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high amp alternator belt whine

dougsride

Full Member
Joined
Dec 19, 2013
Messages
198
my buddy and i installed a high amp alt. kit from a bronco vendor. the v belt pulley that came with it is not deep enough for the belt to make full contact and it screeches everytime he starts it. has anyone ran into this and had to get another pulley. if so what was the part number for the pulley.
 

bronconut73

Bronco Guru
Joined
Aug 7, 2012
Messages
9,916
Don't know the part number but I got a great pulley off if ebay. When I got it there was a NAPA sticker on it.
 

bronconut73

Bronco Guru
Joined
Aug 7, 2012
Messages
9,916
Having said that....I have to replace the belt about once a year or it will squeal at start up. High quality belts help.

Back in the 70's when OEM's would put high amp alternators in vehicles they would run dual pulley/belts.
 

5001craig

Contributor
Bronco Guru
Joined
Nov 3, 2013
Messages
1,180
I had belt squeal from my 130 amp alternator after installing it. I installed the belt in the below pic and it hasn't squealed since. It could actually be tightened up some too. I also keep my battery on a .75 amp Genius battery maintainer so it's fully charged when I start it.

7V8GXVoa3W1n1FQeGhF2ouzGwyr6PNyzHlgapVPy7PHoDnzKLOyOsxaU0bSBQ_1gUawozRtjq9EKLlIjtxFiQBPbq0_2tjKCR29yEbdVGLIK17GYrfLJLJAmaT-AZuwXIVg6SSkxOOdMpm7atG-dIeUuYONp7-M8YRdcvyhmteIFsNXGveXYgii3p8u08j-jT3dpptoeNxLdOAbZTeDrCmhHiHSum-4yXnQo20AnCOtvKU86winOnKetvjldcA453p-sCHLIe0HhTDmdCtBfFHJ5bh3pySCe4eK6YN5W9D-rB2svYD6epvAMJwNNu2vhC-npyA9dDlwHNuD2aKZhslxbMQVt8s7evl0dq8uplx1V8_g0RyPnpXgmXqESxXn31eXr_U7lyc0y4vIf6DpyQ4O2y2caceWz3_iJHu0Fjw5bCdhFcn_yqEYMgXVijuatPu_0a-fDiX60qOE90tz5dVkLCDHjQKUHjQdYx_4_B-cQ6F1H2X_OpXVJyFAQD7Ur9PvrfgIhCgQc26DoJ8wAybZRbAZWTVhloZJf76FuL5GrEJak8vP4sF_kfKz875c7UCLML3ObscRPeR45DKE5LYJPtS2A8EW8jynxsHfcC27X2QDuZTga-j8-7A=w559-h993-no
 

DirtDonk

Contributor
Bronco Guru
Joined
Nov 3, 2003
Messages
47,647
That pulley linked to also looks to be slightly larger in diameter too. That helps all on it's own, but coupled with the deeper sheave/groove, that could be a winna!

I used a dual-groove stock diameter pulley on mine to get rid of the squeal. Matched to the dual-groove crank and water pump pulleys, it's worked just fine for me and many others.
With power steering there are a couple of tricks you can use to avoid having to with a 3-groove setup. The most common is using a super long belt to run from the power steering groove to the pump AND the alternator.
You lose some traction on the water pump and crank, but these have never been an issue. You lose some driving traction for the power steering pump, but to my knowledge this has never been an issue either. It's all about the alternator at this point.

I forget what the other methods for running a dual groove alternator pulley are, but someone may have done it different and will have that info.

There are stamped metal pulley types from the factory with both the larger diameter and deeper groove than what cam on our Broncos. My '79 had one of those, even on the little 55 amp alternator it came with.

Basically, for a big alternator anything is better than what ours came with.
Tons of discussions have come up about this, including a couple just within the last few weeks. So if you look deep enough you will find plenty of discussions on the subject. Most of which end with going serpentine belt instead. But better pulleys and more belts is still a viable answer.

Paul
 

metal1

Full Member
Joined
May 2, 2016
Messages
259
Loc.
hidesert ,socal
I was able to use the original 2 groove pulley that was on my original alt ,but I still just use 1 groove so every once in a while it will squeal not bad just something it does for a few seconds or so ,not enough to worry about , just let off of the gas for a bit then go;)
 

jckkys

Bronco Guru
Joined
Mar 15, 2012
Messages
5,196
I went with the OE crank and water pump 2 groove pulleys. A 2 groove alternator pulley and one, longer than OE, belt were all I needed. I tighten one belt at the alternator and the other at the power steering pump. If one belt goes away the worst outcome is no power steering. But I can still drive home.
 

Jeff10

Contributor
Bronco Guru
Joined
Feb 20, 2011
Messages
2,138
Loc.
Indianapolis
Hi Craig,

I had belt squeal from my 130 amp alternator after installing it. I installed the belt in the below pic and it hasn't squealed since. It could actually be tightened up some too. I also keep my battery on a .75 amp Genius battery maintainer so it's fully charged when I start it.

It's good to see you.

Great information, too.

I installed a high output alternator last year. It squealed quite a bit. Changed the pulley on the alternate so that the belt sits further into the pulley; but, there is still some squealing at start-up.

I was searching for recommendations online for a better belt. Your even comes with a picture! I'm see where I can find one.

Hope you're doing well.

(Paul, I still owe you a picture of the pulley. I will take that picture when I change the belt.)

Take Care,

Jeff
 

Jeff10

Contributor
Bronco Guru
Joined
Feb 20, 2011
Messages
2,138
Loc.
Indianapolis
Hi Everyone,

I swapped out both the alternator and the power steering belts with the type that Craig suggested. I have only had it running in the garage; but, it's quiet as a mouse. It's really substantial compared to the previous belt.

Thanks for the suggestion, Craig.

Take Care,

Jeff
 

hyghlndr

Contributor
Bronco Guru
Joined
Jan 19, 2009
Messages
5,040
Loc.
Hockessin, Delaware
I had the same issue recently. I switched to a new belt with same diameter but thinner. The old one was slightly wider and didn't sit down in the groove I went to a slightly narrower cheapy belt and it worked great and more quiet.
 
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