I just finished installing the front plate and mid-plate on my 38. I want to get started on the limiters, but have a space issue, mostly on the driver side because of the steering box. I was thinking of locating the heim end on top of the frame, is this a bad idea? If I do it on one side, should I do it on both? I tried to upload pics, but for some reason I can't. Thanks in advance for you thoughts. Eric
If you have a motor plate and a mid-plate, why would you need a travel limiter? I think we need a photo here, I suspect your terminology is out of whack. Attached is a photo of a motor plate. If this is what you have you do not need a travel limiter
The front plate and mid-plate limit rotational torque. The travel limiters are for fore/aft movement as the plates do not provide any restrictions in those directions and will crack without the travel limiters. I'm just not sure if putting the heim end on top of the frame will allow them to do the job they are intended to do.
Ok, I get you, I thought you were asking about a torque strap with a motor plate. A photo would still really help. You would want the travel limiters under compression, I'm trying to picture how this is interfering with your steering box.
My dirt modified has the travel limiter mounted to side of frame near rear plate, then its fastened to sbc side motor mount bolt. There is no mount used in that position . The bar with Heim ends is 15 " in length.
thats what I was picturing. Ok, so the outer end is right where the steering box is on the inside of the frame rail?
Here is an attempt at some pics. It's a truck, so the frame is very narrow at the front and I am going to use a steering box from a 46 truck in the stock location. It makes for a real cluster f@!$ in the front. Never mind the stupid pictures won't upload.
George go to my profile page and click on photos of my modified you can see the limiter bar in the third pic taken before header was installed
Most racers (door cars) that run front and mid plates use their transmission mount (urethane) as their limiter.
I've heard that, but I do plan on using the truck on the street occasionally. Won't a urethane mount still allow for alot of back and forth flex under those types of loads?
The trans mount works just fine for a street car. If it is something you are going to race with maybe a trans brake and expect 60 foot times of 1.30 or quicker the engine will still move back and forth. I put my limiters on the backside of the mid plate to the frame. I have also seen them from the mid plate to the trans crossmember. Lots of ways to do it. About anything is better than nothing. Just my two cents.
NO, tourque follows rotation of the crank and you have eliminated that with the plates. and there will be no fore & aft movment of the engine. The only way you will get enuff movement is if your drivshaft is too long and bottoms out or you wind it up to 6G's off the ****** break or dump the clutch in which the car will move first then micro seconds the motor will catch up. A urethane ****** mount MIGHT give .050 of movment. Even with heims they will eventually beat out and move as much before they break.
Old flatties used "Johnson Rods" that bolted into the stock bell and were fastned rearward to the X-member ,controlled fore and aft movement of the stock mounts. They were easy to miss when stabbing an engine ,some would just leave them out , not a good shortcut. It could cause clutch chatter . Most sanctioning bodies require braces run from the can to the ch***is to control blow back in case of a clutch explosion.
Does the car have a dash bar in it? Why not build a triangular bar that mounts to the two upper bellhousing bolts, and fits into a bracket hung off the bottom of the dash bar?
Make it easy on yourself. A travel limiter can go in any direction front to back, back to front. As long as your bolts or supports are strong enough to hold the plates from flexing. Compression has nothing to do with their location. You are basicly stopping the plates from flexing. We use the original motor mount location whenever possible. You have a nince strong cast in mount and you have some options there with top or bottom. Good luck with your car.
Finally was able to get a pic uploaded. Hope it helps you guys see what I mean. Thanks for all the help, it looks like I will head in this direction.
I thought that was what he was talking about also. I run torque straps on any of my serious streeters so when i get to the track I can tie it down. Your limiter no doubt would like a serious mount like through the ch***is but in a pinch there is no reason that you cannot weld tabs on the top of the frame, or even the bottom for that matter.
You have a front plate at the waterpump and a mid plate at the bellhousing and I'm going to ***-u-me some sort of mount at the tailshaft of the ******, what more do you really need???? There are plenty of fast cars out there with normal rubber engine and ****** mounts, and no "limiter" of any kind. Good luck, -Abone.
Well, now that I have kids, the truck is going to see way more track time than street time. So my build is evolving more in that direction. Although, I absolutely see your point, it would bother me if I didn't have these installed and then something broke because of it. And with my luck it definitely would.
Go from the right factory motor mount pad with a heim end rod to the front frame , crossmember or rail. Cant see the front well in the photos. It should be level to the frame, more or less. Also, we always use a rubber trans mount with motor plates.
If I thought I needed to run a limiter on your setup, I think I would go from the inside of the frame by the front plate to the back bolt hole for the original motor mount (either side). A short piece of tubing should work since there will be no engine movement at all. Larry T
What your missing is 600 pounds of motor and trans located by plates. When you launch, that 600 lbs wants to move to the back of the car. You have to run a locator. A trans mount dont cut it.
If you look at a pro stock ch***is, you will not find one of these "limiters." It is not needed for your front/mid engine plate set up. BUT, it is kind of cool lookin, so stick it on there if you want. Good luck, -Abone.
Thanks guys, it always nice to get a few opinions. I appreciate the help. Larry T and Greg32, I'm going to look and see how it will work going toward the front. I want to use a low mount alternator, so they may be in the way. I can always put the alternator on top though too.
Actually a hurst mount is the equivelent to a front motor plate only on rubber bisquets. Granted most of us don't throw more than 4 or 500 hundred ponies at one but we don't normally run locators. I'm just offering information here and not trying to pic a fight. Which is not to say that a good fist fight wouldn't make me feel better. I have been a little frustrated lately. Just not trying to pick a fight here.
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