Strut braces ??? and pix

[flattie]

Im getting ready to build a strut brace in my V-drive and would like to get some ideas before I either take a step in the wrong or right direction could anyone post some pics of there braces. I saw the one on ebay and thats not really what Im looking for. So any help would be appreciated

[sc fab 1]

if you want extreme, this is what is in store for my flattie. its not the traditional flat hardware, but this is my style.:)
http://i91.photobucket.com/albums/k312/advancefab1/Picture048.jpg

[Racey]

if you want extreme, this is what is in store for my flattie. its not the traditional flat hardware, but this is my style.:)
http://i91.photobucket.com/albums/k312/advancefab1/Picture048.jpg
Looks cool, but a b!tch to reach under and clean with those sharp edges i bet.

[WHITIE]

if you want extreme, this is what is in store for my flattie. its not the traditional flat hardware, but this is my style.:)
http://i91.photobucket.com/albums/k312/advancefab1/Picture048.jpg
SC FAB,
Pay attention to those braces close, if you put some power to that boat you will break those pretty easy. Looks like some places are only a half inch of material.. I broke my motor rails that were thin like that already.. Just my .02 cents.

[WannabeRacing]

With strut braces, anything is better than nothing. But the better you keep that thing fixed, the more true the boat will run.
The one we just did is similar to this, (actually bolts one through the front and one through the rear of the strut brace, and ties into the aluminum running the stringers. Similar in design, but different as ours is a drop through strut.) But not quite as tall, and with basic lightening rather than the nice decorations on the one above, but it happens to be 6AL-4V titanium.
Seen lots of different ones. Some light and simple, some more intense. But one thing of note, I took apart an old superstock boat just recently and found that the strut brace of 1/4 aluminum was broken all the way through on both sides of the brace. These things do see some violent force.

[GofastRacer]

That might work for drag racing maybe on glass water???, but that wouldn't last one heat in a circle race!..

[steve d]

Welded up a few engine plates with alot of mill bling added to them. Cracked in odd places.
I think the problem lies in the fact that there is alot of stress in the drive train for sure and also a ton of harmonics running through the whole boat.

[superdave013]

look at you haters.
If Prime Marine would have posted that pic ya'll would be swooning around their nuts. :D
Carry on :D :D

[GofastRacer]

look at you haters.
If Prime Marine would have posted that pic ya'll would be swooning around their nuts. :D
Carry on :D :D
Wanna bet!..:D

[Rattle Can Lou]

My man Art woulda reached down thier throat and ripped their spleen out. He' a no nonsence kida fella...

[Rattle Can Lou]

My man Art woulda reached down thier throat and ripped their spleen out. He' a no nonsence kinda fella...

[Jetboatguru]

My man Art woulda reached down thier throat and ripped their spleen out. He' a no nonsence kida fella...
You got that right Lou. He tells Chuck Norris what time it is!

[dmontzsta]

I was going to say it looked nice, but then Art said his peace and I shut up. I wouldnt want him to take a shit in my gearbox and send it to me like that.:)

[Morg]

Wanna bet!..:D
Word:D

[Morg]

I ran the crap out of my boat last year. Right now the motor, v-drive & fuel tank are out. I spent a couple of hours in the boat cleaning & looking for any issues.
I got a couple of small stress craks that came through around the dash, no biggie. I also have a couple of larger stress cracks in the floor around my strut brace. I am running a strut brace, but I may need to re-design & make mine more stout.
Just a little reminder of what Whittie was talking about. these deals get worked real hard.

[VDRIVERACING]

I would like to some pics of different drop through thru braces. Now using a bolt on strut, and Greer says it should be fine, but I keep having nightmares about that strut moving...

[UBFJ #454]

In addition to putting in a strut brace you might consider 'glassing in' a substantually thick piece of carbon fiber/kevlar (between the stringers and from the inside of the transom forward a distance) to minimize floor flex ... just a thought.

[GofastRacer]

:D GET BACK TO WORK ART !!!!!!!!!!!:D Trailers in for paint as of today !!!!!!!!!!:D
Scott
GIT ER DONE !!!!!!!!:D
Yeah yeah yeah, I can take a break once in a while can't I!..:D :D :D

[GofastRacer]

I would like to some pics of different drop through thru braces. Now using a bolt on strut, and Greer says it should be fine, but I keep having nightmares about that strut moving...
This is how I did mine, I would put one on the front also if it was a K boat!...
http://www.***boat.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=23268&stc=1&d=1170299542

[Roaddogg 4040]

No breaks for Art until the K6 boat is up and running hard...:D :D :D :D
Steve

[GofastRacer]

No breaks for Art until the K6 boat is up and running hard...:D :D :D :D
Steve
Hey, I don't recall anybody pulling your chain there dude!...:yuk: :D :D

[GofastRacer]

You got that right Lou. He tells Chuck Norris what time it is!
Right!..:D :D :D

[GofastRacer]

My man Art woulda reached down thier throat and ripped their spleen out. He' a no nonsence kinda fella...
You damn straight!...:D :D :D

[Boatmike]

Well i can tell you that Shane is a fabricator by trade and this is what he does for a living so he is vary good at fabricating stuff that is usually lighter and stronger than what most people would do. He was the lead fabricator at the largest race car chassis manufacturers on the west coast. I have seen him design stuff on the computer and run simulation test to see what the result would be and he will not waste his time of something on that would not work. Also Shane is partners with Arlin Kurtis who i think knows alittle bit more about this particular hull than most people do. I am sure that Shane got alittle input from Arlin on this. Just alittle 411.
:D :D :D

[Roaddogg 4040]

Ok guys, we have picked on Art ENOUGH for one night... Now get back to work and by the way the Boss pulled my chain tonight...Why?????:D :D :D
Steve

[GofastRacer]

the way the Boss pulled my chain tonight...Why?????:D :D :D
Steve
Uh ohh, you're in deep $hit now!..:D

[howardflatty]

here is one that mike at prime marine made for a k boat
http://www.***boat.com/image_center/data/524/738Ka4.jpg

[Wrenchforce]

Thanks guys for posting pictures. I was looking at changing the hardware in my 21' Schiada to drop through rigging and putting in a strut brace, but I would have to redue my engine mounts to raise the engine up about 6 inches or so to put in something strong that I'm seeing. Currently, I have about an inch clearance between the bottom of the oil pan and the bolts to the strut. If I raise my engine that much, will that change the driveline angle and cause potential problems with the universal joints going to the V-Drive? Also, any feedback on how the boat will handle by raising the engine that much in the turns? I'm thinking that everything that adds weight in the boat wants to be down as low as possible for better handling.
Thanks for any feedback.

[GofastRacer]

Thanks guys for posting pictures. I was looking at changing the hardware in my 21' Schiada to drop through rigging and putting in a strut brace, but I would have to redue my engine mounts to raise the engine up about 6 inches or so to put in something strong that I'm seeing. Currently, I have about an inch clearance between the bottom of the oil pan and the bolts to the strut. If I raise my engine that much, will that change the driveline angle and cause potential problems with the universal joints going to the V-Drive? Also, any feedback on how the boat will handle by raising the engine that much in the turns? I'm thinking that everything that adds weight in the boat wants to be down as low as possible for better handling.
Thanks for any feedback.
Post a pic of your setup if you can!..

[sc fab 1]

look at you haters.
If Prime Marine would have posted that pic ya'll would be swooning around their nuts. :D
Carry on :D :D
RIGTH ON! oh so true!....... just trying to show poeple that it is ok to do stuff a little different. i hate to follow the leader. remember just because these boats came from the 70's and 80's doesn't mean that they have to be rigged with 70's and 80's plain jane designs......you don't still wear bell bottoms do you?...... i don't think that it's anymore dangerous than a bolt sticking out somewhere. if you are cleaning your boat you are bound to get cut. as far a strenght, if they break thats an easy fix (waterjetting is cheap!) thanks for your input guys...... just my 2 cents!

[Riverkid]

Motor sits pretty low in this one...

[Wrenchforce]

Motor sits pretty low in this one...
Thanks RiverKid - that's similar to what I was thinking for a strut support design, though I would still need to raise the engine mounts. Mitchel's Flat Busted III (NWSRA#34) had the motor very low in the hull. Before I pulled my motor, I remember having to squeeze my hand in there to clean the bilge.
Go Fast Racer - I'll need to read up on the posting directions when I'm not so tired. I have photos of the hull minus the engine. Just got done putting in an oval through hull guide for the arm controlling the cavitation plates. Also put in longer extention arms, so I have all kinds up up plate now. Hopefully with the new motor that I'm putting together, I'll be able to carry the nose. The thing was a cadillac in the water before with long plates, but the override pedal didn't work for crap, since the linkage was set up right and kept binding. That's a problem of the past now.

[Monkey Bung]

SC FAB,
Pay attention to those braces close, if you put some power to that boat you will break those pretty easy. Looks like some places are only a half inch of material.. I broke my motor rails that were thin like that already.. Just my .02 cents.
Look at you havn't been on here for a few months and the first post is rippin this guys braces. Your cold!!:D

[Unchained]

This one looks simple but effective like what I need to make,
http://www.***boat.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=23283&d=1170312282
It looks like this should be made out of a minimum of 3/8" aluminum.
I can see I need to spend a WHOLE lot more time on detail work to be any kind of respectable around some of this equipment around here. :idea:

[WHITIE]

Look at you havn't been on here for a few months and the first post is rippin this guys braces. Your cold!!:D
Not true Bung.. Just giving my .02 cents.. I guess it hard to break mine if it is sitting in the garage. How is life treating you? How is the converted MILK MAN doing?

[Monkey Bung]

Not true Bung.. Just giving my .02 cents.. I guess it hard to break mine if it is sitting in the garage. How is life treating you? How is the converted MILK MAN doing?
Thin skinned as ever. What do you excpect from Mullet Mountain!:eek:

[Lookin for Liquid]

Another way for ideas to think about

[Jetboatguru]

http://***boat.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=23407&d=1170418955

[Klass Klown]

Well i can tell you that Shane is a fabricator by trade and this is what he does for a living so he is vary good at fabricating stuff that is usually lighter and stronger than what most people would do. He was the lead fabricator at the largest race car chassis manufacturers on the west coast. I have seen him design stuff on the computer and run simulation test to see what the result would be and he will not waste his time of something on that would not work. Also Shane is partners with Arlin Kurtis who i think knows alittle bit more about this particular hull than most people do. I am sure that Shane got alittle input from Arlin on this. Just alittle 411.
:D :D :D
What is his name, I am assuming he worked at Alston's Correct I know SeeRay at Chris Alstons very well as we have done several projects together. Ya know those braces look great however, with no angle providing a "strong back" Can someone say CRACK.. Especially since the latteral force imposed upon the brace with Horsepower in mind as well as thickness of the bottom well fold the tribal brace. And what Kurtis ever made or broke a world record for a flat? just my 02.:) :D

[VD CRUISER]

I,ve been trying to upload a pic of my strut brace which is bent up out of a piece of 3/8" thk alum. plate, and doesn't take up much space. Its bent to match the "V" of the bottom and bolts to the bottom of the engine rails I keep getting a notice that says " error in creating thumbnail", WTF ?

[GofastRacer]

I,ve been trying to upload a pic of my strut brace which is bent up out of a piece of 3/8" thk alum. plate, and doesn't take up much space. Its bent to match the "V" of the bottom and bolts to the bottom of the engine rails I keep getting a notice that says " error in creating thumbnail", WTF ?
Send me the pic, I'll post it for ya!..;)

[Boatmike]

Especially since the latteral force imposed upon the brace with Horsepower in mind as well as thickness of the bottom well fold the tribal brace. And what Kurtis ever made or broke a world record for a flat? just my 02.
You'r first statement may be correct or it may be incorrect like your last statement. I seem to remember that there were some records that had fallen at the hands of a guy in the small town that i grew up in his name was
Ted Faggart of Faggart Buick, Pontiac, GMC. I remember it was the talk of
the town in high school. So as far as a Kurtis that "ever" made or broke a record for a flat i believe it has happend.:) :) :)

[VD CRUISER]

Don't know if anyone is still interested in this or not, but I finally got the picture to upload. Its made of 3/8" thk. alum. plate.
http://www.***boat.com/image_center/data/524/100_2175.JPG