Turbo Bracing Question:
 

What could i use to support my turbo?? And where would be a common place to brace it too. And obviously it would need to be able to flex.....

My turbo is pretty decent sized. And with my SFP mani being mild steel and prone to cracking on much smaller turbos, i would like to brace the turbo if i could.

Any help and ideas would be appreciated.

Oh yea this is for my Honduh.

Re: Turbo Bracing Question:
 

I would have to say look to brace possibly on the downpipe if its at all possible, because it is easier to get at and you get the plus of not having to break off the turbo from what ever your bracing it to.

Re: Turbo Bracing Question:
 

You could probably fabricate a mount to attatch to one of the tapped holes for the waterline that goes from the water pipe to the oil cooler. There are a couple holes there that could work well.

Re: Turbo Bracing Question:
 

One problem that you are going to run into is whatever you put on for a brace will be subject to breaking as well. You would have to design someting that would withstand motor vibration and flexing. Its a good idea but I don't think it would be very easy to make it functional as well as durable.

CRAIG

Re: Turbo Bracing Question:
 

Bracing the turbo to the motor would limit vibration. All you would have to worry about is having a strong piece of steel. I am not sure how that turbo is setup, but on my 50 and 60 trims I would make a mount where it would bolt to the compressor or exhaust housing. Get longer bolts and have the brace as a "spacer." LMK if you do not understand. I am having trouble coming up with the correct words. I am talking about the roughly 8 bolts which hold the comp cover on.

Re: Turbo Bracing Question:
 

Building a brace off the downpipe to the block will support the turbo. Shouldn't have anyu problems breaking assuming your DP isn't make of some cheap metal or w/ shitty welds. Also as long as you have a flex section built into the DP should be alright.

Re: Turbo Bracing Question:
 

But actually don't manifolds crack due to heat?? And isn't it true that smaller turbos are more prone to crack manifolds because they create so much heat. And with a much much larger turbo(like mine) flows a lot better thus not getting as hot? Is this true?

Re: Turbo Bracing Question:
 

It will be just as hot on the exhaust side.

Re: Turbo Bracing Question:
 

You could use 2 peices of steel with a bolt connecting them through the middle with a bushing on it. So it does retract weight from the turbo, but it still can move a bit ( help against vibration killing it) Thats my .02

Re: Turbo Bracing Question:
 

I wouldn't forsee a problem with constructing a rigid mount between the turbo and the downpipe as long as, like Nick said, your downpipe isn't a POS. The cracking that many people run into with tubular manifolds is the compatibility of metals being used, shitty welding, and/or the weight increase of running a larger turbo without a secondary bracing setup.

Re: Turbo Bracing Question:
 

Wouldnt making braces and attaching them to the motor create more Vibration? being that the motor viberates so much. it would almost be better to create a brace around the turbo that would connect to the manifold above the bolts that connect them now. that would take the stress off of the area that the turbo bolts onto on the manifold.

Re: Turbo Bracing Question:
 

The turbo is connected to the manifold which is connected to the head which is connected to the block, there is no flexable material anywhere in there that would isolate vibration. Supporting the turbo off the block is the right move. The downpipe can be supported as well, but bracing the turbo to an unsupported downpipe makes no sense at all, it would if anything, add more weight to be suspended from the manifold you are trying to keep from cracking.

Re: Turbo Bracing Question:
 

I totally agree with mike. Support it to the front of the block somewhere. Even with the turbo braced, it will probably still crack, but it won't be quite as critical and it will probably take longer to crack.

Re: Turbo Bracing Question:
 

Then shouldnt the question be, How do i support my manifold? Like fabricating a Brace that will add more support under the manifold. Kind of like a Shelf type brace.

Re: Turbo Bracing Question:
 

No, alleviate the weight suspended from the manifold and you will solve a lot of the problems. Trying to rig up some shell to make the manifold stronger is only a large complicated mess which would be unsuccessful anyway and take 5 times as long to do. Support the turbo from the front of the block, why is that so hard to understand Tom? The answer is somewhat simple in this case as is the problem. Not something to try overengineering.

Re: Turbo Bracing Question:
 

Mike is right, just fabricate a brace that runs to the front of the block, done deal.

Re: Turbo Bracing Question:
 

Alright then. Thanks for your help guys :)

Re: Turbo Bracing Question:
 

One thing to remember, make the brace from the same material as the manifold. That way your expansion rates are the same. If you make it from a different material, then it is going to expand differently and may actually cause stress on the manifold.

Re: Turbo Bracing Question:
 

If you weld a small 1 inch or so tube in the right location, it lowers the vibration considerably on the steel support. I work with these kinds of things at work. I aint fuckin around ;)