Robert,

I understand your frustration.  The alternator is held in place with that
bracket and the slotted flat bar used to tighten the alternator/water pump
belt.  The design does not call for a whole lot of tension so those three
bolts do a fine job.  For a long time I drove with a wobbly bracket that had
1 bolt sheared, 1 nut missing, and the whole contraption stayed in place for
years and many miles of travel with just the tensioning bar doing the job.
Ignorance is bliss, at least in that case.

I fixed it by installing 1 missing nut on the bracket and modifying a spare
tensioning bar to mimic the '86 and older design.  I think a picture shows
it best.

http://i16.photobucket.com/albums/b7/misterpolak/Misc%20VW%20nuttiness/AlternatorBracketMod.jpg

This gave me one good bolt in the block, one bolt on the outside of the
bracket to take care of twisting forces, and the tensioning bar to hold
things in place.  It was solid.

2009/5/3 Robert Keezer <warmerwagen@yahoo.com>

> I'm considering buying a '84 Vanagon at a low price that had a loose
> alternator. The owner agreed to allow me to investigate, and I found that
> the lower stud had been broke off, so he PO dirlled and tapped it to a
> non-metric size of 7/16. The upper stud which is 8 mmm can be replaced, but
> I am reluctant to use the 7/16 stud .
>
> SO what is the fix?
> What a wimpy dumb design VW had to place a heavy alternator  on two 8 mm
> studs.
>
> Robert
> 1984 Vanagon
>
>
>
>

--
Chris S.
Disclaimer: "Death and serious injury may occur"