The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area Engine Shop Front engine mount bolts for 235 swap?

I'm reassembling the 235 that came in my already swapped 1950. As I'm cleaning and reassembling things I'm coming across lots of well used parts and some that are used up. The front engine mount bolts are so worn out I can't believe they were even holding the engine in place before the rebuild so i went on the hunt for new ones. Two of them are 7/16 fine thread carriage bolts and two are 3/8 fine thread carriage bolts. The two 3/8 bolts had the castle nuts with them still but the middle two did not (even though they were drilled for them).

So, I assume this stuff was out of the 216 setup but its hard to tell what is original and what has been changed with whatever someone had laying around. I've tried to source both bolts in fine thread but they don't seem to be at any of the usual vendors, something I take as a bad sign for being able to get them.

So the question is; what does everyone run for front engine mount bolt arrangements and if it's something you can't get from the local hardware store where do you source them?

My current thinking is to go with coarse thread carriage bolts with nylon locking nuts. Anybody have any other ideas?

Ringleader,

I can't remember what size mine were but I couldn't find anything even close to being right.

So I just made my own. I purchased carriage bolts of the right head size (square hole), cut them shorter and rethreaded with a die.

I can't post pictures but can email them to you if you'd like.

Paul

I used a nut and another nut jambed up against it. That is another way of keeping them in place.

I know this is an old thread, but I'm dealing with the same issue. My engine had two hex bolts that went thru the front engine plate and into the rubber mount. One had the head ground off at an angle so it would fit in place with the timing cover and balancer in place, and was 1-3/4" long while the other was 2" long. But dummy me figured that they needed to be carriage bolts and cleaned up the square holes in the front engine plate and now even that "customized" hex bolt won't go in. I don't think carriage bolts will fit (but will probably try, as their heads are shorter than hex bolts.
In researching in the FAM, I saw that there's a note on those bolts thru the front engine plate that says "furnished by engine plant" So my suspicion is that the bolts were swedged in place in the engine plate BEFORE it was installed. Meaning that I won't be able to get a bolt of the proper length thru on the right side, even with a carriage head.

I'm going to pick up some appropriately sized 7/16 dia carriage bolts and give it a try. I will post what I find out.

Search Ebay for "plow bolts". They're a sort of modified carriage bolt with a tapered head, and they're available in various sizes, lenghts, and thread pitches. Either cross-drill the bolts for cotter pins and use castle nuts, or use Nylock nuts without cotter pins.
Jerry

It's not an issue of finding bolts (they're on the way), it's whether I can get them in place without taking the balancer and timing cover back off AGAIN (that's a story for another time). If I can, I'll probably tack weld them in place, like I think the originals were.
I did do a search, and the issue is getting the 7/16" diameter.

Been many years but I recall the same issue. I think you can work them in around the balancer but I think I had to jack the front of the engine up to get the bolts through cover plate, mount, and crossmember.

I don't have the issue of jacking the engine up, because it's still on the engine stand. Bolts are supposed to be here Saturday and I'll see then if I can get it done. I may wind up grinding a bit on the hole on the right side to get the bolt in place. As I mentioned earlier, the plan is to tack weld them in place.

I don't think the manufacturer welded them in, they came with the engine from the manufacture because they need to be installed before the timing cover is put on.

I think they were peened in place in the square hole in the front engine plate. I can't really do that, so welding them in place is next best option.

I sure would like to see someone come up with a much simpler front engine mount for these trucks.
I would think that polyurethane would be more reliable than rubber. It is more durable thus longer lasting than rubber, especially if it is impervious to oil.
The current design of the front mount is complicated to account for the eventual and unavoidable deterioration of the rubber.
Once the rubber deteriorates and squishes out, metal parts come in contact with each other in order to maintain adequate alignment of the drivetrain. Unfortunately the metal-to-metal contact causes engine vibration to transfer through the frame, resulting in the fillings in your teeth to come loose.
Rather than reinventing the wheel, it would be awesome if someone out there is familiar with modern inline engines which use front engine mounts with a simpler design which can be used as a template for creating one for our trucks.

I repaired my rear transmission mount and axle pivots with pourable polyurethane. I think it would be possible to replace the rubber portion of the front engine mount if a proper mold could be made. It would still be kind of fiddly with the multiple components. The availability of relatively cheap replacement rubber parts with the steel sleeves makes it easy to fix if vibrations become an issue.
But I agree with you that it's not the best design.

Might be time to test the durability of that pourable polyurethane by boiling it in oil. Oil soak is what kills the stock rubber ones.

Grader blade, snow plough material around here comes in 1” x 4” by length, makes handy mounts of all kinds, easily machined, put in freezer for better machining. Have not tested for longtime, hot oil resistance, have used for at least 10 years with no degradation.

Ed