How did you guys handle putting on the back support "rods" for the altenator and A/C Compressor that were originally bolted to the exhaust manifolds?

They are held out a considerable distance 1.5" from where they would be when installed with the header bolts.

See pict below

 

I don't have a picture, but I just used that same bolt there with spacers to press against the header. Get the spacers the same thickness as the exhuast manifold, and re-use that bolt. All should be well.

 

What type of spacers, what are they made from, where did you get them?

 

Hmm.. so that's what those were for. I pitched those when I put the serp setup on my car.

 

If you're lucky, you can get spacers like that at Lowe's in the fastener dept. They have an EXCELLENT selection of stuff, much better than HD. If not, find some tubing and cut it to fit.

HTH...Ed

 

you don't need that crap... get rid of it.... those 2 bolts holding the alternator is plenty dude.... stop causing yourself probs and lose it

 

Those things are there for a reason. After I installed my headers I didn't bother putting those things back on. Few weeks later I was tightening the A/C bracket bolts that had become loose.

 

has anyone else removed the brackets and had problems?

 

double post, sorry

 

dude i seriously doubt anyone has had problems besides old dude above..... just put ya some lock tite on the other bolts and be done with it

 

"Dude", I read a thread a while ago where someone was having problems with vibrations or something due to not putting those things back on. How difficult is it to install them back anyways??

 

"Dude", ever seen an alternator come loose at high RPM????


As stated above, spend the time to find a set of spacers and do it right. Remember, you are the one who will have to fix it later...

 

I didn't put the brackets on either and that is how it has been for over a year now. No problems with anything getting loose. I saved them though just in case i wanted to put them back on again. Put them on if it makes you feel better.

Jason

 

oh fooey......... i seriously don't see how that altenator is gonna vibrate and do anything with two bolts exactly oppisite of each other that is torqued pretty good......

i doubt that a john force funny car engine could sling it off, less lone a 300hp street engine......

do what ya wanna do, but i would just put it up and be done with it

 

I'm sure the engineers at GM thought the same way. They must have just put it on for looks, or to increase the cost of the car. Maybe just to add front end weight.

Maybe metal does not really flex under pressure.

 

LOL, well put.... well put.

 

Dont worry about it. 3 years of hard street driving, no problem.

 

I didn't use any spacers at all. I pivoted the rod on the back of the alternator further inwards towards the new exhaust headers bolt and elongated the bottom hole slightly and just bolted it up.

I repeated this for the A/C rod with a bit of bending also. I hammered the rod straight first and then slightly adjusted the end angles so it would bolt up to the headers direct without any spacers. I'll try to get some pictures tomorrow.

Andy.

 

hahahaha....yall like whiny babies....

DITCH 'EM...

 

Sounds like advice from someone who knows what he's doing. lol

All it takes is some bending, then they should fit fine.

 

And we all know, GM engineers design everything perfect and for a reason....
Maybe they did it because the serpentine design made it too easy to work on the car and they had to throw some extra crap on there to make the average Joe say '**** on it' and take it to the dealer for service (at the time the cars were actually new). You can speculate on weather it needs to be there or not or why it's there all day but, unless one of you is the designer of the car, none of you have the answer.

I'd say it's a overkill design (IMO) more than a necessity. It seems March Perf. thinks their minimal design brackets are more than adequate to hold an alternator, p.s. pump or A/C comp. on.
But, just as everyone else, this is only my opinion and speculation. There's no concrete proof.

If you want the brace on , put it back, if not, parts will not just fly off because of it (unless you put it togher finger tight). If you're really paranoid, put some thread locker on the bolts too.

 

deadbird has a point on the over kill....

llvll4l2c91350 : so u rate how smart people are by the way they type??...

 

also..check out peoples motors on this board...most of the motors dont have them....

 

SLP Headers have tubes welded on to space out the right distance, and longer bolts for those are included in the install kit.
-Rich-

 

I can't say why the support bars are there or if they are absolutely necessary but mine have been absent for two years with no adverese affects.

 

if I was driving at high rpm or speed that would be the least of my worries. you know what the chances are of an alternator coming off w/ two bolts on? you have better luck throwing a rod or blowing a tire and rolling your car. I took mine off, and I haven't died yet.............

Josh

 

True that the alternator is not going to come off w/o the bracket. But what about premature bearing wear-out from vibration. That would be the only thing I would be concerned with. If GM did any testing on vibration on the serpentine system, it would make sense they put the bar in to eliminate that.