Strut Tower Bar Connected To Engine OK?
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I'm running a swap car with some very tight hood clearance. I am trying to come up with ways of fitting in a good strut bar, and the idea of attaching a bar between the head and the strut tower on each side of the engine bay intrigues me. I plan on running solid motor mounts, so would there be much more NVH transmitted to the chassis in addition to what those bring? Would the engine vibration affect the chassis movement?
Thanks.
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Not a good idea. The engine in this car is not meant to be a stressed member, and even if it was, not in that direction. What the hell kind of engine or intake are you running anyway?
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bad idea. even with solid mounts you are going to have some lateral [rotational] torque from the engine.
plus the vibration could rattle the bolts (or various other things) loose.
plus the vibration could rattle the bolts (or various other things) loose.
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Wouldn't the cylinder head be a poor place to attach it to regardless? That way the heads would be resisting the engine rotation. Not sure if it would make any huge difference or not, but it just seems like a bad idea.
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Motor plates add more front end stiffening than you think. The plate running from the driver side to the passenger side is very strong in this position and adds greatly to front end stability from side loads because this is along the strength of the plate.
Last edited by BMR Tech; 10-20-2008 at 04:27 PM.
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They make the car harder to work on though....
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I also have a stupid question. What are motor plates anyway?
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See here:
http://www.tpmotorsports.com/plumbing.jpg
It's the flat panel that runs on the face of the motor, and is connected on either side of the frame.
I don't see what the difference is going to be between a motor plate and the idea I had, since they are bth connected to the frame/body and heads.
http://www.tpmotorsports.com/plumbing.jpg
It's the flat panel that runs on the face of the motor, and is connected on either side of the frame.
I don't see what the difference is going to be between a motor plate and the idea I had, since they are bth connected to the frame/body and heads.
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See here:
http://www.tpmotorsports.com/plumbing.jpg
It's the flat panel that runs on the face of the motor, and is connected on either side of the frame.
I don't see what the difference is going to be between a motor plate and the idea I had, since they are bth connected to the frame/body and heads.
http://www.tpmotorsports.com/plumbing.jpg
It's the flat panel that runs on the face of the motor, and is connected on either side of the frame.
I don't see what the difference is going to be between a motor plate and the idea I had, since they are bth connected to the frame/body and heads.
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Well by way of the engine mounts and subframe, the block is connected to the frame. Think of this as the bottom of the frame connected to the bottom of the engine. Connect the top of the engine (heads) to the top of the frame (strut towers), and you're basically boxing the engine in. Even with solid mounts, there is some pivoting allowed about the crank's axis. By connected the heads to the strut towers, you would completely eliminate the engine rotation relative to the car.
Still, I'm not sure why BMR recommended a motor plate over a strut bar going to the heads, especially since motor plates involve some welding or drilling in the body/frame.
Still, I'm not sure why BMR recommended a motor plate over a strut bar going to the heads, especially since motor plates involve some welding or drilling in the body/frame.
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Not necessarily, Lee. The motor plates that I'm familiar with, through a couple of oval track cars I was involved with, either mounted between the water pump and accessory holes on the front of the block, and/or the block/bellhousing in the rear of the engine. These plates then bolted to tabs which attached to the frame. Both cars, I should note, were fabricated steel chassied cars.
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Well by way of the engine mounts and subframe, the block is connected to the frame. Think of this as the bottom of the frame connected to the bottom of the engine. Connect the top of the engine (heads) to the top of the frame (strut towers), and you're basically boxing the engine in. Even with solid mounts, there is some pivoting allowed about the crank's axis. By connected the heads to the strut towers, you would completely eliminate the engine rotation relative to the car.
Still, I'm not sure why BMR recommended a motor plate over a strut bar going to the heads, especially since motor plates involve some welding or drilling in the body/frame.
Still, I'm not sure why BMR recommended a motor plate over a strut bar going to the heads, especially since motor plates involve some welding or drilling in the body/frame.