TR4/4A Using the Engine Stand

I'm not comfortable with how I've mounted the engine to my Harbor Freight stand, so I'm starting a separate thread to address. Here are my issues:

a) The engine seems to tilt forward a bit much, maybe an inch or two, when I release the hoist. Is this due to the 5/16th bolts having play inside the bolt tubes of the mounting bracket? I did, of course, use Grade 8 washers behind the bolt heads, but should I have put smaller washers or some kind of space-taking fitting inside the four short mounting bolt tubes?

b) Getting the engine square to the mounting bracket was a bit of a problem for one person. Should I have mounted the bracket first, and then mated it to the stand after that?

c) As for the mounting, I have two of the bolts near the top, one sort of midway on the driver's side, and a fourth through the hole for the starter bolt. In other words, three more toward the top. I think I need to redo this so I have two more toward the bottom, but I can't see how to avoid using the starter bolt hole for one point. Does this seems right?

d) I felt an uncomfortable "click" or "snap" while loosing and adjusting one of the four Grade 8 bolts. I had the engine weight partially relieved by the hoist, but I actually worry that the bolt may have stripped in the engine block threading. I'll examine it of course, but does that seem so highly unlikely?

e) It's likely just me, but I feel like adding at least one more bolt fitting to the stand, so I'm attached at five points. I think one other person here did that. With Grade 8 bolts am I really just overly concerned about something not relevant?

f) Any other suggestions for caution before I start working on this (and figuring out how to loosen 100 pound torque nuts on the head without spinning the engine stand)?

Thanks for the help and sorry for all the questions. I know I ask a lot.

Some photos might help, as it seems your HF stand is not the same as mine. (Not surprising, seeing as mine is some 30 years old.)

The only threaded holes at the back are blind holes. If you didn't get enough thread penetration, it would be easy to strip the outermost threads. Too much penetration would let the bolt bottom in the hole, meaning it isn't tight against the bracket (which might explain the droop).
I didn't use the blind holes or the starter holes, have 2 arms above and 2 below.

A single 5/16 NC Grade 5 bolt can hold over 6000 pounds of force. 4 should be plenty. I don't suppose another one would hurt anything, though.

KVH....here is how I have mine mounted on a new HF tool stand. It does lean forward a little, but nothing too concerning since I'm going to be stripping it down which will relieve stress. I hope this helps.

First time I get to use the pic tool! HAHA

I have seen people put a 2x4 under the front end of the engine down to that front cross piece of the stand (at the opposite end from the engine stand mounting). That helps support the front end and takes some of the stress off the back end of the stand. You may have to carefully measure and cut a 2x4 to get a good length.
Regards,
Bob