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Old 11-14-2001, 01:31 AM
68Valiant 68Valiant is offline
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Default engine strut braces really necessary?

Ok, you know those engine strut bars that go between the block and the transmission? do i really need to re install them when i put the motor in or are they not that big a deal?
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Old 11-14-2001, 10:08 AM
gthomas gthomas is offline
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I've also wondered about this, some of the header installation directions say to remove and discard the strut. I still don't have that warm and fuzzy feeling about not having the strut on. The way I figure it, they were put there for a reason or MOPAR would not have installed them. Does anyone know why they were used?
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Old 11-14-2001, 11:25 AM
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Stoga Stoga is offline
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I don't know the exact reason, but I'd wager a guess that it's just more typical Mopar over-engineering. I can wager a guess that during some harsh test in the past, Chrysler Corp. found a way to crack the bellhousing without those braces, probably doing something that normally wouldn't happen, like a situation where a vehicle left the ground, for example, like a 4 wheel drive or the Dukes of Hazzard! I've seen them on and off a lot of cars, I always put them back on, but mainly cause I don't like leaving off parts when disassembling things, but I doubt it will cause any harm, if you leave them off. Just keep an eye on your bellhousing and it's bolts, just in case.
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Old 11-14-2001, 04:56 PM
SubLime440 SubLime440 is offline
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How about the Strut Braces on between the waterpump and block... I've seen alot of these in use at the dragstrip... especially on the A-bodies... Are these better than standard motor mounts? Just curious if I should switch to these on my Stroker Motor for the Torque??????
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Old 11-14-2001, 09:33 PM
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cageman cageman is offline
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Front plates are the motor mounts as the stock ones are fairly weak and sometimes to heavy. I have raced circle track for a few years now and I have not had any problems in not running the braces to the tranny but drag racing might be a different story
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Old 11-14-2001, 09:56 PM
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amoparman amoparman is offline
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Default struts and braces

i dont have the tranny breces on and its just fine. I've seen the mount plates, or torque straps on alot of cars with the biscuit style motor mounts to keep engine torque from pulling them apart. I have spool type motor mounts on my 440 duster and it seems to be plenty strong.
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Old 11-15-2001, 12:38 AM
68Valiant 68Valiant is offline
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Does anyone know what the bolt sizes are for the strut bars? the ones that go into the block and into the bellhousing. thanks. I lost my original ones and i don't know what size they are.
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Old 11-15-2001, 02:39 AM
George G. Leverette George G. Leverette is offline
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The strut braces are needed on small blocks, a fewthings to consider: there are no supporting bolts on the bottom half of the tranny, the tiny bolts on the top screw into alumnium, the motor and trans are supported at three locations the motor mounts and the tranny mount, without the braces tieng every thing together you are asking for a cracked tranny case depending on your driving habits. Never seen the braces on a big block.
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