mounting alternator

[69-350]

well, the other day on a trip to my friend's house only a couple miles away, when I went to fire her up to get back home, battery was dead. So I called a bud up and we jumped my battery, and figured out my alternator wasn't spinning. Anyways, so I crack the ONE BOLT that holds it on the bracket, and as I'm tightening it to make sure it doesn't wiggle loose again and slip the belt like it just had, I snapped the head of the bolt off. oh crap. then my buddy's folks show up, and his dad makes a trip to the hardware store and buys me a nice long bolt. problem fixed.

Which leads me to my question. How should the alternator be held up? Shouldn't it be more than one bolt? I think my 350 came out of a mid-80's, and the bracket for the alternator doesn't look too grand. It's held on tight enough by I think two bolts, and the alternator alternatly is held on by one bolt through the large slider slot in that bracket. Isn't the dang thing suppost to be held up by another bracket or something? Maybe some explanation or pictures would help me out here, if you have any of your alternator mounting. Thanks, Mark.

[sneakysnake]

Typically on a Passenger side mounted alt, there is a triangle bracket off the water pump and a spacer with a long bolt that runs though the bottom of the alt.This holds the alt and allows it to pivot.At top there is a bolt that runs in the slide bracket to tension the belt.

[truckdude239]

umm is that your batery cable grounded to the alt braket?

[69-350]

yeah, that is my battery's negative cable, grounding it out there. Why? I guess that isn't the best place to have it?

and I guess I do have that thin long bracket somewhere, if I'm not mistaken, I think I found it in the box of my truck when I bought it. I'll have to go brave the 10 degree weather and see how that goes. thanks.