Steel for Engine Bearers

[yachtorion]

Is Mild Steel adequate for making engine mounting brackets if I paint it? Given what the engine is made out of it seems like it should be, and it's cheaper and much easier to work than Stainless...

 

[PetiteFleur]

Mild steel is perfectly ok, just make sure is well painted or get it hot dip galvanised. If painted it will eventually get rusty but not for some time

 

[ghostlymoron]

As far as I know, most bearers are mild steel. I haven't seen any stainless.

 

[Phoenix of Hamble]

As far as I know, most bearers are mild steel. I haven't seen any stainless.

Mine are aluminium.... albeit very heavy duty!

 

[doug748]

I used stainless, God knows why.

But it is not that expensive, or too difficult to work. Mild steel is fine.

 

[sailorman]

Is Mild Steel adequate for making engine mounting brackets if I paint it? Given what the engine is made out of it seems like it should be, and it's cheaper and much easier to work than Stainless...

So what did you find in those engine beds

 

[PCUK]

Have them blasted and weld primed prior to fabrication then coat with epoxy when finished. Will then last forever!

 

[prv]

Kindred Spirit's engine was bolted to mild steel angle irons. Mostly painted, but nothing fancy - it had come off in a couple of places and had some minor surface rust, but that was all. As you say, the engine itself is just steel.

Pete

 

[ghostlymoron]

It doesn't make much sense to have the bearers more durable than the engine itself.

 

[Tam Lin]

Just had mild steel ones made and then galvanised. Should last a while!

 

[yachtorion]

So what did you find in those engine beds

Haven't been able to get to the boat to check yet - working well away from home at the moment. But following the link to the hunter forum apparently there are plates bonded in to hold the yanmar. One poster had made up some rails to mount to the Yanmar bolt holes and then take the new engine mounts - I'm planning to replicate that but using box section. Following this thread, it looks like mild steel will be fine. I've worked stainless in the past and found it rather hard work so if cheaper mild will do... I'll try and find galvanised in the right size but if I can't I figure some spray paint to match the engine will do.

 

[Phoenix of Hamble]

Haven't been able to get to the boat to check yet - working well away from home at the moment. But following the link to the hunter forum apparently there are plates bonded in to hold the yanmar. One poster had made up some rails to mount to the Yanmar bolt holes and then take the new engine mounts - I'm planning to replicate that but using box section. Following this thread, it looks like mild steel will be fine. I've worked stainless in the past and found it rather hard work so if cheaper mild will do... I'll try and find galvanised in the right size but if I can't I figure some spray paint to match the engine will do.

That sounds like a good plan to me... I intend to use my existing bearers, as they are very substantial, and mount new bearers (if needed) to them....so pretty much the same strategy. If you do use mild steel, you could always get them galvanised after manufacture for very little money if needed... but personally, i'd just paint them too, with lots of coats to delay rust onset for as long as possible.

 

[burgundyben]

Be worth taking a grinder to the finished part and putting a nice big radius on all edges and corners, it'll help keep the paint uncompromised.

 

[rogerball0]

Got my mild steel angles powder-coated for £20.