Motor Mount Fabrication

This week I fabricated the motor mount. I stuck fairly close to my original design, but tweaked it as I went along. It all started with 1 1/2 inch steel straps and angle stock - here is the first set, clamped and waiting to be welded (you can see where I wire-wheeled off the primer to make a clean weld):


This was my first attempt at flux-core welding (my previous welding experience was mig welding) so it is a little rough, but the penetration is good, and it is plenty strong:


I cut one side of the angle stock for the bend in the hanger - this leaves an unbroken strap all the way around. Here is the hanger cut, bent, and clamped in preparation for welding:


And here it is, all assembled. I decided not to add the forks from the original design - it would have made it so it did not rotate, and I think a slight rotation will be necessary.


After drilling the holes for attaching the motor, the next step is priming (here you can see the notch I had to cut in the hanger due to interference from the original Jeep motor mount):


Finally, it gets a coat of enamel. With all that done, here it is installed (on the left you can see how the notch fits against the mount):


And here is the motor, resting all happy in its new home:


That lifting eye has been handy so far, but the time is coming when it is just going to be in the way. Azure Dynamics' website says it is removable, but darned if I can figure out how. I'll send them email and see what they say.

Finally, after test placing 480 pounds of batteries in the front, I went under the Jeep to check lower interference. Unfortunately, there is some, with the front axle "pumpkin" (higlighted in red here):


When I remove the motor to do the final flywheel/clutch assembly, I'll take out the mount and grind a new radius on that corner, as outlined in green, to remove the interference.