maybe the stud will unscrew some.
Worth a try.
I just realized what might have happened..
  that nut was not super tight ...alternator bracket kinda banged on it
for a long time..
stud breaks off.
hmmm ?
I can say for sure that it's not that uncommon to find 2.1 waterboxer
alternators loose on their lower mounting bracket, and also loose/worn
and rumbly bearings.  Found that dozens of times.
Hardly anyone knows to check that.
Heck ..
one time I looked at a Westy to possibly buy ..
and it had just had 'an inspection' at a VW shop ..
the alternator was almost falling off the engine ..
the shop didn't even notice something so obvious.  Like it was 9 on a
scale of 10 for 'loose and floppy and trying to break things like
mounting studs.
Make sure yours is properly tight there ..at the bottom of the alternator.

On 10/10/2015 5:21 PM, John Rodgers wrote:
> Doesn't work. To short. Can get the alternator brace on, and the dip stick
> piece if I hold it there, but there is not even room for a washer, even a
> thin one, much less a nut.
>
> John
> On Oct 10, 2015 21:57, "SDF ( aka ;jim lahey' - Scott )" <
> scottdaniel@turbovans.com> wrote:
>
>> 11/16ths is almost 3/4 of an inch ..'about right'.
>>
>> Even if you have 1/2 inch of stud sticking out that should be sufficient .
>>
>>
>> On 10/10/2015 9:08 AM, John Rodgers wrote:
>>
>> Pat, is yours long enough to get the alterator bracket, the dip stick
>> bracket and the retaining washer and nut on it.? 11/16ths seems mighty
>> short. I talked with Chris at VAN CAFE and he said that should be an 8mm X
>> 38  stud stiking out. I suspect it should have at least 1 inch exposed to
>> mount those brackets.
>>
>> John
>> On Oct 10, 2015 13:40, "Pat Spragge/RFAN" <Pat.Spragge@rfan.com> <Pat.Spragge@rfan.com> wrote:
>>
>>
>>
>> John,
>>
>> I can't tell you how long the stud is, however it protrudes 11/16" on mine.
>>
>> Sent from my iPad
>>
>>
>> On Oct 9, 2015, at 3:40 PM, John Rodgers <jrodgers113@GMAIL.COM> <jrodgers113@GMAIL.COM> wrote:
>>
>> Next question! I just discovered a broken stud. This stud is on top of
>>
>> the
>>
>> engine, lies just to the right of engine center line and faces the rear
>>
>> of
>>
>> the van. It's apparent use is as an anchor for part of the alternator
>> tension adjustment apparatus. Two brackets fit over it and a nut secures
>> them. How long should that stud be? I cannot mount both brackets to it
>>
>> and
>>
>> get a washer and nut on it to lock it down.
>>
>> Any input on this new problem is appreciated!
>>
>> John
>>
>>
>>
>>