alternator bushings......

[scottinAZ]

Just a bit of a feeler here, I have access to a lathe, and am making a set of steel bushings for the alternator to replace the shitty rubber ones that disintigrated on me. Was wondering if there is much of a market out there for such a product, being as the original is shit, although most aftermarket alts come with such bushings already.

what are the boards thoughts on these

[StereoInstaller1]

Oh hell yes...price?

[scottinAZ]

let me get the final engineering done first (sometime this week) and Ill get back to you on that, but most likely in the $20 region. Pics will follow when engineering is completed

here is a preliminary of the outer diameters, I will be boring the hole tomorrow, its getting too late here, and I dont want to piss off the neighbors.....





Once this one is done, I will be setting the lever action cross slide, and getting ready to crank these things out. as it is, this is about 20 minutes of trial and error with setting up the machining and transferring measurements in rubber to cold hard steel

Only reason for using steel is that I have it on hand in an appropriate diameter (came with the machine). brass would be prohibitively expensive for this with no added benefit, I dont have aluminum, or delrin, or I would make them in that. perhaps in the future

[HarryPotter]

There's a bushing on the alternator?

[scottinAZ]

There's a bushing on the alternator?

yes, some have rubber bushings for the alternator mounts. when these wear out (or get oil soaked) the alt does not sit correctly and is a pain in the ass to get tensioned correctly. Most aftermarket alts have the bushings replaced with steel or other material so this isnt an issue, but there are enough rubber bushed alts out there that this may be a viable item.

[StereoInstaller1]

IE sells a kit too.

Fuck IE.

[scottinAZ]

IE sells a kit too.

Fuck IE.

did not know that, will have to check it out

[DaveSmed]

Also, I have seen rubber bushings bite people pretty hard relating to the grounding of the alternator.

Esp. if, say your old solid mounted alt that had its ground strap removed/broken/lost craps out, and you replace it with a used rubber mounted alternator. The entire casing becomes +12v.

[u3b3rg33k]

Does someone have a picture of where these bushings go? My alternator frame is metal, and that bolts directly to the mount. I've had it out a few times, and never saw any rubber on anything.

[scottinAZ]

Does someone have a picture of where these bushings go? My alternator frame is metal, and that bolts directly to the mount. I've had it out a few times, and never saw any rubber on anything.

as requested:


Pic of the old rubber bushing side by side with the steel replacement

Large holes are where the bushings go, two per hole, one front one back. the shoulders on the bushings locate the alternator

Bushings in the respective holes (waiting on a drill bit to bore the steel one...)

The sleeve that goes through the bushing and accepts the bolt to mount the alternator

[scottinAZ]

Finished Prototype

Here are some pics of the finished bushings.







I have some UHMW Polyethelyne on the way, and will make a set out of that material as well. I think that will allow for tolerance in the cast aluminum housing of the alternator better than a slip fit steel bushing will. Should also speed up the machining process. I did get it down to about 5 min per bushing in the end when I had the setup finalized, so that helps with production time. Having an appropriate sized drill bit will help as well, so I dont have to individually bore out the hole for the sleeve.

I retained the sleeve arrangement that the original rubber bushings used, as this allows for a slip fit on the bushings, and therefore the need to machine the housing to a tight press fit tolerance on the bushings.

Seems like this arrangement will work. I now have a useful spare alternator

[u3b3rg33k]

I'm quite certain that mine is just a drilled out flange. No bushing to speak of on either side.

[nando]

Does someone have a picture of where these bushings go? My alternator frame is metal, and that bolts directly to the mount. I've had it out a few times, and never saw any rubber on anything.

not all E30 alternators use bushings.

[u3b3rg33k]

Lucky me I suppose. Carry on.

[ZekeTheSneak]

Akgmotorsport.com sells delrin ones also, Good idea though my alternator is fucked, No bushings though just worn metal fml