The standard brackets use the two mounting bolts in the block, with the alternator pivot level with the top bolt. The brackets move the alternator outboard until they are past the vee of the engine, then move the alternator backwards (by one bracket's thickness). This makes the alternator sit level with the block, but outboard about 3".
This seems complex - why not just pivot off the top block hole with no bracket? I think I learned this one the hard way, as that is how my homemade bracket works. The alternator/belt load is too high for a single pivot bolt, and will shear it off. The standard brackets share the load between the two bolts in the block, and two ends of the pivot bolt at the pivot (i.e. no bolt has the entire alternator/belt weight on it in single shear). My bracket has all the alternator /belt weight on a single bolt in single shear... little wonder it eventually snapped.
To get my chubby alternator in, I need to be flush with the block (to align pulleys) but further inboard than the factory brackets (to let the alternator swing without hitting the subframe). I could make a bracket that does that, but to avoid clashing with the vee of the block it would need to sit a lot lower. From memory (10 years ago...) when I tried to mount the alternator that low it clashed with the sway bar.
- alternator.png (19.31 KiB) Viewed 1203 times
Cheers,
Harv
. Second run at 14.02. So, so close to a 13. Third run and tried to squeeze every last ounce out of the torque convertor at the line. Overdid it a bit, and brakes couldn't hold it. Crept forward, red lit, and fluffed it. 14.2. Called it a night as The Last Child's VL developed an 'orrible miss and was limped home.
96mph top end says that it should be good for 13.5s, so still some room left.
