Serpentine Setup Back Braces

[Ronno6]

In my ongoing project of rebuilding a TBI engine and converting to carb,
I want to use the serpentine belt/accessory setup from the '93 5.7 engine.
About the last detail is one back brace which went from the back of the
A/C compressor (on passenger side) to a bolt on the TBI manifold on the passenger side, almost to the forward center intake-to-head bolt (3rd from front) along side the TBI injector.
There is no provision for this bolt on the Weiand Street Warrior 8150 intake manifold.
The other back brace bolts onto the back of the tensioner pulley bracket to an extended intake manifold bolt in the front manifold-to-head bolt of the driver's side.

As I know the factory does not (in general) install parts for no reason, I ask if anyone
else had done this conversion and left the brace off??

If I need that back brace, best option would be to modify or make new and attach from the back of the A/C compressor to front manifold bolt on the pass side. This would be at a different angle than the original......
Either that or fashion a new brace to attach to that 3rd intake manifold bolt.
Would either be OK, or problematic??

I can provide a pic if needed after it stops raining............

 

[4WDKC]

pics will help

 

[bucket]

I know the braces you speak of. I've seen them missing several times and it wasn't hurting anything.

A buddy and I once went in on an '88 IROC that had been highly tampered with, by hasty PO's. Those braces were missing. We put a new compressor on it and got the air working. He wound up moving to Florida and used the air all the time. The serpentine brackets are still fine to this day.

 

[Ronno6]

pics will help

Here they are.
I may just omit what I cannot fit...........

1. The back brace for which I have no lowere mounting point.

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2. The mounting point on the stock TBI manifold....the bolt/stud at the front of the flapper-like shield

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3. The other brace mounted as original

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The opposite front manifold bold could have been used to secure a modified brace, but I don't think I'll worry about it at this time.

 

[Ronno6]

I know the braces you speak of. I've seen them missing several times and it wasn't hurting anything.

A buddy and I once went in on an '88 IROC that had been highly tampered with, by hasty PO's. Those braces were missing. We put a new compressor on it and got the air working. He wound up moving to Florida and used the air all the time. The serpentine brackets are still fine to this day.

The cast aluminum certainly seems strong enough to handle things, but you gotta wonder why GM put them there in the first place...............

 

[yevgenievich]

Because sometimes the ears can crack. Same reason alternator recieved back bracing. In most cases it is fine, but if something locks and belt over tensions or some odd forces applied the back brace might help things.
Likely just fine to leave it off and deal with it later in an off chance that something does happen

 

[4WDKC]

I dont have those on my vette but the AC isnt working either. The early alum serp brackets cracked and believe these brackets were the solution to keep them from cracking..Mine were repaired at some point. I think I still have the supports laying around somewhere. I will try to find them and see what I can figure out.

 

[Bloodhound1981]

The installation instructions which came with my Chevrolet Performance serpentine setup, which looks to be the same stye setup you are using, states about that bracket:

5. Look at the inboard holes in the front of the cylinder to head to determine if the holes align with a hole in the bracket.
Note: Depending on which cylinder head is being used, Bolt 14087405 may not be able to be installed. If this bolt
cannot be installed, continue on to the next stage. The system was tested without this bolt installed and no problems
were noted.

So according to Chevrolet just move on without it. Here's a link to the instructions: https://www.chevrolet.com/content/d...-accessory-drive-system-19369257-19369258.pdf

 

[4WDKC]

The installation instructions which came with my Chevrolet Performance serpentine setup, which looks to be the same stye setup you are using, states about that bracket:

5. Look at the inboard holes in the front of the cylinder to head to determine if the holes align with a hole in the bracket.
Note: Depending on which cylinder head is being used, Bolt 14087405 may not be able to be installed. If this bolt
cannot be installed, continue on to the next stage. The system was tested without this bolt installed and no problems
were noted.

So according to Chevrolet just move on without it. Here's a link to the instructions: https://www.chevrolet.com/content/d...-accessory-drive-system-19369257-19369258.pdf

I think that is talking about bolting the bracket to the front of the head not the rear support bracket like he is talking about.

 

[Ronno6]

I think that is talking about bolting the bracket to the front of the head not the rear support bracket like he is talking about.

yup.
I do believe you are correct.
The rear compressor brace, p/n 10105267 is now a stamped steel bracket and costs $35.00 or so.........
Gotta head to the junk yard.

 

[Ronno6]

The installation instructions which came with my Chevrolet Performance serpentine setup, which looks to be the same stye setup you are using, states about that bracket:

5. Look at the inboard holes in the front of the cylinder to head to determine if the holes align with a hole in the bracket.
Note: Depending on which cylinder head is being used, Bolt 14087405 may not be able to be installed. If this bolt
cannot be installed, continue on to the next stage. The system was tested without this bolt installed and no problems
were noted.

So according to Chevrolet just move on without it. Here's a link to the instructions: https://www.chevrolet.com/content/d...-accessory-drive-system-19369257-19369258.pdf

Thanks for the link. My setup is very similar but not identical.
Back braces are different; maybe the rear brace in your kit can be used with my stuff ??

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