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By charliemccraney - 16 Years Ago
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I got a new alternator and, of course the instructions say "Do not use heavy tools to pry on alternator case; hand pressure is adequate."
And, so I began to laugh at the joke for a minute or two. I know that is probably true for 300lb Bubba, but it has never been true for scrawny me. I might be able to hold it tight enough while someone else tightens the bolt. But it won't happen by myself. So I'm curious, any of you other scrawny guys know how to get it tight enough without prying?
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By 55Birdman - 16 Years Ago
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Charlie, I dont beleive there is any way possible to tighten the alternator with bare hands,elbow or just mean looks. I had to use a jack handle to tighten mine.
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By yehaabill - 16 Years Ago
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Y-Guy Charlie: Use a broom handle, or turn your hammer handle around and use it, if you have room. This way you have something to "absorb" the load. Bill
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By 57f100 - 16 Years Ago
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when i was younger me and my dad used old pipes since he is a plumber he had plenty of them laying around that always did the job
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By pegleg - 16 Years Ago
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Chas. In a word...NO. That is unless you like to hear belts screech. I think the point is don't go nuts and break the belt or ruin the alternator bushings.
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By MoonShadow - 16 Years Ago
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A lot of the racing and street rod applications use a turnbuckle to do the adjusting. Why not? Makes it simple for everyone. Just replace the adjustment slide arm with one that is long enough. I know Charlie can fab up a super nice bracket to one! Chuck in NH
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By charliemccraney - 16 Years Ago
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MoonShadow (8/4/2009)
A lot of the racing and street rod applications use a turnbuckle to do the adjusting. Why not? Makes it simple for everyone. Just replace the adjustment slide arm with one that is long enough. I know Charlie can fab up a super nice bracket to one! Chuck in NH
Am I that predictable?? That is how I want it to end up but right now, I'm working on a normal bracket made with 3/16" plate. I'll get it mounted first and then figure out the details of the turnbuckle.
Guess I'll just pry on it a little, like I always have.
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By PF Arcand - 16 Years Ago
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I think the manufacturers instructions is being misconstrued here. It's to protect the cases from breakage...
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By Hoosier Hurricane - 16 Years Ago
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Paul is correct, alternator cases are fragile. Apply the pressure where the stator ring is, the ring is steel and can take the pressure from the pry bar.
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By BFOOTER03 - 16 Years Ago
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My belt squeak when I pryed and tighened it by hand my self. When I got a neighbor to tightned the bolts down the squeak was gone and is still gone. Only tool used to pry was 170lbs of pure man made strength. Ok maybe there was a little grunting also. Bing
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By mctim64 - 16 Years Ago
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I have always used a pry bar with a nice flat edge. I just watch where I pry against and don't try to pull it off the engine. A little pressure will do. 
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By DANIEL TINDER - 16 Years Ago
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Good luck finding a turnbuckle tool short enough. Minimum length of one I got from NAPA (5") too long to fit between pulleys.
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By John Mummert - 16 Years Ago
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Believe it or not, there is a tool made to tighten alternators. Its cut from 1/4 plate, has a hook at one end to grab any part of the case it will grab, loops part of the way around the case and has 1/2" square opening for ratchet. I think I have one, just don't know where it is.
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By charliemccraney - 16 Years Ago
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And here it is!
It took 11 revisions before I was comfortable with transferring the pattern to steel. The first three were for an alternator which I did not end up using due to clearance issues.
I call it "The Evolution of an Alternator Bracket".
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By GREENBIRD56 - 16 Years Ago
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Very nice Charlie - you're hired.........!!!
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By Doug T - 16 Years Ago
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Are those paper patterns or metal? they sure look good. But Charlie I think you have made the problem more difficult than Ford did. Their brackets are straight slots and only one bolt to the timing case cover or engine mount not two. Then bracket can rotate under the bolt a little as the generator or alternator is moved to tighten the belt.
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By charliemccraney - 16 Years Ago
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The patterns are paper. It's hard to tell but the slot is in an arc which is centered on the upper bolt. With the bracket fastened to the engine, the alternator will swing the full length of the arc. I finished the installation today and it works perfectly. I like it much more than the stock setup.
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By Doug T - 16 Years Ago
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Great looking work and gilding a Y block lily is fine by me!
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