SoCal Jet Boats

Tech Talk => Projects => Topic started by: TJS Nordic on April 26, 2009, 07:16:33 PM

Title: Upper and lower engine cradle project....this was/is fun
Post by: TJS Nordic on April 26, 2009, 07:16:33 PM
While I am waiting for the Accel thruster DFI to come in (back orderd till May 5) I need to make a nice easy way to get the engine onto my truck and then to the engine dyno. I am making an upper cradle and a lower cradle as well. I am almost done with the lower cradle but I needed to get the upper one done so I can lift the engine up to finish the lower one, kind of like the chicken and egg game.
  I designed the upper cradle so that it clears the blower and bug-catcher and does not "swing" and also bolts and unbolts pretty easy. This it takes about 6 minutes from start to finish to bolt the upper cradle on.  There will be a .500 steel plate acting as a spreader bar and the chains from the spreader bar will "pickup" on the D-rings. I made sure my welds were hot and had good penetration. I tacked the bars together with the TIG machine as not to make flying sprarks while over the engine. Then un-bolted the top "box" and did a full weld and added the D-rings. As you can see the spreader bar will be pulling on the D-rings from the corners as not to put a twisting force on the upper box. The materail used is 1.5 square 11ga(approx 1/8" wall). The plates on the heads and the angle are 1/4" thick.  Total material for the upper and lower cradle will be 90 bucks with steel left over. I will post pics of the lower cradle when I am done.

T.J.

(https://www.socaljetboats.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.tjsperformance.com%2Fimages%2Feng_cradle_upper01.jpg&hash=1a4a22653d52fcd007f9b7db82c9cc7baec7ac3b)

(https://www.socaljetboats.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.tjsperformance.com%2Fimages%2Feng_cradle_upper02.jpg&hash=4cd0b3d55f7152f449c1ed06b8af7acd273985cd)

(https://www.socaljetboats.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.tjsperformance.com%2Fimages%2Feng_cradle_upper03.jpg&hash=bc894ffaef2a11805bebf32163c5fa516e5ba9a2)

(https://www.socaljetboats.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.tjsperformance.com%2Fimages%2Feng_cradle_upper04.jpg&hash=0b24df7bb19f9addc626ee425cee86cb6a079920)

(https://www.socaljetboats.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.tjsperformance.com%2Fimages%2Feng_cradle_upper05.jpg&hash=93fe0c4e39f6c0efca50be13af6348c3dab535ae)

(https://www.socaljetboats.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.tjsperformance.com%2Fimages%2Feng_cradle_upper06.jpg&hash=ab637e2f15e785b26caa1e87a7d2caaab454bb6c)

(https://www.socaljetboats.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.tjsperformance.com%2Fimages%2Feng_cradle_upper07.jpg&hash=3f6abff626cc1d06664380b5d818e4730884bdc8)

(https://www.socaljetboats.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.tjsperformance.com%2Fimages%2Feng_cradle_upper08.jpg&hash=dda5021104dc78224241fd2c252a7fbc73755bba)
Title: Re: Upper and lower engine cradle project....this was/is fun
Post by: Luckie Stiff on April 26, 2009, 07:20:24 PM
as usual, very nice work.  You ever thought about opening a shop?
Title: Re: Upper and lower engine cradle project....this was/is fun
Post by: TJS Nordic on April 26, 2009, 07:23:41 PM
as usual, very nice work.  You ever thought about opening a shop?

Every Day I think about it. If I lived out West in AZ or Cali I would do it but not much of a market for this stuff out here. I do some side work now and then for Mustang and turbo guys but that is about it.
Thanks.
T.J.
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