Turbo brace Idea's?
#1
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Right. I have at long last bolted my turbo on to the car. And it is working pretty damn good. I think my BOV is leaking a bit, or I just wasn't expecting all the noise under boost, but it is working.
I bought my turbo (DSM T25) from a member here a few months back with the D/P and mani. Both those parts are from "x02 racing". Same **** they sell on eBay, only with an actual brand name on it. I have been clinging to the hope that this is what the eBayers are imitating and not the same ****, but I know I am just blowing smoke up my own ***. At any rate, he used it for some time and it looked very solid when I got it, so perhaps they are not the same tin foil eBay stuff.
I also know that while we don't all say it out loud, there are more than a few members here running this manifold. And I also know we all tell everyone running one to "brace the **** out of it". However try as I might I cannot find a single thread on the subject.
So has anyone here actually braced one up and have pictures? I am planning to use a couple of pieces of steel strap from the outer turbo bolts down to the engine mount. I just have not come up with anything to let me adjust the tension on it once it is mounted.
Idea's?
I bought my turbo (DSM T25) from a member here a few months back with the D/P and mani. Both those parts are from "x02 racing". Same **** they sell on eBay, only with an actual brand name on it. I have been clinging to the hope that this is what the eBayers are imitating and not the same ****, but I know I am just blowing smoke up my own ***. At any rate, he used it for some time and it looked very solid when I got it, so perhaps they are not the same tin foil eBay stuff.
I also know that while we don't all say it out loud, there are more than a few members here running this manifold. And I also know we all tell everyone running one to "brace the **** out of it". However try as I might I cannot find a single thread on the subject.
So has anyone here actually braced one up and have pictures? I am planning to use a couple of pieces of steel strap from the outer turbo bolts down to the engine mount. I just have not come up with anything to let me adjust the tension on it once it is mounted.
Idea's?
#3
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Hustler is quite correct. Use a pair of heim joints, left and right threads. Crank the thing up with all the pre-load you can manage by hand w/o a wrench and anchor the left/right lock nuts.
I would suggest the life of the typical SS tube manifold w/o brace is about 1000 miles of vibrating annoyance.
A brace ought to get the life up to about 20K min.
Corky
I would suggest the life of the typical SS tube manifold w/o brace is about 1000 miles of vibrating annoyance.
A brace ought to get the life up to about 20K min.
Corky
#4
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Well I suppose that's that settled then. I have found a reasonably cheap source for kit car steering turnbuckles on the eBay. I'll order one tonight and do it this weekend. May even post a picture so the next guy has an answer waiting. Thanks guys.
#6
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Just ordered a pair of heim joints and a turnbuckle. Going to make a pair of L brackets, one at the turbine to exhaust manifold flange, and one at one of the engine mount bolts on the block. I'll do my best to take pictures but it is tight in there so no promises. I'll be doing it all monday morning. I'll post up what I have, once I have it.
#9
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And its done. Here is what I bought. (phone for size reference)
![Name: DSCF3160.jpg
Views: 744
Size: 151.3 KB](https://www.miataturbo.net/attachments/diy-turbo-discussion-14/198734d1501239012-turbo-brace-ideas-dscf3160.jpg)
That's 200mm bolt center to center. The advertised adjustment range is 170-210mm. Got all of it for £15 delivered (round $22) from a company supplying kit car makers. Called and told them what I was doing and that the cheapest **** would do. VERY nice quality stuff for the cheapest option.
Did a bit of measuring and mocking up and these are the brackets
![Name: DSCF3161.jpg
Views: 1065
Size: 179.1 KB](https://www.miataturbo.net/attachments/diy-turbo-discussion-14/198735d1501239012-turbo-brace-ideas-dscf3161.jpg)
![Name: DSCF3162.jpg
Views: 947
Size: 158.9 KB](https://www.miataturbo.net/attachments/diy-turbo-discussion-14/198736d1501239012-turbo-brace-ideas-dscf3162.jpg)
Then bolted the bastard in, this is viewed from below looking at the front upper engine mount bolt on the block. You will need to find a longer bolt than stock to allow for the thickness of the bracket (1/4 inch in this case) as they are pretty much "just" long enough as standard.
![Name: DSCF3166.jpg
Views: 827
Size: 74.4 KB](https://www.miataturbo.net/attachments/diy-turbo-discussion-14/198737d1501239012-turbo-brace-ideas-dscf3166.jpg)
and here is the mount at the turbo
![Name: DSCF3164.jpg
Views: 791
Size: 86.9 KB](https://www.miataturbo.net/attachments/diy-turbo-discussion-14/198738d1501239012-turbo-brace-ideas-dscf3164.jpg)
and again from below
![Name: DSCF3168.jpg
Views: 914
Size: 79.4 KB](https://www.miataturbo.net/attachments/diy-turbo-discussion-14/198739d1501239012-turbo-brace-ideas-dscf3168.jpg)
and these two are the best I could muster for the whole thing. Very difficult to see it all at once as it is really buried in there.
![Name: DSCF3167.jpg
Views: 723
Size: 74.3 KB](https://www.miataturbo.net/attachments/diy-turbo-discussion-14/198740d1501239012-turbo-brace-ideas-dscf3167.jpg)
and this is looking from behind and above the turbo
![Name: DSCF3171.jpg
Views: 733
Size: 66.7 KB](https://www.miataturbo.net/attachments/diy-turbo-discussion-14/198741d1501239012-turbo-brace-ideas-dscf3171.jpg)
So that's how its done. Followed corkey's advice and turned it by hand as tight as I could then tightened the lock nuts. I don't know if I am imagining it or not but the engine does now feel smoother. I did take measurements of the brackets as I did it, so you could just have a shop fab up a set for you (presuming that most of us don't have the equipment to properly bend up 1/4 inch steel, I am lucky in that I know a guy who does)
I'll draw up a set of plans tonight and add it to this thread for future use.
Oh and all thanks to Barry Spiers on this forum as he was/is "the guy" with the tooling, and made short work of fabbing up the brackets.
![Name: DSCF3160.jpg
Views: 744
Size: 151.3 KB](https://www.miataturbo.net/attachments/diy-turbo-discussion-14/198734d1501239012-turbo-brace-ideas-dscf3160.jpg)
That's 200mm bolt center to center. The advertised adjustment range is 170-210mm. Got all of it for £15 delivered (round $22) from a company supplying kit car makers. Called and told them what I was doing and that the cheapest **** would do. VERY nice quality stuff for the cheapest option.
Did a bit of measuring and mocking up and these are the brackets
![Name: DSCF3161.jpg
Views: 1065
Size: 179.1 KB](https://www.miataturbo.net/attachments/diy-turbo-discussion-14/198735d1501239012-turbo-brace-ideas-dscf3161.jpg)
![Name: DSCF3162.jpg
Views: 947
Size: 158.9 KB](https://www.miataturbo.net/attachments/diy-turbo-discussion-14/198736d1501239012-turbo-brace-ideas-dscf3162.jpg)
Then bolted the bastard in, this is viewed from below looking at the front upper engine mount bolt on the block. You will need to find a longer bolt than stock to allow for the thickness of the bracket (1/4 inch in this case) as they are pretty much "just" long enough as standard.
![Name: DSCF3166.jpg
Views: 827
Size: 74.4 KB](https://www.miataturbo.net/attachments/diy-turbo-discussion-14/198737d1501239012-turbo-brace-ideas-dscf3166.jpg)
and here is the mount at the turbo
![Name: DSCF3164.jpg
Views: 791
Size: 86.9 KB](https://www.miataturbo.net/attachments/diy-turbo-discussion-14/198738d1501239012-turbo-brace-ideas-dscf3164.jpg)
and again from below
![Name: DSCF3168.jpg
Views: 914
Size: 79.4 KB](https://www.miataturbo.net/attachments/diy-turbo-discussion-14/198739d1501239012-turbo-brace-ideas-dscf3168.jpg)
and these two are the best I could muster for the whole thing. Very difficult to see it all at once as it is really buried in there.
![Name: DSCF3167.jpg
Views: 723
Size: 74.3 KB](https://www.miataturbo.net/attachments/diy-turbo-discussion-14/198740d1501239012-turbo-brace-ideas-dscf3167.jpg)
and this is looking from behind and above the turbo
![Name: DSCF3171.jpg
Views: 733
Size: 66.7 KB](https://www.miataturbo.net/attachments/diy-turbo-discussion-14/198741d1501239012-turbo-brace-ideas-dscf3171.jpg)
So that's how its done. Followed corkey's advice and turned it by hand as tight as I could then tightened the lock nuts. I don't know if I am imagining it or not but the engine does now feel smoother. I did take measurements of the brackets as I did it, so you could just have a shop fab up a set for you (presuming that most of us don't have the equipment to properly bend up 1/4 inch steel, I am lucky in that I know a guy who does)
I'll draw up a set of plans tonight and add it to this thread for future use.
Oh and all thanks to Barry Spiers on this forum as he was/is "the guy" with the tooling, and made short work of fabbing up the brackets.
#13
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I got it here-http://www.mcgillmotorsports.co.uk/i...d&productId=14
But they are in Scotland (I am in the U.K.). All I did was google it and go to the first shop I found. I have to assume there are people in the states supplying this stuff as well. Failing that I am SURE good old McMaster Carr would have it (God I miss them).
I couldn't be bothered to dick around doing the math with all the part lengths, so I just called and told them what I needed.
Busy couple of nights. I will draw up plans for the brackets this week sometime and post them up
But they are in Scotland (I am in the U.K.). All I did was google it and go to the first shop I found. I have to assume there are people in the states supplying this stuff as well. Failing that I am SURE good old McMaster Carr would have it (God I miss them).
I couldn't be bothered to dick around doing the math with all the part lengths, so I just called and told them what I needed.
Busy couple of nights. I will draw up plans for the brackets this week sometime and post them up
#14
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I need to do this as my welds at the flange ate beginning to seperate from what I guess is too much weight.
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#16
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How would you suggest we do this with our manifolds? Ours sits much lower and the turbo flange is on the outer side.
This is how I think we could do it.
![Name: brace.jpg
Views: 741
Size: 20.1 KB](https://www.miataturbo.net/attachments/diy-turbo-discussion-14/198272d1501238115-turbo-brace-ideas-brace.jpg)
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Last edited by levnubhin; 04-21-2010 at 09:19 AM.
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