Van power steering bracket issues

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nates68

nates68

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Installed the power steering bracket on my magnum swap so I would gain battery tray clearance like others have done. However, when I route the belt like the factory van/truck diagram shows (for no a/c) it hits the water pump pulley. It's like the water pump pulley is too large. It is a factory water pump off a 96 ram truck. Anyone else have this issue?
Thanks!
Nates68

IMG_2037.JPG
 
Top left of picture,thats a flat idler? Best it you can find a grooved idler and run belt on top.

My parts guy will let me try different belts as long as i dont run them.
 
Thanks, I tried routing the belt that way, but was concerned about the alternator slipping.

IMG_2038.JPG
 
Come to think of it... while at the junkyard to pick up my own van bracket, I don't think I ever saw a single van that didn't have an AC compressor. Maybe the van bracket was never meant to function without AC?

Anyways, it looks like most of us that are running the serpentine front end are either using, or planning on using, the compressor delete pulley that Dorman makes. I know that one of the guys on here was having a difficult time finding a long enough belt and had to put a smaller pulley on it though. Otherwise it looks like you have to use the standard power steering bracket to get the height and make other arrangements for your battery! :(

Dorman 34178
Dorman 419608
 
You HAVE to run an A/C compressor or a delete pulley. The delete pulley amd bracket can be bought at the local parts store.
 
This belt fit my set up pretty much perfectly. I'm using the Dorman bypass pulley, van bracket, and the rest is stock truck stuff.
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ya,the delete pulley fits in the same location as the a/c compressor, which routes the belt up off your water pump.
 
The whole point of the van bracket is to move the pump down to clear the battery. Once you do that, you are stuck with the Dorman AC delete pulley or actually running the AC compressor to clear the water pump. The routing you are trying does work when using a full size pickup power steering pump bracket, but then you need to relocate the battery or modify the battery tray and run a narrow battery in the small space of an A body engine compartment. Lots of guys are using the Dorman pulley.
 
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Ok thanks all for the info! Fabo always comes through.
What was confusing was this diagram that said it was for a van with no a/c.
I may be running a/c at a later date so I will just have to use the dorman part for now. Was hoping for a cleaner look, maybe even the bracket that is alternator only, but those are hard to find.
Nates68
 
I have one of the alternator only brackets from a 2000 model year pickup that was not equipped with AC. That bracket is nearly identical to the AC bracket, just does not have the AC compressor mount. Side by side, the alternator mounting is positioned exactly the same. I thought the idler was too, but the picture I have looks a little different, so I need to double check the idler. I never saw a van without AC yet, but I personally used that non AC routing on my 99 ram and works without rubbing because the steering pump is higher.
 
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My setup is:
1999 5.9 from a ram 2500 pickup
Bought a used van power steering bracket of ebag.
Dorman 34178 a/c delete bracket.
Dayco 5071013 belt, longest 7 rib I could find
And I did replace the 5.25" idler on the a/c delete bracket with a 3.5" 7-rib idler
Couldn't get the belt to go on with the larger pully.

Advance auto parts had the a/c delete, and the smaller idler in stock. Sorry cant find the p/n for the smaller pulley right now, but just got online and did a search for 7 rib idler pulleys, I think I ended up at the Dayco website, found a p/n and called Advance.

Update: Actually I found the p/n for the smaller pulley I used on the a/c bracket.
It's a Dayco 89054

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IMG_20170730_213038689[1].jpg
 
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The more i see these setups, the more i want to put my 5.9 in the barracuda.
 
The reason you're having trouble is that the belt routing AND alternator bracket are, as mentioned, different on AC- delete vehicles.

I used the Dorman piece briefly but hated the dead space and it was in the way for other stuff. The factory ac- delete bracket solves all your ills. Downside, it's expensive (mine was $80 and I HUNTED for it). I even called salvage yards in Alaska figuring they'd have them and I really do doubt that Mopar EVER built a magnum truck with ac delete. I've NEVER seen one.

Running the belt as shown above with about twenty five degrees of belt wrap will result in belt slippage; mine squealed like a ***** on acceleration and the lights would dim. It's a piss poor workaround.

The dealer can get you the number on the delete bracket if you don't want to run Dorman. Yes, the idler pulley moves. Why Mopar did it that way I'll never know.
 
Like Redfish said, the smaller idler is an interesting idea. I had thought about moving it up a bit, not sure where to mount it in the casting though. All in all, looks like I have a plan!
 
The factory did build trucks without AC. Here is a photo of the non-AC bracket along with the common AC bracket. This was a 2000 Ram 1500, 5.2 Magnum and had heater controls without AC as well. This truck used the belt routing from diagram posted earlier. This bracket is a discontinued part and this is the only one I have ever seen in person. I removed this from the truck in junk yard myself, so I got to see the truck it came off of. I will remove the idler and compare the idler positions some time this weekend. It looks higher in my photo.

Non-AC bracket.jpg
 
Yup, that pulley looks higher to me. Jos said his worked for him, hopefully it was with the van ps bracket and not the truck. I just bought a non a/c bracket on eBay! Will post results.
Thanks!
 
Just measured it. Non-AC bracket mounts idler pulley about one inch higher and one inch toward left side of engine. Included a picture without the idler pulley.

IMG_20180202_190106.jpg
 
Well biscuits. I have a leaky truck pump that I had modified the battery tray for. I went to the wrecking yard today and stumbled across a van pump and bracket which I thought would work much better. I can’t run the ac delete because I already cleaned the bulky ac part off of the bracket with a sawzall. ;).
Back to the drawing board I guess.
 
Any of you guys need a non-AC Alternator Bracket with mounting bolts?

I have two extra right now, and been scouring the wrecking yards for more.

Another thing to note when using these brackets is that, there's a mounting spacer for the tube that goes into the water pump. That spacer goes between the tube mounting "fork" to the timing cover in order to bolt it down.

I'll attach a picture of what I have.

IMG_20180617_150507.jpg
 
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