Bending motor plate

[Frank Mopar]

1/8 mile 3,000 lb bracket car with trans brake. 7.30-7.40, By no means a monster but shes bending the motor plate.

Over winter I replaced a 2 piece 1/4” plate that bent and cracked the trans mount. I plated the trans mount and put on 1 piece 3/8” plate. So after 7 runs the quarter in gap on trans bolts is gone so shes at the back of the slots and the plate is obviously bent 1/4”. The measurements confirm.

I know a mid plate would help but thats a winter project.

Motor mounts are cut off so I wrapped 3/8 cable around what I believe is a shipping hole cast in the rf of the engine and the K member. Hope this helps. Any ideas?

 

[Jackpot50]

You mean the front motor plate?
What do you have it bolted to?
Pictures please.

 

[PurpleBeeper]

Holy crap! I see you've added a custom solid trans mount, & since you're motor mount ears are gone, maybe you could run a brace from the frame to the driver's side of the engine...maybe at one of the top & furthest left (sitting inside the car) water pump housing bolts?...sort of like when we used to chain down the motors? I'm no expert on this, fyi.

 

[gtxracer]

There are a couple threads on this site that address this issue with a turnbuckle or two between the trans cross member and the tabs on each side of the trans case. Do a search and I'm sure you will find it. I myself have never had this particular problem and I have the "elephant ears" motor plate in my GTX.
Bob

 

[dvw]

You need a for/aft link. From the block to K-frame, trans to trans cross member, etc. Mine are at the trans.
Doug

 

[Frank Mopar]

There are a couple threads on this site that address this issue with a turnbuckle or two between the trans cross member and the tabs on each side of the trans case. Do a search and I'm sure you will find it. I myself have never had this particular problem and I have the "elephant ears" motor plate in my GTX.
Bob

I have 3/8” plate from mancini. In the pic you can see its bent

A searh for “elephant ears” comes up with nothing

I tried a search and all I seem to find are about torque straps to keep the engine from lifting. Ill keep trying......

anyways

I made this cable device (see pic) to try and help for now

 

[Frank Mopar]

 

[Frank Mopar]

You need a for/aft link. From the block to K-frame, trans to trans cross member, etc. Mine are at the trans.
Doug

Got any pics Doug? If its working for you Ill go with it.

 

[6PKRTSE]

I have one like this on my Challenger. This seems to be the go to for the Mopar crowd. Cleans up the engine bay also for trying to get on mounted arounsdall of the header tubes to go from the block down to the chassis somewhere.

 

[66Satellite47]

My motor plate in my tube car was a full one piece plate 3/8" with a 1/4" mid plate. Solid trans mount. Worked great with 600 HP.

 

[dvw]

Got any pics Doug? If its working for you Ill go with it.[/QUOTE
Post 9 is my mount. Motor plates have very little fore aft strength. Drill a hole in the K-frame forward of the block eyelet. run a vertical bolt though it. Make a sleeve (3/8" hole) for the eyelet in the block where you cable is currently attached. Then run a plate, 2 heims and a tube, etc between those 2 points. Just make sure it cant go forward or back. That cable isn't going to do it.
Doug
Doug

 

[Frank Mopar]

Thanks for great ideas. Ill do the torque straps at the trans. And although I have threaded rod pulling my cable setup tight Ill redo that too

 

[66Satellite47]

If you want the other approach, solid trans mount with a solid trans X member.

 

[dvw]

If you want the other approach, solid trans mount with a solid trans X member.

Solid trans mount is a quick way to a cracked trans case.
Doug

 

[66Satellite47]

Solid trans mount is a quick way to a cracked trans case.
Doug

Well never cracked one with my my tube car. At least 1000 runs.

 

[19polara64]

Solid trans mount is a quick way to a cracked trans case.
Doug

X2 this happened to a friend of mine.

 

[Frank Mopar]

So my fix is done. At least when I loosened up the trans mount bolts, boing! The plate popped back straight.

I went with the big stuff. 1/2 heims with 5/8 rod. Overkill maybe. Also put a 3/4 to 1/2 bushing in the engine casting hole, 1/2 bolt with a chain around the K member

 

[Jackpot50]

So how is the motor plate bolted to frame?

 

[dvw]

Those heims will take care of it. You don't need the chain. Mine are only 5/16 on the one end, left over parts. 525 passes.
Doug

 

[Frank Mopar]

So how is the motor plate bolted to frame?

Bolted to tabs welded in place