01cherryreds10

iTrader: (9)

Anyone have any belt alignment issues with the Kwik brackets? I've got the F-body bracket on my LQ4, a truck alternator, F-body water pump, Powerbond 25% underdrive, Kwik P/S pump and pulley, and a Katech billet tensioner. Basically a bastard child of a front accessory drive.

I can get all pulleys to line up pretty decently except the alternator, which seems like it's a rib or two too rearward. Before I put the underdrive on, the belt would walk off the crank pulley about a rib. Since the underdrive has taller walls that doesn't happen, it just takes maybe 4 hours of the engine running to make the belt squeal.

If there was a problem with the alternator alignment, I would think that the belt would be wanting to come off of the P/S pump though, right?

Anyone have an insight? I'm very close to just going with the F-body bracket and alternator..

chuckd71

iTrader: (23)

My kwik bracket has been nothing but trouble and I've tried about a dozen pulley size and spacer combos. A tighter belt helped, but it still squealed until I put a small shim under one of the pulleys. After I got everything shimmed a bit, spacing front to back wasn't the issue for me but one of the pulleys had what I guess you'd call positive camber (assuming front of car is +). I ended up getting a pulley with sides (?) and putting it on the fixed kwik bracket mount (idler is a smooth rounded pulley). I've spent more time on that than pretty much any other single aspect of my build.
My setup is all truck accessories, and now that I'm swapping in a 6.2 I'm going to have to mess with this stuff all over again and I don't even want to think about it.

Maybe you could put a couple washers between the alt mount and the block to move it forward some. Offhand I don't recall what the kwik p/s stuff looks like. Edit - are you using the combined kwik alt/ ps bracket? Maybe space the whole thing out with a couple washers then press the ps pulley on a little bit more to compensate for it.

hifi875

iTrader: (2)

get a factory gm setup, either corvette or camaro, they aren't that expensive and they work. I have the vette one on my camaro, no problems ever and i've put atleast 2000 miles on it.

Old Geezer

iTrader: (3)

Call the guys at KWIK... They are working on a new belt w/ I think, Gates. They also have some "fixes" that guys have sent them..

01cherryreds10

iTrader: (9)

Cool thanks for the replies everyone.

I'm using the combined alt/ps bracket, with an 02' F-body ps pump and the plastic pump pulley from a GM 3.4L Kwik sent me to use. The kit does come with spacers I forgot all about that thank you for mentioning those.

The only thing that steers me away from using the GM setup is having to drill the block, which means I'll have to pull the front end off of the car to drill it and tap it perfectly.

Now, the truck alternator can be installed on an F-body with no alignment issues correct? I have an F-body alt without a stud for the batt cable which is why I got a truck one. Maybe I'll swap the alternator out and see if it lines up any better. I am using the Gates laser alignment tool to help out with this issue.

buddyholly

I had to space out my idler pully with the Kwiki brackets. Most of my accessories line up pretty well but my Sanden A/C pump is a bit off. Finally got it pretty close but the belt squeeks.

Old Geezer

iTrader: (3)

the same thing.
I am finding that the Camaro tensioner is a poorly built piece that deflects under load. Someone mentioned "camber". That's exactly what I found. I used a shim to "tilt" it back nearer "zero camber". I'm planning on a Katech tensioner. Looks like a much better piece.
The Sanden alignment is critical. FOLLOW the instructions exactly, when torquing the bolts!
I've added the tensioner pulley w/ the lips on the sides. Seems to do a better job.

All said and done: After 3 belts, many hours of work, I still have a small squeek...Probably get worse, too.

My next "test": I am going to install a dial indicator on the bracket face, and check to see how much the entire assy deflects when the belt goes under tension, and when the engine is revved.....

More later...

Old Geezer

iTrader: (3)

A follow up...The squeak is back, and gets way worse as rpm is increased. At idle, there's virtually no noise. At any rpm above 1200, it's there.
I haven't done the Katech tensioner yet.
I'm about at the end of the "phuk around" phase, and this mount is going on Ebag. The down side to that is, I have to notch the x member to put the stock location mount/compressor on. [Truck system].

psiconversion

iTrader: (5)

Dont mean to hijack, but Geezer are you going to get rid of the entire Kwik setup or just the tensioner?

Jon
PSI

Old Geezer

iTrader: (3)

Jon, if I do the stock mount, the entire kit goes.. I'll let you know if I do. The car is being downed for several other items, so while that's being done, I'll decide on the brkt.
I called Wayne @ Kwik this am... Waiting on him to call me back.

psiconversion

iTrader: (5)

Ok. Just curious. I noticed that their kit will not allow you to use a truck pump. This seems odd to me since I would think most people who are using these kits would have truck motors (with accessories) and would like to move them to clear a hood line or put a car intake on the engine. Not knocking the bracket, just trying to understand the reasoning behind forcing customers to use the corvette/camaro/etc pump.

Jon
PSI

tiresmokinV8

iTrader: (6)

Im running the kwik backets with the truck offset. Truck alt, Fbody ps pump, and a vette tensioner. Havent had a single squeal or problem with mine a 1000miles. Also Im using a truck powerbond balancer, and Vette waterpump spaced out.

futureuser

iTrader: (1)

Over three thousand miles on my full quik setup with a sanden compressor, LY6 truck water pump and never an issue from day 1. I used the stock alternator I robbed off the van too. Wayne helped me figure out that I was installing the corvette pulley wrong on my type 2 power steering pump. I got a used truck powerbond underdrive pulley and it all works great together.

You do have to ask for the right offset when ordering the brackets.

futureuser

iTrader: (1)

Pretty sure the only pump you're forced to use is the type2 power steering pump.

psiconversion

iTrader: (5)

Futureuser,

Maybe I wasnt clear on my question..... The kwik bracket requires you to use a remote reservoir power steering pump, which is typically NOT what comes with a truck pullout correct? Tiresmoker stated he is using the f-body pump.

Anyone else out there, would you have preferred to purchase a bracket that allowed you to use the pump that came with your engine (if you have a truck pullout) rather than purchase a new pump, reservoir and reservoir bracket?

Jon
PSI

Old Geezer

iTrader: (3)

Jon, I wasn't aware of the remote res pump requirement, when I bought the brkt kit. Mine is a complete 05, 6.0 ft accessory drive....Maybe, another call to Wayne is in order.

If that's the case w/ mine, I'd surely have preferred buying a kit that didn't require a pump change.

BTW, where do you see that pump info?

futureuser

iTrader: (1)

My understanding was that a type 2 pump and remote resevoir were required, so that's what I did.

garys 68

iTrader: (1)

Geezer, I just went through trying to get rid of a squeek on a 4.3. Turns out it was the printing on the back of the belt. Every revolution when it hit the tensioner would cause a squeek.
I'm using the Kwik AC bracket, very happy with it.
Btw, it says on their page:
What else is required to complete the installation:
Almost any Type 2 remote reservoir power steering pump

rfrankb4

I only have about 600mi on my set up so far but have been pleased. It took me a few tries to get the PS pump pulley lined up correctly but I am fairly sure that was my failing not Wayne's.

I never even knew I was required to use a remote reservoir since the pump on my truck pull out was broken and I was planning on a remote set up already. The main reason I wanted the remote set up was so I could make it a little larger to help with cooling the PS system since have hydraboost, do not currently have a cooler in the system though I can add one if needed down the road.

psiconversion

iTrader: (5)

Thanks to all for answering this.

Jon
PSI