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Post by lowvic33 on Sept 24, 2013 16:28:09 GMT -5
So is there any way to help from breakig the eras off? Always ran mopar and had it happen to a few 360s and a 318. Tried a few different things Nd still didn't figure it out, this past winter I made my own cradle and had it setup and ran a few heats and looks like a ear is starting to crack, any help would be awesome, thanks!
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Post by XtremeMopar#307 on Sept 24, 2013 17:50:08 GMT -5
you got the cradle figured out, just tie it in everywhere... I have 6 of the 8 ears busted off of my 318, so i took my M1 cradle and tied it into the head, header bolts, and the bolt holes behind the ears... ran 2 derbys with it tied down that way and still going good
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Post by blackmopar21 on Sept 24, 2013 20:06:42 GMT -5
You don't have to go that extreme. Two brackets going to the timing chain cover and two arms going back to the bolt hole on the side of the block. Ran my 400 horse 360 like this with only one ear on each side in a pro mod and never moved.
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dm440c
Feature Winner
derby drivers against drama- there's no crying in demo derby!
Posts: 2,824
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Post by dm440c on Sept 25, 2013 12:19:47 GMT -5
are you using solid engine mounts? I broke ears every time doing this, but when using rubber mounts I can't recall ever breaking a tab on a small block.
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lost1
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Post by lost1 on Sept 26, 2013 17:49:59 GMT -5
So does a cradle by itself prevent ears from breaking or does a person need to buy a whole set up.....front plate, d/p, header flanges....etc?
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Post by mkvien on Sept 26, 2013 20:32:34 GMT -5
So does a cradle by itself prevent ears from breaking or does a person need to buy a whole set up.....front plate, d/p, header flanges....etc? If the cradle was only bolted to the regular engine mounting ears, it is no better than stock, probably worse if the cradle is quite riged. The idea of the cradle is to brace the engine and attach in several different places on the engine, distributing the load. If you can get a cradle that wraps around the front of the engine to hold it in place, that is huge. |
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lost1
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Posts: 19
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Post by lost1 on Sept 26, 2013 20:38:40 GMT -5
Thank you sir.
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Post by shadetreederby on Sept 26, 2013 20:40:24 GMT -5
mopars were meant to be ran with the bushing in place, that absorbs the movement so the ears don't break. Cradles will break them too, Anything I put a mopar engine in is set up so that the mopar mounts with the bushings are used
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Post by blackmopar21 on Sept 26, 2013 21:30:43 GMT -5
There's an easy fix to that. Place a bushing in between your cradle and crossmember. Body mount bushings cut in half work great.
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Post by crownbros on Sept 26, 2013 23:37:50 GMT -5
Never broke the ears on a small block, but we've ruined quite a few good 440's and 400's. I did some experimenting with these polyurethane bushings two years ago for the 360 in my shocker. The problem is; They're too fat and I couldn't get them to fit down inside the frame brackets or "holders" that the factory motor mounts sit in. The first pic is fresh out of the box. Second picture is installed inside the factory mounts and with a little skinned off the sides. I eventually took a grinder and burned off a good chunk from each side of the bushings and they still didn't fit. I eventually used a lower engine cradle and tossed these on a shelf with the rest of the fails. I still think this bushing set-up will work, you'd just have to fabricate your own frame brackets. The tranny mount works perfectly fine.   BTW: The sweatshirt I was wearing when I ground those down had red polyurethane permanently melted to the front! Don't attempt this operation with good clothes, in doors or without some sort of face mask! |
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Post by chadcline22 on Sept 27, 2013 9:23:26 GMT -5
Robbo cradle. End of story. Haven't broken an ear since we started using these several years ago. We mount them solid and build some very hard cars. We swear by them.
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Post by hiland21 on Sept 27, 2013 18:51:08 GMT -5
I also have the same problem and I have braces bolted to the head that are welded to the frame. But the frame is still straight ?
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Post by XtremeMopar#307 on Sept 27, 2013 18:54:59 GMT -5
The bolt hole on the side of the block is the most important...
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Post by XtremeMopar#307 on Sept 27, 2013 18:58:14 GMT -5
So does a cradle by itself prevent ears from breaking or does a person need to buy a whole set up.....front plate, d/p, header flanges....etc? If the cradle was only bolted to the regular engine mounting ears, it is no better than stock, probably worse if the cradle is quite riged. The idea of the cradle is to brace the engine and attach in several different places on the engine, distributing the load. If you can get a cradle that wraps around the front of the engine to hold it in place, that is huge. Yep... That's how I broke mine... Ran my m1 for the first time this year in mandan... 3rd hit I busted 6 of the 8 off... Hooked it like I said and no issues since... |
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Post by kirbybuilt54 on Sept 27, 2013 22:51:01 GMT -5
As stated befor, if running a cradle it need to be tied into the front of the block in some way. I only have two ears left and I hav urvived two hard runs by using a home built front engine plate tied into the head. Good luck.
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