Confused what to do with a 5.9L serpentine setup

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black954

black954

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So i've been working more on my Dart lately and i've hit a big snag. I planned to make my own serpentine brackets and reuse the Dakota RT alternator, water pump, and power steering pump. Unfortunately, I cut up the original brackets to mount everything and now i'm left trying to figure out the best, most economical accessory drive. I can't reuse the Dakota RT PS pump because it is a low pressure pump for rack and pinion. So now i'm looking at piecing together a system. I have the original 340 front cover so I guess I could go that route and run LA accessories, but with the RPM i'm turning I will not run a V-belt system. I was hoping to reuse the magnum balancer I have and if possible the magnum alternator. PLEASE HELP!
 
March has serpentine pulleys if you want to go that route. (LA engine)
A junk yard trip can get another Magnum bracket. Then you’ll have to figure out a bolt in pump that is high pressure.
 
My question would be why not use the RT pump, even if it is "low pressure"? Many people spend the time to drop the pressure in their original pumps anyway to increase road feel and reduce twitchiness, since stock A bodies tend to be overpumped anyway.
What accessories are you trying to mount, and into what?
 
rumblefish360 said:
March has serpentine pulleys if you want to go that route. (LA engine)
A junk yard trip can get another Magnum bracket. Then you’ll have to figure out a bolt in pump that is high pressure.
Click to expand...
I just saw theirs and I looked at the CVF kit. I'm looking at around a grand all in for either of those options
 
Fullsize van Magnum brackets give you PS pump clearance for the battery/tray, and Dorman makes an A/C delete pulley if you're ditching the A/C.
 
Professor Fate said:
My question would be why not use the RT pump, even if it is "low pressure"? Many people spend the time to drop the pressure in their original pumps anyway to increase road feel and reduce twitchiness, since stock A bodies tend to be overpumped anyway.
What accessories are you trying to mount, and into what?
Click to expand...
I want to run an alternator and power steering pump. I went from a manual steering car to a Borgeson quick ratio PS steering box. I just didn't want to go through all the effort and expense of getting all the components together only to find out the low pressure pump doesn't work with my power steering box. I really didn't like the look or more importantly how high the original alternator was mounted on the stock magnum accessories, plus the PS pump is waaay off to the driver side as well.
 
rumblefish360 said:
Wrong kit
Click to expand...
The March kit was $688 for the pullies and brackets. Then I have to add a PS pump ($169), an alternator, and LA water pump.

I just reread your post, and understand what you're saying. Get the March pulleys and source the brackets from the JY
 
 
You noted that "at the rpm I am turning I will not use a v-belt system" And you need a high pressure p/s pump. What exactly are you trying to accomplish ? Street/race car ? Too High rpm for a v-belt, but concerned with low p/s pressure ?
 
MoparLeo said:
You noted that "at the rpm I am turning I will not use a v-belt system" And you need a high pressure p/s pump. What exactly are you trying to accomplish ? Street/race car ? Too High rpm for a v-belt, but concerned with low p/s pressure ?
Click to expand...
I have a street legal road race car with a built 5.9L Magnum and a 4spd in my 69' Dart Swinger. It will see regular 6,500RPM use with occasional 7,000RPM as well. I have a power steering box which requires a high pressure pump, not the low pressure pump that came on a Dakota with rack and pinion. A V-belt just won't survive in this situation. I'm trying to put together a serpentine system that is more compact than the Magnum accessory drive if I can help it. I can run the Magnum accessory drive, but I really would rather not. I also don't want to piece together something now that will end up getting changed out later. I was just hoping there was a budget minded LA serpentine setup that is simple and guys have been successful with.
 
This is my current setup. I have the magnum timing cover, water pump, and damper with crank pulley.

574C0476-548B-4B40-A5A7-331D93875D23.jpeg


7F25D8B6-18A6-4729-B996-2AF224D91B5C.jpeg
 
A magnum PS bracket will fit most all Sagnaw p/s pumps. I reused my old 74 360 pump but a new pump would fit too

rampumpbracketbolts_resized-78716.jpg



Pro Tip: A Ram & Dakota Magnum PS bracket will interfere with most A body battery trays. But one from a B Van (93-2007) or Grand Cherokee sits the pump a bit lower and avoids the battery tray

20171008_143819-jpg.jpg
 
I don’t know what is cheap to you but used Chevy cheap is not available.


Mine below has seen 7K many times.
March P/S bracket, Summit Racing Alt. bracket, about dirt cheap.
54C77908-FED4-4A91-B471-F4E3CB811217.jpeg
 
myduster360 said:
A magnum PS bracket will fit most all Sagnaw p/s pumps. I reused my old 74 360 pump but a new pump would fit too

View attachment 1715600340


Pro Tip: A Ram & Dakota Magnum PS bracket will interfere with most A body battery trays. But one from a B Van (93-2007) or Grand Cherokee sits the pump a bit lower and avoids the battery tray

View attachment 1715600341
Click to expand...
This looks perfect, but now that is presenting another problem with the fact that my heads are not drilled with most of the holes that this bracket needs.
 
The picture that @myduster360 posted is my car. The van bracket fits perfectly. I have an extra van bracket and pump if your interested. I think I also have a magnum alternator bracket if you want an uncut unit. The salvage yards have PLENTY of magnum powered trucks to rob parts from. The vans can be a little harder to find.

I'm using a stock used van pump on my dart with a firm feel box and it works great. The power steering seems too "light" sometimes. If I was you, I would try the dakota pump and see how it works/feels.
 
black954 said:
This is EXACTLY what I was looking for. Did March sell the PS bracket separate?
Click to expand...
Yes but I don’t remember the price.
That which is pictured is what I linked further above.
 
Someone mentioned the March set up(serpentine). I purchased a March "underdrive" set years ago for my 99 Dakota. That has been sold, but I kept the water pump under drive pulley. I run a Magnum 408, in 75 Dart Swinger and have a 3:91 Sure Grip. Use the original size 75 radiator and it does not over heat. Even at 75 mph @ 98 degrees.
If the under drive is still available from March or anyone else, It may be your solution.
 
FYI: I have a factory magnum mounting bracket that does NOT have the a/c part.
 
1994redram said:
The picture that @myduster360 posted is my car. The van bracket fits perfectly. I have an extra van bracket and pump if your interested. I think I also have a magnum alternator bracket if you want an uncut unit. The salvage yards have PLENTY of magnum powered trucks to rob parts from. The vans can be a little harder to find.

I'm using a stock used van pump on my dart with a firm feel box and it works great. The power steering seems too "light" sometimes. If I was you, I would try the dakota pump and see how it works/feels.
Click to expand...
That is a great setup. After looking at my heads, I don’t have the holes necessary to run that type of PS bracket. Im guessing the March PS bracket with a LA timing cover is going to be my solution. I already have the low pressure pump so I think I’ll go with your recommendation to run it and see how it turns the PS box. Hopefully the 275/35ZR18 Pilot Sport 4S aren’t too much for it.
 
You can see my 1975 Swinger Magnum serpentine set up on page 9 in the "photo Garages", about halfway down under "Triumphman".
All factory, no power steering.
Hope it helps.
 
Here’s my 68 barracuda with the van bracket and magnum 5.9 truck brackets on everything else (it’s the ac delete alt bracket). Works great. I did relocate battery to trunk, which I assume you will too with your build.
Nates68
F5DA3C92-23D0-49F8-AAD1-742F06008964.jpeg
 
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