OK to temporarily remove front engine mount?

[sac02052]

As part of my resurrection of an '81 Special, I'd like to take the front engine mount off and touch up the paint on the mount itself. The surrounding frame is fine.

This is probably just me being paranoid, but ... will I need to jack up or support the engine at all or will the other mounts hold the engine in exact same place (within bolt tolerance) for a few hours while I paint the mount and let it and dry? I suspect this is a non-issue so thanks for indulging my paranoia.

 

[Jim]

I suspect this is a non-issue so thanks for indulging my paranoia.

Better safe than sorry But yeah... non-issue. It'll be just fine indefinitely like that. Had mine off and all the other bolts loose... still slid in place no problem.

 

[Superjet]

Swapped one off my 77 to put a nice bling chromed one lol non issue

 

[sac02052]

Thanks all. Turns out the left exhaust blocks the lower frame bolt from coming out and I didn't want to mess with the exhaust just yet, so I just pivoted the engine mount around that bolt and did a touch up job while still on the bike.

 

[fredintoon]

As part of my resurrection of an '81 Special, I'd like to take the front engine mount off and touch up the paint on the mount itself. The surrounding frame is fine.
This is probably just me being paranoid, but ... will I need to jack up or support the engine at all or will the other mounts hold the engine in exact same place (within bolt tolerance) for a few hours while I paint the mount and let it and dry? I suspect this is a non-issue so thanks for indulging my paranoia.

Hi sac,
just because you are paranoid don't mean they are NOT out to get you.
Sure, remove the thing, no problem.
Done it several times when mounting sidecars & once, like Superjet, swapping in a chromed one.
Just don't ride it like that, eh?

 

[5twins]

You can remove all the motor mounts except the long bottom bolt if you wanted to. Granted, the engine would rock back and forth on just that one bottom bolt, but you could still do it. I routinely remove the top mounts. It's required to gain access to the inner head bolts for checking their torque.

A note on the lock nuts used - they seem to lose some of their locking power after being on and off a few times. I usually add regular split ring lock washers to them.

 

[sac02052]

Thanks for the info on the lock nuts. I've already torqued them down so it doesn't make sense to loosen them again. If they loosen on their own I'll add lock washers.

 

[5twins]

Do make it a point to check them occasionally. When I got mine, not just one but every one was loose, lol.