Date: Thu, 14 Jun 2012 23:15:05 -0400
Reply-To: mkriley@FUSE.NET
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: Mike Riley <mkriley@FUSE.NET>
Subject: warning regarding GoWesty alternator bracket kit
In-Reply-To: <C9.F0.17744.93C2ADF4@mx02.cincibell.synacor.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=utf-8
this is a joke as go westy is selling the WRONG SIZE BELT for vanagons and then sells a kit to make up for it!
if you use the right 9.5 belt it will run with much less tension and you will not blow out your water pumps and alternator bearings and mounts.
mike
Samuel Butler-- "One can bring no greater reproach against a man than to say that he does not set sufficient value upon pleasure, and there is no greater sign of a fool than the thinking that he can tell at once and easily what it is that pleases him. To know this is not easy, and how to extend our knowledge of it is the highest and most neglected of all arts and branches of education."
----- Original Message -----
From: Automatic digest processor <LISTSERV@GERRY.VANAGON.COM>
To: Recipients of vanagon digests <vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM>
Sent: Thu, 14 Jun 2012 14:22:07 -0400 (EDT)
Subject: vanagon Digest - 13 Jun 2012 to 14 Jun 2012 - Special issue (#2012-389)
There are 24 messages totalling 1103 lines in this issue.
Topics in this special issue:
1. warning regarding GoWesty alternator bracket kit (15)
2. Map light (3)
3. Help locating pin at harness for idiot lights
4. Fwd: Re: [not_a_vw_club] Not a VW club Camp Out JA-DO
5. Name of the huge online supplier of nuts,bolts, pipe, etc etc. (4)
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Date: Thu, 14 Jun 2012 00:15:15 -0400
From: pickle vanagon
Subject: warning regarding GoWesty alternator bracket kit
GoWesty makes this nice kit to beef up the alternator bracket connection:
http://www.gowesty.com/ec_view_details.php?id=4454&category_id=&category_parent_id=
The carriage bolt that comes with the kit seems to be a very low grade. I
stripped the threads on mine very easily. And multiple people at thesamba
have had issues as well:
http://www.gowesty.com/ec_view_details.php?id=4454&category_id=&category_parent_id=
(GoWesty was very nice about replacing my bolt but said the hardness was
not an issue even though it was perhaps only class 4.8 or so, since the
bolt "doesn't need to be very tight". I don't like this perspective.)
Anyways, I think the bracket seems like a very good idea overall (and you
should get one *before* your studs break, not after) but I would recommend
using a different bolt. Either you can scrap the carriage bolt and use
whatever you already have straight through with a nut, or, the hardest M8
80mm carriage bolts I found were 8.8; fastenal has them. If anyone finds
10.9 let me know! I doubt they exist, unfortunately...
When I replaced this not-hard-enough bolt, I replaced the nuts on my
alternator bracket studs with 10.9 versions at the same time since I'm not
sure what was already there was the correct hardness. Just wanted to
report that if you have some funny wrenches then this can be done without
disturbing the coolant pipe that appears to be in the way.
-Wes
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