isn't effectively much stronger than 1/4" rod. Tiny gussets add little to no strength.
This the way I'd do it:
OOps Ross beat me to it!
This the way I'd do it:
OOps Ross beat me to it!
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