Bob & all,

I'm still having a problem.

Broke another bracket and a stud 2 months ago ... That makes 8 brackets in 3
years.

Here a photo of the last broken bracket:

http://www.roadhaus.com/images/alt_bracket/alt18.JPG

My theroy is the large alternator draw my setup requires is the culprit.

Since I don't current have an AC compressor .. What we did this time is to
rotate the alternator down as much as possible and use a power steering belt
instead of the normal alternator belt. With the normal belt the alternator
was hanging way out quite a ways on the top support bracket.

Before Photo:

http://www.roadhaus.com/images/alt_bracket/alt05.JPG

After Photo:

http://www.roadhaus.com/images/alt_bracket/alt14.JPG

So far 2 months and OK .. But need to get to 6 month to a year to really
know.

I'm just about ready to make it a Preventive Maintenance issue and change
the bracket at every other oil change.

I have only seen one attempt to add an extra brace to the alternator ...
This setup has worked for years I'm told.

Alternator Brace Photo

http://www.roadhaus.com/images/alt_bracket/alt03.JPG

good road,
good adventure,
good life,
 
larry chase
www.roadhaus.com
soon to be roadhaus.org

-----Original Message-----
From: ROBERT DONALDS [mailto:donalds1@verizon.net] 
Sent: Sunday, October 15, 2006 8:07 AM
To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM; TC
Cc: Larry Chase
Subject: Re: 85GL 1.9 Busted alternator mounting bracket stud ..2nd time in
2 years

Do you have a second battery or some other huge draw on the alt I have
brackets if need be. I have seen many cases with damaged alt stud 
over the years
no clear reason why
Larry Chase had this on going condition any thoughts larry

Bob Donalds
Boston Engine

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "TC" <trclark@SHAW.CA>
To: <vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM>
Sent: Saturday, October 14, 2006 10:48 PM
Subject: 85GL 1.9 Busted alternator mounting bracket stud ..2nd time in 2 
years

> Volks
>
> so start tale of wow ...
> starting hearing the alt belt wine at start up a few days ago so Sat 
> AM is good time to take a peek
>
> well the stud on the right side of the bracket is busted off inside 
> the
> stud
> hole :)
> and the bolt has backed it self out on the other side
>
> well this picks me off not 1 year ago I lost a water pump in the BC
> interior
> on my summer vacation
> near a farm owned by a ex vw mech., well when we were on our way to fix 
> the
> pump
> we found both the bolt & the stud busted off so he free hand drill those
> puppies out
> and tapped in brand new 10MM stud / bolts & now 18mths later the new stud
> has snapped off ..
> wtf is it with this pos vw alternator bracket too much torque from the big
> heavy alt  ??
>
> Any ways taking a look this time I think it makes most sense to create 
> a
> new
> bracket
> & brace it up with some custom flat bar crossed bolted to the power 
> steering
> pump bolts on the
> block ...
>
> so do you guys know of any one that fabricated a custom alternators
> brackets
> to resolve this issue ??
>