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MG MGB GT V8 Factory Originals Technical - Steady bar(s) on a Rover V8

Is there any downside to installing a steady bar, or even two, on the front of the motor? Is there a risk of tweaking the chassis if you use one? The Rover heads have a few threaded holes that would seem to be prime candidates for using to hold one end of the bar or bar. I just don't want the motor to flop around and dent the inside of the hood (it's close) (... assuming I get the thing on the road at some point, it's taking forever). Where do you run the bar to ... I assume a bolt through the frame rails, right?
Bill

Hi,

I had a V8 roadster (rubber bumper) and i made a steady bar that bolted to the rear of the left hand cylinder, i modified an Austen Allegro steady bar and secured it to the rear bulkhead next to the heater, it stopped quite alot of movement. A friend of mine done the same, but secured from the front of the left hand cylinder to the inner wing, this was less effective, the engine kicked and used to flex the inner wing.

Regards

Ian Sanders
Ian Sanders

Bill,

I have an aftermarket made for V8 steady bar fitted to front left using spare threaded holes and made a plate to strengthen attachment to inner wing. However on my thread 'Any advice from Paul Hunt' you will note even with steady bar I've taken chunk out of inner wing. I've not dyno tested yet but should be 300lb torque.
So I will take on Ian's thoughts and Paul's suggestions.
Big learning curve with these cars.

Paul
Paul

My car has one on each side, bolted through the frame rail with an aluminum bracket. Seems to work very well; air cleaner clearance to the hood is exceptionally tight, one movement of the engine and it would surely dent it; has successfully prevented that so far. Also, it is perhaps childish but really neat that with the steady bars, when you blip the gas at idle, the whole car tilts to the right! There is a picture at

http://home.earthlink.net/~davidd_dt/blueG_engine_lhs3.JPG

; sorry, this doesn't show the lower end where it goes into the frame but if useful I will take another picture. Note that to spread the load, on each side a steel plate is first bolted onto the head (there are, IIRC, three threaded holes in each one) and that plate is attached to the bar. Each steady bar is just a steel rod with a torque fitting -- I forget what you properly call it -- on each end. I'm not sure why you'd really need one on each side though.
David

I use stock Buick engine mounts, and drilled a hole straight through the mount and put in a 3/8" hardened steel bolt(Torqs button head capscrew to be precise) which should allow normal isolation, but give a positive limit. Don't know why that wouldn't work with the other mounts.
Jim Blackwood

Jim,
I'm also using the Buick Special mounts, Where specifically did you drill a hole straight thru? The ears on each side, or what? What does the capscrew contact, or is it bolted to? If you have a simple arrangement that works, I'd like to know. Thanks for any more info.

To anyone: I have an Olds block, and it has a pretty hefty 3/4" thick by 1" wide tab sticking out at a diagonal angle, an inch and a quarter from the side of the block, below and between #1 and #3 exhaust ports. This chunk of aluminum has a 3/8" hole thru it. This location is about 2 ir 2-1/2" above the forward left hand crossmember bolt. What do you think of anchoring a steady bar of some kind between this tab and the xmr bolt? Would it be sturdy enough? Does anyone know what this tab was used for originally?

Thanks for any ideas,

Joe
Joe Ullman

I'm using the one that came with the Rover engine from a 3500S (my doner car). Andy Achauer has them with the brackets to fit. You can contact him through www.mgbv8parts.com

Kelly
Kelly

You can also get these items from Summitracing.com I know in the paper catalog they are listed in the 5.0L section. Made by Competition Engineering, Summit part number:CEE-4010.

Larry Embrey

Don't know what that lug is for, mine has it too. Certainly looks strong enough.

If you look at the mount it should have a hole in the center of one or both of the metal plates, just about the middle of the rubber cushion. The bolt just limits how far the two plates can spread apart. I used locktite on the nut and snugged it down very lightly with the mount off the car. It compresses a little from engine weight. This will work if you have tube type attachments to the frame or crossmember but there isn't a lot of clearance, hence the button heads.
Jim Blackwood

I have a picture of John Bourke's steady bar at http://www.mgcars.org.uk/v8_conversions/files/engine/steadybr.html if it is of any help.

Cheers

MikeB
MikeB

Joe,
I have some Buick literature that shows that lug being used to fasten a hoist and drop the engine into the bay of the little Buick Special and Skylark. Perhaps it was used to locate and move the unit around.
c.
Curtis

Thanks, Curtis, for that piece of information. It would seem to be an ideal location to locate the engine end of the steady bar, then down to the big nut and bolt, or maybe the frame rail. I guess it's a judgement call on whether the lug is actually strong enough to take repeated torqueing.
Joe
Joe Ullman

This thread was discussed between 03/08/2001 and 10/08/2001

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