Alternator bracket 2 broken in a week.

[Owl Man]

My alternator pivot bolt has come loose twice in one week and the fan blades have hit the jubilee clip on bottom hose. Lots of broken fan blades but hopefully I can just buy a fan blade somewhere rather than a whole alternator. The adjustment bracket has broken twice in a week now and both times it happened when I put my foot down at higher revs. Is this just normal engine vibration which is causing the nut on the end of the pivot bolt to slacken off or some other cause? I guess the nut is probably the culprit so I will try to buy a new nyloc nut to fit the bolt and see if this fixes it.

Bruce

[GDPR]

You shouldn't be having this issue... yes you can buy the fan separately, and would advise a whole new bolt, nyloc and reasonably substantial flat washers, both sides, on the adjuster bolt when refitting everything....

Hopefully that will stay put for a while to come..

Russ

[Stagsongas]

I wonder if the alternator is somehow out of balance?

Regards

Steve

[GDPR]

Spin the alternator as quick as you can before refitting - worth checking to see if the shaft is bent...

[Owl Man]

Thanks for that Russ I will give it a go.

You shouldn't be having this issue... yes you can buy the fan separately, and would advise a whole new bolt, nyloc and reasonably substantial flat washers, both sides, on the adjuster bolt when refitting everything....

Hopefully that will stay put for a while to come..

Russ

[Owl Man]

I wonder if the alternator is somehow out of balance?

Regards

Steve

Thanks. I'm not sure how it would become out of balance but will try new bolts and nuts when the next new bracket arrives.

[pistonbroke]

I have my alternator re-positioned to the top l/h side, done some spirited runs recently and noticed last week that the belt had "jumped" onto the higher ridge on the pulley between the two belts. Re-fitted the belt and tightened the bolts but I have noticed that it seems to be looser again. Have not had the bracket break though, The alternator was moved a year ago using all new fixings, I think I will replace the nyloc nuts and fit larger washers as well this time, now have something else to keep checking on.
Andy

[GDPR]

You'd get bored if it was all working well and trouble free Andy...

[Owl Man]

I reckon new nylon nuts are worth fitting considering how little they cost. I just hope that cures this in my case.

I have my alternator re-positioned to the top l/h side, done some spirited runs recently and noticed last week that the belt had "jumped" onto the higher ridge on the pulley between the two belts. Re-fitted the belt and tightened the bolts but I have noticed that it seems to be looser again. Have not had the bracket break though, The alternator was moved a year ago using all new fixings, I think I will replace the nyloc nuts and fit larger washers as well this time, now have something else to keep checking on.
Andy

[SaskStag]

Alternator bracket bolts coming undone!
Hah, the threads are shot! How about Helicoiling them
Tanya
PS you have to following my recent thread.......

[Stagsongas]

Thanks. I'm not sure how it would become out of balance but will try new bolts and nuts when the next new bracket arrives.

In another part of my life I have a 3 tonne JCB digger (self - builders tend to do this). The alternator is not out of balance on this machine, although I have seen an unbalanced item on a car shake it's bolts loose in the past.

The JCB has a Diesel engine (Diesel engines are an instrument of the Devil) producing extreme low frequency vibrations. This has undone the alternator pivot bolts 3 times now, even with nylocks, loctite stud adhesive and threats that would scare any machine into behaving. The last time it happened I decided I wasn't having it again, so I cross-drilled the bolts close to the thread end and put a split pin through after the nylocks went on, with the arms bent right over. Even if the nuts come loose once more, they cannot fall off.

Regards

Steve

[Owl Man]

[I think I have figured this out. If some of the fan blades have broken off then at high revs the alternator will be out of balance and thus start to shake itself to bits. This is probably why the bolts are shaking loose and causing the bracket to snap. I need a new fan blade. Does anyone know where I can buy just a new fan rather than a whole new alternator?QUOTE=Owl Man;230249]Thanks. I'm not sure how it would become out of balance but will try new bolts and nuts when the next new bracket arrives.[/QUOTE]

[Stag therapy]

[I think I have figured this out. If some of the fan blades have broken off then at high revs the alternator will be out of balance and thus start to shake itself to bits. This is probably why the bolts are shaking loose and causing the bracket to snap. I need a new fan blade. Does anyone know where I can buy just a new fan rather than a whole new alternator?QUOTE=Owl Man;230249]Thanks. I'm not sure how it would become out of balance but will try new bolts and nuts when the next new bracket arrives.

[/QUOTE]

Google is your friend, but the brothers also sell the fan for the 11AC alternator.

Baz

[Owl Man]

Thanks Steve. You sound like a belt and braces kind of man. I think you were right about being unbalanced. The alternator that is! Just need to buy a new fan to get the balance right again.

In another part of my life I have a 3 tonne JCB digger (self - builders tend to do this). The alternator is not out of balance on this machine, although I have seen an unbalanced item on a car shake it's bolts loose in the past.

The JCB has a Diesel engine (Diesel engines are an instrument of the Devil) producing extreme low frequency vibrations. This has undone the alternator pivot bolts 3 times now, even with nylocks, loctite stud adhesive and threats that would scare any machine into behaving. The last time it happened I decided I wasn't having it again, so I cross-drilled the bolts close to the thread end and put a split pin through after the nylocks went on, with the arms bent right over. Even if the nuts come loose once more, they cannot fall off.

Regards

Steve

[Owl Man]

Google is your friend, but the brothers also sell the fan for the 11AC alternator.

Baz[/QUOTE]
Cheers Baz. I'm sure I will find one. Just a bit annoying as it's so hot and sunny and want want to be out for a spin.