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I have been trying to get the belt adjusted but it keeps squealing. I can't seem to hold the pump in the proper spot and get the bolts tightened. Any tips or tricks to doing it. Pump is new, belt is new, steering box is a borgenson and is new. I know where all the bolts are. Just having a hard time getting it tight.
I used to pry between the upper stud and the head/exhaust but found it was twisting the pump.
I took a larger turn-buckle and re-bent the eyelets on the ends to fit into the pulley grooves, then tension the pump with it and it holds everything nice while I crawl underneath to tighten all the bolts. I can take a picture of it when I go to the shop if you want.
A small push/pull squeeze clamp would work just as well I suspect
Gentlemen, I need to tighten my belt as well, but don't know much about the location of the bolts for tightening. If you have pictures showing exactly what to tighten, that would be great.
Mooser, I wouldn't mind seeing any pictures you can take when you get to the shop.
Two bottom bolt & nut need to be loosened a little so it'll pivot. Bolt on the front and nut on the rear stud (bolt and nut are not on here but you can see where it would be, bracket has a slot in the rear
The top bolt is the one that hold the tension, slides along the curved slot in the bracket that holds the alternator.
It's really hard to get at with the alt in place, really it's worth removing it to get at the bolt.
I can get under the car so it's fairly easy to get at it with some extensions (one with the ball woble end) from way back behind the motor mount believe it or not
I used to pry between the upper stud and the head/exhaust but found it was twisting the pump.
I took a larger turn-buckle and re-bent the eyelets on the ends to fit into the pulley grooves, then tension the pump with it and it holds everything nice while I crawl underneath to tighten all the bolts. I can take a picture of it when I go to the shop if you want.
A small push/pull squeeze clamp would work just as well I suspect
M
I have those clamps. I will give them a try on Thursday when I'm off.
As long as they close up pretty good they should (?) work. I want to say there was about 5 or 6 inches between the crank and PS pulleys.
Mine doesn't look like that now so I can't say for sure
M
Two bottom bolt & nut need to be loosened a little so it'll pivot. Bolt on the front and nut on the rear stud (bolt and nut are not on here but you can see where it would be, bracket has a slot in the rear
The top bolt is the one that hold the tension, slides along the curved slot in the bracket that holds the alternator.
It's really hard to get at with the alt in place, really it's worth removing it to get at the bolt.
I can get under the car so it's fairly easy to get at it with some extensions (one with the ball woble end) from way back behind the motor mount believe it or not
I have been trying to get the belt adjusted but it keeps squealing. I can't seem to hold the pump in the proper spot and get the bolts tightened. Any tips or tricks to doing it. Pump is new, belt is new, steering box is a borgenson and is new. I know where all the bolts are. Just having a hard time getting it tight.
Hopefully you can get it adjusted by using Mooser's methods. But just in case you are still having issues, here is what I have found happened to me on my 454 PS bracket over that past 43 years.
In 2 cases, the bottom rear part of the bracket broke off and I couldn't tighten the nut to hold it in place. So I purchased new bottom brackets. The current one is still holding up.
On the original factory top bracket, there was a worn groove in the adjustment slot and I couldn't get the stud to hold when I tried to adjust the belt. Bought a new bracket....problem solved.
This probably won't happen to anyone else, but I thought I would share just in case.
Yes! Mine had the indentation of the nut embedded into the bracket. If I were to install a washer between the bracket and stud nut, it would throw off the belt alignment.
So, a new bracket was picked up at my local Chevy dealer. Yes, they use to stock the parts I needed.
Last edited by 71 Green 454; May 10, 2018 at 08:08 AM.
Make sure you have a quality brand-name belt. I did not believe it either when the guy at Napa told me to get a "good" belt.....but, I got one,
put it on, no squealing, and not overtightened. I was quite surprised. And, I'd been struggling with a squealing belt for a while till he told me that.
Originally Posted by 540 vette
I have been trying to get the belt adjusted but it keeps squealing. I can't seem to hold the pump in the proper spot and get the bolts tightened. Any tips or tricks to doing it. Pump is new, belt is new, steering box is a borgenson and is new. I know where all the bolts are. Just having a hard time getting it tight.
72 Big block power steering adjusment help.
