Floppy Alternator Belt

[wxman1]

Recently changed some of the engine front end components back to
stock. (Alternator brackets, crank pulley, short water pump, back to
stock power steering pump, etc)

Well...I have to move the alternator all the way out to the end of the
upper hold down bracket and its still not tight enough. The upper
hold down bracket look stock compared to whats on some trucks that I know
are bone stock.

So I wonder if some of you guys with 69 C10s with 350/TH350
would post the stock numbers of the alternator belts you're
using if you know them? Maybe I've got an alternator belt that is too long?

Jim
Mt Juliet

[toddtheodd]

If you've gone back to stock, the parts store should be able to give you the right part based on your stock specifications. You really only run into problems at the parts counter when you've changed to non-stock specifications.
Todd

[69 Short Fleet]

You might want to take the belt off and bring it to a auto parts store and try 1/2" or 1" shorter belt. I'd start with 1/2" shorter and go from there.All the "V belts" I've seen available come in 1/2" incriments. Doug

[raggedjim]

I agree with Doug, most belt have a number stamped on them and that number is coded to the overall length. Get the number off of your belt and take it to a parts store. Most of them can get you incrementally shorter belts until you find what you want. (I went through this same problem with my blazer...)

Rg

[greasemonkey]

Put the alternator in the position you want it in, run a piece of string around all the pulleys and measure how long the string is. That's the length belt you will need.

[Tx Firefighter]

The belt will have a 5 digit number.

The first two numbers are the "V" width. Whatever you have, keep the same number.

The last three numbers are the length of the belt in half inch increments.

Example, say you have a 15545 belt. The 15 is the width. The 545 means 54.5 inches long. If you needed it 1/2 shorter, you'd ask for a 15540. An inch shorter would be a 15535, and so on.....

[1-PU70]

There are two top brackets a short and a long. Or my truck came with the wrong bracket. The altinater would hit the valve cover when you went to change the belt. And when you did get the belt on then there was no more adjustment. I found a longer bracket with more adjustment

[wxman1]

Well...I went in to the parts store and got a half inch shorter belt.
Thanks for the explanation on belt dimension coding in the number!
But...when I got the shorter belt...now I have no adjustment. I think
the previous poster is correct...I need a longer upper bracket. I didn't
even know there were 2 different length brackets. Thanks all!

Jim
Mt Juliet