What NOW??? Alternator Adjuster Rubber Thing-a-ma-bob failure, dammit...

[hewhobarksatdogs]

89 Dodge Lancer Shelby; just got the mighty White Brick back on the street, much to the terror and chagrin of the average motorist but NOW the alternator / water pump belt starts flopping around like grandma's tits in a high wind because the dadgum adjuster thing (you know, the one with the crappy rubber shock absorber thing wrapped around the adjuster bolt) has just turned into something with the consistency of a bar of soap. Thought I would fix it with a copper insert but apparently the rubber is necessary to keep the belt from flying all over the place. So, I need a new one of those rubber-cast adjusting things but I'll be damned if I can find it. Anybody know where I can find a NEW one?

[tryingbe]

http://polybushings.com/pages/altbushings.html

[135sohc]

http://rbryant.freeshell.org/misc_products.htm

[cordes]

You could also use a turnbuckle from the hardware store.

[bamman]

The "rubber shock absorber thing wrapped around the adjuster bolt" may no longer be available through the dealer, and even if they are, list price for it was/is over $100. Rich Bryant has made a replacement for it, available on his website listed above.

[hewhobarksatdogs]

Don't think any of these solutions match the situation. Let me take a picture of what I did and you guys can tell me whether I am barking down the right trail. Will be sometime this weekend as I need to take the piece out of the car to photograph it. Again, Thanks to All!

---------- Post added at 10:24 AM ---------- Previous post was at 10:15 AM ----------

Actually the 5/16" copper insert solution I came up with is very much like what Mr. Bryant has on his site. So it seems that the rubber component is not really an absolute necessity. Let me find out why the darn thing is not holding tension. Might just be a bad belt. I will post my results Sunday.

[Johnny]

This thing?.....

[135sohc]

Are you making these now ?

This thing?.....

[Johnny]

In stock, but stock rubber $20 plus shipping

[hewhobarksatdogs]

This thing, how much?

[hewhobarksatdogs]

20 bucks + shipping?

[Johnny]

Shipping is $6

[wheming]

nice!
I didn't know you had these Johnny!

I've got Rich's part on 2 cars already, but it is nice to have a stocker option if people feel like that over the solid mount.
I actually found a brand new Mopar one in my garage! I bought during a parts binge when i got Mini or Slug!

[tryingbe]

I am actually the first tester for Rich's sold aluminum alternator adjuster and the prototype is still on my car working perfectly. Hard to imagine why anyone wants the stock rubber replacement part, other than appear "stock".

[hewhobarksatdogs]

I guess the designers thought it was necessary to manage alternator belt tension variations? Doesn't flex much, though. I ordered the part from Johnny because I thought it was cool to have the original part. A big thanks to all of you folks out there who are building parts to keep these cars running!