jonecap

My Hooker LT headers will be here on Tuesday. I'm in the process of taking my stock headers off today. There is a bracket that runs from the back of the alternator to my stock driver's side header.

Does the Hooker header include this bracket mounting point? If not, how do you support the alternator? Anybody have pictures?

vader86

It doesnt, and you cant make the original work.

You will have to fab something up to support the alternator, and you MUST do it. The alternator will eventually crack one day without it.

skateparkdave

When your Hookers arrive there should be a bag of hardware and in it with your flange bolts ect, you'll find what looks like two small sections of pipe in there and these are intended to be used for the AC and alternator braces. They are intended to be used with the stock flange bolts at the braces as spacers to fill the now missing thickness of the stock manifolds at those locations. So save those when you pull the stock manifolds. The problem is that hookers engineers didn't consider the bend in the #1 primary and how thier intended spacer wont clear it. It works great on the AC side but not for the alternater. You will have to use the spacer and stock bolt and fab a brace to go to the 3rd bolt instead of the second one for the alternator side.

jonecap

Skatepark dave...do you have a picture of your's that you could post? Thanks for the reply...good info!

pablocruise

Definitely support that alt.
I didn't and sure 'nuff, one day while travelling the alt case broke and threw the belt.

TA

Here's the bracket I made for my car. Its electrical conduit crimped on the ends and bent at the right angles.

86PACER

Like so. I actually tossed the supplied hooker spacers, then I had to go to the hardware store when I realized my rear AC braket needed one.


I've actually been running mine without the rear Alternator braket with no problems at all for 4 years now.

skateparkdave

I've got a pic of the AC side but it's hard to photograph with my big camera. I admitently have yet to do mine on the Alt side. :o I have a spare alternater so I've been lazy and I guess I'm putting mine to a test. I've made many passes and have sprayed a 125 shot numerous times over the past year since I got my headers on and my case has held fine. I still have the stock air pump and brace on and it aids in the supporting of the alternator. I've been lucky I guess and dont promote running no brace. I need to brace mine and will. This is why I've looked into doing it. It's just still on the back burner of my to do list. There are plenty of people in the forum that have done the brace and I've seen several pics but didn't save them. Maybe a search would still find them.

See how the AC brace goes to the third flange bolt from the front on that side? You just make a long one and do it the same on the Alt. side.

86PACER

I should note that my pic is of the early style AC compressor which mounts to the first header bolt. Skateparkdave's is the later style that goes to the 3rd header bolt.

86PACER

Nice bracket. I need one like that for a complete look. Mine was missing when I bought the car. The empty bolt holes in the back of my alternator look out of place.

jonecap

Thanks guys for the photos. I definitely like the bracket on TA's car. I may try the same thing. Strange though, my car does not have a support bracket for the AC...must have disappeared some time in the last 16 years

By the way, I've got the Hooker's bolted on to the car now. That was a pain in the a$$

CentralCoaster

So just a standoff and a longer bolt won't work? The factory one fits because of the standoffs welded on the header flanges. I don't get why most aftermarket co's don't do this, it solves all the bolt access problems.

skateparkdave

It will but the stock bolt has a threaded top with it's own nut so that the AC or alt. can be removed for service without breaking the flange bolt section of the stock bolt loose.When installing you tighten the standooff and flange down
then put the bracket nut on top of that but seperately. If that makes any sence.

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