Attempting a Saturn alternator bracket

[NHerron]

I'm in the process of making an alternator bracket for the Saturn alternator I'm using. And the process is not going very well. I'm just not getting any good ideas on how to get everything to line up right. I've been using real thin aluminum stuff so I don't waste much material and I can tell you I've made about 8 different shapes and still I'm not even close to done.

turboglenn was going to make one but last I knew he never got it and I'm tired of looking at my fugly modified OEM bracket. So on my days off I go down to the shop and cut out new pieces to try. I've got everything I need to make the final product but I just need to get an actual model to copy first. Does anyone more experienced have any advice on this? I can post whatever picture that is needed just let me know. The one attached is the OEM bracket with an added piece to reach the top mount of the Saturn. I want to get rid of that added piece basically so the alternator bracket is more of a direct adjustment like OEM.

Thanks in advance if anyone can help

 

[leepen]

Good luck and keep us posted, if you make one that works..I could use one

 

[gixrman]

I feel your pain. Ive been working on my GM relocation bracket for awhile and what helped me with lining it all up was a laser alignment tool.
TOOL : Amazon.com : Automotive
It may seem steep but it takes alot of the agrivation out of lining up the pulley ina custom setup. Second is a spare block with everything on it, if available. Easier to work on outside of the car.

Third is if your using aluminum thin is not the way to go. I made my first one out of 1/4" T6 and had to have 3 secure mounting points to get it to stop flexing under load. I have since scraped that setup and working on a third with a idler pulley.

 

[mike96]

This might help.

http://www.dsmtuners.com/forums/custom-fabrication/451856-saturn-alternator-tensioner-bracket.html

 

[NHerron]

I feel your pain. Ive been working on my GM relocation bracket for awhile and what helped me with lining it all up was a laser alignment tool.
TOOL : Amazon.com : Automotive
It may seem steep but it takes alot of the agrivation out of lining up the pulley ina custom setup. Second is a spare block with everything on it, if available. Easier to work on outside of the car.

Third is if your using aluminum thin is not the way to go. I made my first one out of 1/4" T6 and had to have 3 secure mounting points to get it to stop flexing under load. I have since scraped that setup and working on a third with a idler pulley.

Why didn't you use the stock thickness? Oh and what I meant was I'm just using thin aluminum pieces as a model to see if everything lines up okay. Then if it looks like everything will be fine I will then make the real test bracket out of thick steel. Do you have pics of your bracket? Thanks for popping in here.

This might help.

http://www.dsmtuners.com/forums/custom-fabrication/451856-saturn-alternator-tensioner-bracket.html

That's not really what I'm going for but thanks for the link, I haven't seen that one yet. I'm trying to utilize the same idea as stock.

 

[gixrman]

heres my thread on it
http://www.dsmtuners.com/forums/custom-fabrication/447855-gm-alternator-relocation-project.html

 

[NHerron]

Cool relocation idea, but I want to keep A/C . I'm trying to use the same idea as stock and for that to happen the bracket has to be curved a little different.

And that's what I'm stuck on. My job at the shop takes up 13+hrs a day so I hardly have time to work on anything. And our garage is filled with crap from someone who swore up and down they'd pick up their stuff ASAP and the crap is still there . So the car sits outside in the 10* Montana weather. I really don't mean to bi***, I deal with 100x worse at work with truck drivers that break just about anything and I end up in the field fixing it. I just want to get this done and move on to better things, and an article on how to make this bracket is long overdue since a good amount of us run this alternator. I want to make this into an article when I'm done as my way to help out the community. Plus people tend to like the way my articles come out

 

[NHerron]

So I've lost some enthusiasm to jump back onto the project. Mostly beacuse its been winter and I have to be outside for some of the work. Lol.

Wondering if someone wants to pop in here with their input, to kinda keep the idea alive.

Im stuck on calculating the shape and length of the bracket. I dont know angles very well, thats pretty much geometry I suppose..

 

[gprix1]

Here's how I did mine. It's been working great:
http://www.dsmtuners.com/forums/articles-miscellaneous/452642-saturn-alternator-bracket-works-like-oem.html

 

[NHerron]

Yeah I saw that. I've technically got that setup right now, just not so fancy.

I'm trying to get away from compensating with the OE bracket with added brackets and such, and basically make a one single bracket specially for the GM alt.

I'm hoping to get some progress by this next coming weekend. I have 3 full days off and hopefully be getting stuff done.

Sure wish this weather'd warm up.

 

[NHerron]

A little update. Basically needed to walk away from it for a while and come back with a fresh start. I got to talking about geometry and whatnot with someone and figured out its basically impossible for the bracket to be designed exactly as OEM adjustment.

There is a reason on the OEM alt, the mounting holes are basically directly across from eachother. The top mounting hole will move in a predictable circular fashion whereas the GM does not. When the GM pivots, the top mounting hole moves in such a funky way that you cannot use a stationary bracket, this bracket must move up or down as the alt goes through its motion. This is not at all a problem, simply loosen the waterpump bolt a turn or two, enough for the bracket to move and you're all set. Remember that the GM alternator in its stock habitat, does not tension its own belt, the belt is tensioner with its own dedicated tensioning mechanism.

Don't get too excited yet though, I only made it as far as a plastic rough draft model, I have yet to actually make a good steel or billet alum. bracket. But it shouldn't be too much longer.

I'm kinda surprised how quiet this thread is

 

[turbotom]

Ok here my thing that I thought about doing when it came to my swap, what I would do if your handy with cutting a welding is just pretty much shorten it to size and use the mitsu slot meant for the stock alternator so it fits it like factory. I know it's easy said then done but it's actually kinda simple really. Or instead of using a stock one and modify it, make you own in the same matter. When I do make one I will post it up for you guys to see because I can draw it up in my head but to say it is a bit different,.

 

[NHerron]

I think you should re read my recent post. It's not possible the way youre thinking, try actually making one. I went through 11 test models before I figured out it's not going to work that way. There is a reason the mitsu mounting holes are directly across from eachother, it's to use that bracket.

To use a bracket for the GM, the slot is going to be straight, because as you move the alt the bracket MUST be able to move up and down. The alt was never designed to move like that and thats why the bracket is just a smidge different then the way the mitsu one is.

 

[NHerron]

V1 is done.

Chapter two:
http://www.dsmtuners.com/forums/cus...-saturn-alternator-bracket.html#post153249676