8BA Gen. belt replacement

[banjoQ]

I need to replace the (narrow) gen. belt on an 50' 8BA. I do not have a motors manual or green book to refer to. My first question, what is the correct length for this belt? I understand the gen. moves on a sliding vertical plane. There are three bolt heads beneath my generator. Do all three bolts need to be loosened? Is one inch of deflection correct for this belt? I know this may seem very basic but I would like to avoid making a mistake and learn something at the same time. Thanks for any advice.

[19Fordy]

I don't know the length of the belt, but I am sure someone on here does. As you know, the center bolt allows vertical adjustment of the generator which in turn tightens the belt around the water pumps and crank pulley. The BIG center bolt adjusts the fan carrier pulley to crank pulley belt. Whether or not you need to loosen all three belts depends on how much adjustment "play" you have left on the fan carrier bracket and the generator. Here's how I do it. Loosen all three bolts. Then adjust the generator upward to tighten the belt that goes around the generator pulley, the water pump pulleys and the crank pulley. Then tighten that center bolt. 1 In. play is fine. Then adjust the fan carrier pulley bracket upward until the crank pulley to fan carrier pulley belt is tight. The photo shows my belt system. I modified my crank pulley location from the original location on the fann carrier bracket, but the adjustment procedure is still the same. The engine is an 8BA with truck pumps. When you do this, be sure and locate the square shaped washer properly between the slotted legs of the fan carrier bracket - otherwise it won't sit flat. Click on photo to enlarge.

[rotorwrench]

I can only add a bit from previous procedure. The pickup version of the 8BA used the wide belt till 53 if I remember correctly and drove both pumps & the generator. The narrow belts were generally a left & right two belt set up. If you want the generator belt tension at about 1/2 inch as the Ford manuals state or just a bit tighter than you can easily push up on the gen mount, your can disconnect the generator from the mount by unbolting the hold down clamp and make small increment changes upward on the mount bracket without the weight of the generator. The generator can then be reinstalled in the mount to check the belt tension. You just push the back of the generator down into the mount till the locating pin engages. You can get it a little tighter for the 3/8" belt without prying on a big heavy lump of a generator and mount. The fan belt can then be adjusted. The fan adjusts a little easier since you can get a bit more leverage on it.

I don't remember the length of the gen belt but it is the longer of the two in the 50 & later Ford & Merc cars. It drives from the rear sheave on the crank to the left pump and then the generator. The fan belt drives off the front crank sheave and then the right pump and fan.

[banjoQ]

Fordy and Rotorwench, Thank you both for the information. The tip about taking the generator out of the bracket certainly made the adjustment easier. It also allowed me to get a better working view of how the two adjustments are made. Would have had it done were it not for picking up the wrong belt. Found a "Gates' B-53 that really looked like the right one. Must be at least 1/2" to 3/4" too long. Generator was at the top of it's adjustment and still had too much play.Back to the parts counter tomorrow. Hope to find one that will work. This one took three stops and some time on the computer to find. Anyway,Thanks

[Ross F-1]

A couple of us flattie guys were trying to adjust the generator belt on an 8BA in a '49 pickup the other day, couldn't get it to budge (not easy to get a hand on it over those fat fenders, and nothing to pry on). Someone suggested looping a sling around the gen and lifting with a cherry picker (GENTLY). It worked great! Especially if you are doing it alone.

[jdl]

Sponsored Links (Register now to hide all advertisements)

The generator belt is 52-13/16" long Gates # 7516

The fan belt is 42-13/16" long Gates # 7417

Belts are available from your local O'reillys or Napa

[banjoQ]

jdl- Those part numbers will help a lot. Taking notes and learning as I go. Ross- no kidding it's hard to get a handle on the gen. over the fat fenders. I thought about using a pulley overhead. The suggestion of taking the gen. out of the bracket worked great too.Heading out this am. to find correct belts. Thnx

[wga]

See attached for easy generator adjustment, would like to give credit to the originator, just don't know who it is.

[rotorwrench]

The 8BA has that big tube runnibg there for the breather. If the tube wasn't there that tool would be the cat's meow but there is likely some interferance.

[19Fordy]

Here's my "majic method" for adjusting the 8BA gen./alternator and fan.
To adjust the gen.
1. Slip long piece of vinyl hose over blade of long screwdriver blade to prevent marring.
2. Slide screwdriver blade far enough under generator bracket so that point of screwdriver is resting in between the valley created by the tiiming cover shaft extension and the engine block.
3. Make sure blade of screwdriver is located directly below the generator bracket. In my case the bracket is made of aluminum. Then...
3. Pull up on screwdriver handle and tighten big bolt with other hand.
To adjust fan carrier belt:
1. Place skinny end of a small ball peen hammer under fan carrier bracket making sure that hammer handle rests on "bump" on top of water pump.
2. The push downward on head of hammer which in turn raises the fan carrier bracket upward.
3. Tighten one bolt and then the other.

[banjoQ]

The information I got from this question has been very helpful. Got the job done this afternoon.Thanks to all who offered advice. The pictures were great, those engines look sweet. Although my 8BA runs great, it does not look anything like those. Mine is more like the ugly stepchild. Thanks Q