Alternator mount when going to headers
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 131
Likes: 0
From: Madison NJ
Alternator mount when going to headers
I have a 1970 corvette 350 motor, short water pump, high driver side mounted alternator. I want to get a set of Hedders, My alternator is mounted to the exhaust manifold. If I change to headers I'll need a bracket to support my alternator. I do not want anything overly fancy just something that looks stock in painted steel or chrome.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Sep 2005
Posts: 895
Likes: 4
From: whitman massachusetts
Alternator Mounting
Hey Sweet,
This is just my humble opinion. Check out the stock 1974 thru 1982 small block lower alternator bracket. It is a great design, made of cast iron for rigidity, and it eliminates the need for the poorly designed bracketry it replaces. It bolts directly to the threaded holes in your driverside head. This will allow you to run a stock top bracket(curved flat slotted adjustment bracket), which I cut back a few inches, and utilized one of the mounting bolts for the new lower bracket to mount to, instead of top waterpump bolt. That waterpump bolt on my engine passes thru to the waterjacket, and once sealed, did not want to disturb when adjusting belt tension on alternator. These brackets are routinely sold on fleabay for "peanuts", and being cast iron, cleanup and refinish to like new.
This is just my humble opinion. Check out the stock 1974 thru 1982 small block lower alternator bracket. It is a great design, made of cast iron for rigidity, and it eliminates the need for the poorly designed bracketry it replaces. It bolts directly to the threaded holes in your driverside head. This will allow you to run a stock top bracket(curved flat slotted adjustment bracket), which I cut back a few inches, and utilized one of the mounting bolts for the new lower bracket to mount to, instead of top waterpump bolt. That waterpump bolt on my engine passes thru to the waterjacket, and once sealed, did not want to disturb when adjusting belt tension on alternator. These brackets are routinely sold on fleabay for "peanuts", and being cast iron, cleanup and refinish to like new.
Pro
Joined: Mar 2008
Posts: 716
Likes: 1
From: Albuquerque New Mexico
Unless you don't have holes in the front of those heads I'd also recommend getting away from that header bracket mount system. I fussed with that for years on a car that had the 'ol camel hump heads w/o threaded holes in front and was so happy the day I got some new heads and was free of that horrible mounting system. Something to think about. Jegs also sells some inexpensive brackets for just alternator - much cheaper than March brackets but looks/functions just as good.
Drifting
Joined: May 2005
Posts: 1,629
Likes: 4
From: Somers CT
Hey Sweet,
This is just my humble opinion. Check out the stock 1974 thru 1982 small block lower alternator bracket. It is a great design, made of cast iron for rigidity, and it eliminates the need for the poorly designed bracketry it replaces. It bolts directly to the threaded holes in your driverside head. This will allow you to run a stock top bracket(curved flat slotted adjustment bracket), which I cut back a few inches, and utilized one of the mounting bolts for the new lower bracket to mount to, instead of top waterpump bolt. That waterpump bolt on my engine passes thru to the waterjacket, and once sealed, did not want to disturb when adjusting belt tension on alternator. These brackets are routinely sold on fleabay for "peanuts", and being cast iron, cleanup and refinish to like new.
This is just my humble opinion. Check out the stock 1974 thru 1982 small block lower alternator bracket. It is a great design, made of cast iron for rigidity, and it eliminates the need for the poorly designed bracketry it replaces. It bolts directly to the threaded holes in your driverside head. This will allow you to run a stock top bracket(curved flat slotted adjustment bracket), which I cut back a few inches, and utilized one of the mounting bolts for the new lower bracket to mount to, instead of top waterpump bolt. That waterpump bolt on my engine passes thru to the waterjacket, and once sealed, did not want to disturb when adjusting belt tension on alternator. These brackets are routinely sold on fleabay for "peanuts", and being cast iron, cleanup and refinish to like new.
That's what I have, it doesn't care what kind of exhaust you have.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Oct 2000
Posts: 8,897
Likes: 1,355
From: Santa Ana CA
This is how it is done.
This piece is bolted to the block using the two header screws on the #1 cylinder header. I found that I needed to replace these two screws with slightly longer ones to adequately hold the bracket and keep the bolts from backing out under heat/vibration. But that will depend on the thickness of the bracket you select and your header flanges.
This piece then bolts to the two slotted holes. The slots on the first piece are to allow for front/rear adjustment. The alternator is actually "sandwiched" between the other two holes.
This piece is held at its base by a water pump bolt. The alternator is bolted to the curved slot that allows for tensioning the belt.
All of these, with lots more, are available at Summit Racing.
This piece is bolted to the block using the two header screws on the #1 cylinder header. I found that I needed to replace these two screws with slightly longer ones to adequately hold the bracket and keep the bolts from backing out under heat/vibration. But that will depend on the thickness of the bracket you select and your header flanges.
This piece then bolts to the two slotted holes. The slots on the first piece are to allow for front/rear adjustment. The alternator is actually "sandwiched" between the other two holes.
This piece is held at its base by a water pump bolt. The alternator is bolted to the curved slot that allows for tensioning the belt.
All of these, with lots more, are available at Summit Racing.
Last edited by toddalin; Mar 16, 2009 at 05:29 PM.
Racer
Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 487
Likes: 0
From: Jacksonville FL
Sounds to me like you are not using the right bolt there.
Last edited by mdj21; Mar 17, 2009 at 04:12 PM.
