Clutch Time 2

[sdpatt]

I said that I would display pictures of the engine support when I put it together. It took me a few hours after work over the last couple of days to assemble and adjust all the components. I owe Josh Teixeira credit for the basic idea. I wanted to have the force of the lift be vertical to support as much weight as possible. Safety was the main design criteria.

The eye bolts are 1/2", the clevises are the largest that would fit through the chain and the chain is shot peened with a 3600 pound working strength. The chain on the back mount is bolted to the block with the spare M8 bolt hole in the cast iron block (the weakest link).

I believe that this arrangement should have no trouble supporting the 350-400 pounds of the engine and tranaxle and the torque efforts required to remove the transaxle and flywheel bolts. I haven't used it yet, so constructive ideas and suggestions are welcome.

Front view

Side view

Front support detail

Back support link detail

 

[Mr Anonymous]

You sure don't do anything half-ass, do you!?!? Looks really nice, and a **** of a lot less expensive than the transverse engine supports most places sell!

 

[DougLee25]

It definetely looks like this design is superior to the other. Having the weight supported on both corners rather then the center should make the whole process much safer.

Doug

 

[Modemagic]

Scott - Never having done this chore, or even really thought about it, I can only speak from a hypothetical view. The only thing I can really see that I might add is to connect the eye-bolts with some sort of a come-along sort of setup. I can't think of the specific name (past midnight ) but it has one of the eye-bolts reverse threaded so you can turn the connecter and raise or lower either the back or front of the motor to line of those pesky bolt-holes.

Also when connecting the chain to the block, be sure to use your hardened bolts! wink

Love the hoist though... keep up the good ideas!

thumbs_u

 

[SHO_Driver]

Very constructive and it looks durable. I guess the only drawback is it leaves less room to move around up top. I'm planning to support my engine from underneath with a block of wood and a jack. I find it offers more working area and the flexibilty of lowering or raising the engine.

Looking forward to more documentation pics to make this clutch job go smoothly. wink

 

[X-15 SHO]

SHO_Driver, your one brave man to get under there with a jack holding your motor. eek! Please don't do that. Oviously you never heard of a jack dropping a car on someone and killing them, much less a motor. You gotta be kidding. Yes, I did that, but that was with a hoist on top too so all the weight would'nt be on that little bolt in the head. After I was finished, the bolt in the head was curved. Thank God I was using the jack and wood for some support. thumbs_u I just don't recommend only a jack and wood underneath.

Jack w/wood block supporting motor = DEATH boink

Especially with the amount of time for a clutch job. wink

Forgot to mention that your subframe will be stuck there taking up room because the jack is in the way and can't be moved if the frame is out. boink

<small>[ February 20, 2003, 03:43 AM: Message edited by: X-15 SHO ]</small>

 

[SHO_Driver]

Not just a jack! Sorry I didn't make it clearer. After the car is up on stands I use a jack to raise the engine a little then cram a smaller stand underneath. I leave the engine jack in place to raise the motor when needed. I've used this technique on many transmission jobs (none of them SHO's) and find it helps when putting the tranny back onto the engine.

 

[drivinhard]

Only problem with supporting the motor from underneath is gets in the way when you try to remove the subframe, and it cuts a lot of your working space under there down. From the top is the easiest and quickest way.

re: torqueing the clutch and flywheel bolts, scott I usually take a breaker bar w/ 19mm socket on the crank bolt and rotate it around to the passenger side engine damper bracket. That'll hold the crank still while you torque the flywheel and pressure plate bolts, the plate ones only go up to 24 ft/lbs but the flywheel are 56 ft/lbs or so. Helps to have something hold it (instead of your other hand), makes it more accurate and easier. Make sure you use loctite on both.

On your engine brace, a little engine movement (downward, on the driver's side) is a good thing as it allows easier removal and install on the trans. You braces should work fine as long as you can set 'em up to have the motor move and give a little.

 

[ScotSHO]

drivinhard:
On your engine brace, a little engine movement (downward, on the driver's side) is a good thing as it allows easier removal and install on the trans. You braces should work fine as long as you can set 'em up to have the motor move and give a little.

Scott,
Nice job with the brace! It looks like you can hold the eye bolts from turning and turn the nut on top to get some vertical movement on the engine. Is this what you planned? It looks like you can get 1-2" at each pick point.

Scot

 

[sdpatt]

The engine should be allowed to pivot on the axis along the line of the two attachment points; high on the front but quite low on the back. The height of the front support and the length of the chain on the back support were set to allow the greatest range of lift from the threaded section of the eye bolts - about 2 inches. I decided to use the top mount method of supporting the engine to allow the subframe to be removed from under the car in order to give the greatest working area. I was not comfortable with the idea of the engine being supported from the pan area with a jack.

 

[SHO_Driver]

Yeah, point taken. Because of the subframe, supporting only from the bottom isn't enough. Top support is a must. Since my woodworking skills aren't up to par I'll go with an adjustable steel support.