EnviroKarma.org - Electric Vehicle (EV) Conversion '...it's (NOT) hard to be Green' - what Kermit should have said

 

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Tail-end Electric Motor Mount for the Suzuki Swift (Geo Metro/Pontiac Firefly)...

    The tail-end motor mount bracket is one of those 'little things' that was not included in the kit.... There was a univseral bracket clamp, which had a flat base I might have been able to bolt to something; but I figured that if i were going to fabricate a mounting point, I might as well just do the whole thing and go directly to the tail-end holes on the motor.

    Before prototyping with cardboard, I took a run to the local steel fab shop (next to the salvage yard) and picked up some standard 1x1x.125 angle, 2x2x.125 angle, and 4x.25 flat strap. I got short pieces that they consider 'scrap' for less than half of 'new' steel cost retail.

    For this bracket, hardware required was (2)5/16-18 x 3/4 hex hd cap screws with lock washers and washers, (2)3/8 x 3/4 hex head with lock washers, washers. About 16" of 2x2x1/8 angle iron, and a 4" long piece of the 4"x1/4 strap.

    I did trim up some of the extra corners with a sabre saw... just to make a little extra room where I suspect I may end up putting the battery racking. All set now to move on to the rear-center axle bearing mount and fabricate a bracket for that, perhaps combining the bracket with a mount for the vacuum system.

    (added 9/11/2008) - I ended up revising the mount for a little more clearance from the front battery rack. If I were going to make another one, I have sketched up a simpler revised design rather than all the cutting and trimming I did on this one.

    (added 4/28/2009) - Torque and speed humps took their toll... and found the weak spot of this design. Fortunately, the repair was quick and easy, and nothing else was damaged.


Total time to design, weld, trim, paint, and install the motor mount: 3 hours
This time could be MUCH reduced next time around with a simpler design, and less 'pondering'.

 

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