REplace the Alternator....  Its way out of balance.

At 01:12 PM 10/15/2006, Larry Chase wrote:
>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 ??
> >