motor mount question.

[Richie the shipwright]

I got a mount for my 3674 leo. Its the type with watercooled front plate, a metal ring to support the back end, both screwed to carbon sideplates.
With the mount in position in the boat, I have no way to get at the screws to tighten them if they ever work loose..... dont like it....

Questions... is the rear mounting ring really needed on a 3674? Will the screws mounting the motor to the front plate hold up ok without the support of the rear ring?

Been thinking of using an oldschool aluminium angle type mount instead, with just a water cooled front mounting plate. Should be ok???
As always, any advice appreciated. :-)

[bozo586]

you could just put a small bulkhead under the bottom of the motor at the rear for support! then you don't need the rear ring,plenty of ways to do it---but it's your choice! how about using only half of the rear ring---pictures would help---more ideas would come from the forum,i'm sure.

[Richie the shipwright]

A few pics... third one shows cardboard template of mount im thinking of making... with rear motor support. Think it'll work ok??

Thanks for giving my brain a bit of a shake up mate. Who ever said bozo's are stoopid!!! :-)
Cheers.
Any other opinions anyone?

[bozo586]

you could use the mount shown---just cut the back ring so the motor sets in whats left of the ring. a new ring is about $7--if you want another one--and you wouldn't have to make a new mount. saves a lot of time too!

[Richie the shipwright]

Like i said... when its in the boat, i cant get at the sideplate screws on one side (rear ring needs to be unscrewed to swap motors) ........so id rather eliminate them completely. The new mount would achieve that.... but will it support the motor enough.

Question is still " is the rear support / ring really needed on a 3674????"

Thanks. :-)

[tlandauer]

I think if the front plate is secured in a strong way, then there is enough support, but as your intuition tells you that the front screws are small and may loosen up, the aluminum can't take too much torque to tighten the side screws before it will strip, you need to be careful. I glued two small blocks of CF on the inside of each of the CF sideplate angled in the same way behind the front plate to stop it from slipping down should the screws loosen, you can do it on the front as well. This way the front plate is "wedged" in the grooves of your reinforcement. I have not had any problem running w/o the rear ring.

[Heaving Earth]

Yes you need rear ring. If the front mount plate had four screws you would be ok, but where it only has two, it's liable to move. I tried mounting a 1515 in one where the rear ring could not be used, and no matter how much I tightened those front screws, it didn't take much to move the motor. Try it. Tighten them up them try moving the motor by hand. It doesn't take a whole lot of effort.

[Barbossa]

I suggest using the rear support on a 3674, as it is quite a long and heavy motor.
What I have done is to swap the screws for socket head screws, and I use a right angled allen key to tighten them up.

[Richie the shipwright]

Cheers...I did think of doing that, there is just enough room for an allen key. But its still going to be a real beeeatch to get at!!!!
I think ill drill a couple of holes through the rear ring, and screw/bolt it to the rear of homemade aluminium mount. Will make it easy to remove rear ring/motor, and will eliminate side screws entirely.
Thanks for all the ideas and info guys, Heaving earth wins this round..... :-)