When using spool motor mounts, is a torque strap still a good thing to have or not necessary?

Rubber bushing or poly in your spool mounts ?

Rubber. Factory A-body spool mounts (nos).

The concept of the spool mounts were they still had some movement but couldn't completely fail. The rubber bushing failure amounts to a possible plus or minus 1/2" of movement if the rubber is completely gone. I would suppose if it hammered the metal loop long enough, it too could fail. One would hope you are paying better attention then to run the failing mount long enough to destroy the rubber completely, not even considering running it long enough for the steel loop to fail.

I would guess the answer to your question would depend on if your using your torque strap to stop all movement, or if your using it to limit movement in the event of a failure.

It can help to make sure the motor doesn't torque to the passenger side of the engine bay when you romp it, correct
Now, get to work

filling the holes in the mounts with windshield urethane will help a bunch with movement, yet still not create unwanted vibration.

I don't have the engine/k-frame in the car yet so the mounts haven't seen any use yet. As I mentioned, they are nos so there is no wear on them. I was just wondering if a spool mount failed, would it allow the engine to lift up out of the mount brackets and cause damage. The car is not going to be raced so I don't know what the likelihood of a spool mount failing would be.

Me thinks that because spool type mounts drop straight down into the K-frame & have the metal outer sleeve that frailer would result in heavy vibrations & not the eng.lifting like previous angled style mounts.

You can fill out the spool mounts with windshield urethane or ethane or RTV.
If biscuit mounts Toqure Strap is needed or solid mounts

I like the torque strap because it completely limits movement and allows the power to transfer through the chassis quicker. I run both the strap and a solid rubber mount on the drivers side ('63 Dodge).

Why not just install a solid mount ??

I'm not terribly familiar with the spool mounts but couldn't you just substitute a piece of solid delrin or uhmw rod with a hole bored in it ?? That sh!t will handle the job with no problems.

I have ALWAYS used a hardware store turn buckle on the left side of the engine. Cheap, effective, and no vibration. I leave about an inch of play in the one on my Cuda so that the Shaker has some noticeable movement while keeping the engine from leaning over too much. Here is one from a previous project:

PROTHANE and Entergy Supention allready make inserts.
Everyone sells them. Summit is one source
You take the old rubber out and press in the soild insert

[quote=DaveRS23]I have ALWAYS used a hardware store turn buckle on the left side of the engine. Cheap, effective, and no vibration. I leave about an inch of play in the one on my Cuda so that the Shaker has some noticeable movement while keeping the engine from leaning over too much. Here is one from a previous project:

[/quote

I use to use also them but quit when I realized they (the end loops) would stretch and have to be retighten constantly
I switch to an aluminum strap made out of 1x1x 1/8 inch thick aluminum angle and drill two holes in it, one on the head end and the other through the K member down low that aligned with the strap bolted to the head or the water pump boss for the power steering boss.
This picture is on my 1969 Dart GTS 383 car which has a different driver side engine mount boss on the K member so it may not work on other cars but I have used a thicker piece of steel strap and bolted it through the subframe on the drivers side above the K member

This recommendation here is a very good one!

In preparation for the bigger torque of my W2 408 storker I used that POLY bushing kit. It was a PITA to clean-up the old stleeves, but eventually they did clean up.

The general feedback on getting these poly inserts to be squeek free is to lube them up with some silicon gel/grease prior to the install.

Summit Racing sells a 3 piece kit of 3 engine mounts. The 2 fronts and the rear (Transmission)
But like you say grease them well.

You must hit yours a lot harder than I do mine, Cab as I have never had a problem with them loosening up. Now, I often use a long bolt for the bottom connection to the K and weld the top loop together so it can't open up. And I am sure that there are different qualities and strengths of the turn buckles.

I used to have to tighten the one I had up almost, not more than two races, after every race
I did have it attach to a chain so maybe it was the chain stretching

why would the inserts squeak ? they don't pivot like suspension bushings, or am i missing something ?

All types of mounts with a healthy hp engine actually requires 2 of the schumaker design, based on my extensive track and burnout exhibition experience.

The right side compresses even with the urethane mounts - tilting the engine & pushing the exhaust down. 4 speed cars - the clutch linkage geometry is affected as well. Any car with hp getting shock loads from burnouts, launches, high speed driving requires 2 if you want to do it correctly. A rigid mount with no give is not a good solution and either is a turn buckle. Best to use a chain with a bit of play in it unless one elects to use the proper configuration as dictated by expereince. \

The schumaker design will bolt on the passenger side with a bit of thought.

That nice supercharged engine is getting shortchanged with the turn buckle.