Torque Strap?

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jpharley

jpharley

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I have a L023 clone with an Indy Aluminum 426 and an A-833 4 spd. Somewhere along the line, I had a violent launch that shoved the engine back 1/2 - 3/4 inch. Bent the exhaust hangers, broke the trans cross member and slightly buckled the quarter panels on both sides. Ouch! I'm adding Cal-Tracs to the SS Spring setup, rechecking the pinion angle, and dumping the pinion snubber. Assuming I have a broken motor mount on the left side and I can get the motor shoved back to the right spot...I think I could use a torque strap. Does anybody have any suggestions on what might work? I don't want to do any welding to the frame as its all powder coated. Ideas?
 
jpharley said:
I have a L023 clone with an Indy Aluminum 426 and an A-833 4 spd. Somewhere along the line, I had a violent launch that shoved the engine back 1/2 - 3/4 inch. Bent the exhaust hangers, broke the trans cross member and slightly buckled the quarter panels on both sides. Ouch! I'm adding Cal-Tracs to the SS Spring setup, rechecking the pinion angle, and dumping the pinion snubber. Assuming I have a broken motor mount on the left side and I can get the motor shoved back to the right spot...I think I could use a torque strap. Does anybody have any suggestions on what might work? I don't want to do any welding to the frame as its all powder coated. Ideas?
Click to expand...

Wow, when all that happened, did you notice it immediately? We would love to see pictures of your car.

It sounds like you need to have the car put on a frame machine by someone familiar with old Mopars. If you haven't put subframe connectors, torque boxes, a full cage and a motor plate in yet, you may want to think about doing so.

With that much power & torque hooked to a manual transmission, the shock load is obviously massive.

You may want to consider using the Caltrac Mono leafs with the Caltrac set-up, as they recommend. They do tend to sit low relative to what you have in there now.
 
jbc426 said:
Wow, when all that happened, did you notice it immediately? We would love to see pictures of your car.

It sounds like you need to have the car put on a frame machine by someone familiar with old Mopars. If you haven't put subframe connectors, torque boxes, a full cage and a motor plate in yet, you may want to think about doing so.

With that much power & torque hooked to a manual transmission, the shock load is obviously massive.

You may want to consider using the Caltrac Mono leafs with the Caltrac set-up, as they recommend. They do tend to sit low relative to what you have in there now.
Click to expand...


I do have torque boxes and frame connectors with just a 6 point roll bar. I wanted to keep is 68SS authentic so no motor plate. Yep it was pretty obvious something was wrong when it happened. I would like to get a torque strap on the thing before I have another issue. However, I think the rear end was the catalyst. I unloaded the tires 3-4 times on the start. I suspect that pinion was bouncing wildly at the time. It bent the floor pan above the snubber pretty good. I'd like to get the motor tied down w/o going with a motor plate. I know others are running my engine mount setup successfully but they do have a strap with mounts welded to the K-member and then bolted to the water pump. Mancini and Summit were selling something that looks like the Schumacher unit, but no one has any in stock.

652G9712.jpeg
 
If you can weld, maybe copy the Torque Straps ?

In the past, we used chains to the water pump housing and wrapped it around the front yard f the K frame. Bolted link to link tightly (or as much as possible) at the K frame. The links should not be to loose anywhere.

If you can get pictures, it would help a lot. A torque strap is mostly to stop engine rotation in case of a failed mount. Lateral movement would really be a motor plate.
 
rumblefish360 said:
If you can weld, maybe copy the Torque Straps ?

In the past, we used chains to the water pump housing and wrapped it around the front yard f the K frame. Bolted link to link tightly (or as much as possible) at the K frame. The links should not be to loose anywhere.

If you can get pictures, it would help a lot. A torque strap is mostly to stop engine rotation in case of a failed mount. Lateral movement would really be a motor plate.
Click to expand...
I understand the purpose being to stop rotation. My think is that it may have rotated then when it was off the rubber was pulled back. I want to keep it down where the weight is on the mount. Thanks good ideas.
 
Make a limiter f rom dom tubing that goes from the back of the engine/trans to the reinforced trams crossmember . Put heim joints on each so you can set the preload . good luck
 
jpharley said:
broke the trans cross member and slightly buckled the quarter panels on both sides. Ouch!
Click to expand...

I'm no expert on stuff this "hot" but I'm thinking an engine strap is just not gonna make it. You likely need some SERIOUS chassis work / additions
 
You need to get rid of any rubber on your motor mounts fab up small boxes where the rubber is and weld to the motor mount this keeps the motor from moving back on launch and help with torque from motor then add something to keep motor from twisting ran 9.40s in the old days with the setup in SS/AA you will break trans if you let that motor move back
 
This is what I did with my RB to hold the motor during launches. You'll see the rod ends and threaded grade 8 rod. I realize that the hemi has different mount locations, but I'll be doing similar on my Dart when I install the 572.
IMG_1178.jpg

Guys also do the same thing at the trans cross member to the transmission housing to hold the motor from pushing back.
 
jpharley said:
I do have torque boxes and frame connectors with just a 6 point roll bar. I wanted to keep is 68SS authentic so no motor plate. Yep it was pretty obvious something was wrong when it happened. I would like to get a torque strap on the thing before I have another issue. However, I think the rear end was the catalyst. I unloaded the tires 3-4 times on the start. I suspect that pinion was bouncing wildly at the time. It bent the floor pan above the snubber pretty good. I'd like to get the motor tied down w/o going with a motor plate. I know others are running my engine mount setup successfully but they do have a strap with mounts welded to the K-member and then bolted to the water pump. Mancini and Summit were selling something that looks like the Schumacher unit, but no one has any in stock.

View attachment 1715560314
Click to expand...
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I had some crazy launches like that, which ended up busting a U joint, yoke, and bent driveshaft. What I now believe was contributing to the violent launches was that I had rolled/flattened my spring perches on the diff, which was allowing the diff to wind up like what yours sounds to be doing. I didn't have the perches boxed.
IMG_3071.JPG
 
Malex said:
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I had some crazy launches like that, which ended up busting a U joint, yoke, and bent driveshaft. What I now believe was contributing to the violent launches was that I had rolled/flattened my spring perches on the diff, which was allowing the diff to wind up like what yours sounds to be doing. I didn't have the perches boxed.
View attachment 1715563046
Click to expand...
was the tube twisted?
 
kursplat said:
was the tube twisted?
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Just the perches flattened out. The tubes didn't twist or bend. It was too bad that I didn't have the perches boxed beforehand because it sure was a lot of work to replace them afterwards. But yeah, once that diff starts rotating into a positive pinion angle things really get beat up, car porpoising on launch, just an ugly ride.
 
jpharley said:
I do have torque boxes and frame connectors with just a 6 point roll bar. I wanted to keep is 68SS authentic so no motor plate. Yep it was pretty obvious something was wrong when it happened. I would like to get a torque strap on the thing before I have another issue. However, I think the rear end was the catalyst. I unloaded the tires 3-4 times on the start. I suspect that pinion was bouncing wildly at the time. It bent the floor pan above the snubber pretty good. I'd like to get the motor tied down w/o going with a motor plate. I know others are running my engine mount setup successfully but they do have a strap with mounts welded to the K-member and then bolted to the water pump. Mancini and Summit were selling something that looks like the Schumacher unit, but no one has any in stock.

View attachment 1715560314
Click to expand...

U need an engine limiter instead of a torque strap = fore and aft , torque strap = twist .
 
untitled 1.png
First, put it on a frame machine & get things square again. Next. I'd break down & use a motor & mid-plate. Sorry but your car is obviously beyond the point of "stock appearing" so you may as well add what's necessary. This will stiffen things up but retain something of a "stock" appearance. My car is similar but I added a full cage including snout bars running outside the inner fender panels to retain a stock engine bay appearance.

1201131236.jpg
 
Last edited:
jpharley said:
I do have torque boxes and frame connectors with just a 6 point roll bar..... Mancini and Summit were selling something that looks like the Schumacher unit, but no one has any in stock.
View attachment 1715560314
Click to expand...

Reason is, they were Schumacher straps and they seem to have gone bust, those that were lucky and got some, great. Those that didn't will have to search mbs, (FABO) sites like eBay and other places selling these parts.
Good Luck.
Machine looks awesome.
MAPS
 
Not the greatest picture, but this is what I have in mine. The bottom is bolted down to a piece of 3/8 steel that spans the 'ear's on the k-member.

Someday I'll go to heim joints and pretty it up a little.

20180701_213119.jpg




Edit: ran out to the garage and snapped a photo.

20201026_120551.jpg
 
Thanks, problem solved. The motor mount plates were bent...wow! 1/4 inch steel. But I think the source of the evil was a broken trans crossmember. It allowed everything to torque to the point of bending the mount plates and shifting the motor back 1/2 inch. New plates, new mounts, new crossmember...new mono leaf Calvert Springs and CalTracs traction bars. Removed Pinion Snubber. Car launches great. On my second pass one of the carbs stuck a float and brought an end to testing on the last day the track was open...there is always next year. Thanks to all for your help and ideas. I learned a lot.
 
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