Blake

Okay, I spent some time at the fabrication shop, protoyping a rod end turnbuckle assembly. I already ordered the rod ends from my supplier, but I was impatient for them to arrive, so I just bought one set locally. Expen$ive! Each rod end was $10, and the left-hand tap was another $20 (I alreday had a 5/16 right-hand tap, but not the left-). Anyway, the production assembly I sell will only be about $15, so that's less than just the rod ends alone, if you were to try to duplicate the setup! I am strongly leaning towards not offering a flat bar tensioner, as the cost difference will be minimal. For those on a real budget, I might just let you buy the alternator bracket with no tensioner and you can do what I did for the prototype: pound the stock tensioner flat (it has a 'jog' in it), cut to length and drill a new hole. Let me know what you think of that option.

Anyway, here are some pictures of the prototype rod end turnbuckle tensioner:




BTW, in case anyone is not completely familiar with the concept of a turnbuckle, let me briefly explain. Each end is threaded in the opposite direction, so when you turn the center section of the assembly, the unit extend or retracts. This way, you don't have to unbolt anything to make an adjustment; just turn. There will be a 'jam nut' to keep the barrel from rotating with vibration, but it's still a slick way to make a tension adjustment.

ilike2eatricers

Sounds good. Can the OEM belts be used or will we will have to get a different length to accomodate?

Wankel7

Think there would be any issue with the alt not getting air across it from the rad fan for cooling?

James

MARTIN

If you look at fwd cars, they have 10x's less room than this. Anyways, if you are gunna run ac/ps then chances are you are not gunna run an EWP.

Blake

Spent my whole Saturday at the fab shop, lathing up the end bosses for the alt brackets. Glad that's over with! 25 units, good to go. I will probably take everything back for final machining, once the powdercoater tells me how thick the coating will be. Tomorrow, I will probably build a welding jig, so that any mistakes are duplicated faithfully.

jon0886

iTrader: (1)

im definitely interested - although i'd like to be absolutely sure that it would work in an FC with an FD alt that has a double pulley.

smith88

How much are they? And when can I get one?

fastrotaries

Great work. This has been tried and proven before. From what i know you're the first one to make them to the public.

ddub

Woo! I'm definitely in for one of these, too lazy to make one myself

Also, lots of reading to catch up with this thread... but do you know what size belt will be needed for this yet? Or how about a price that you're thinking about selling these at?

Blake

The belt I am currently using is 36 5/8th, if I recall correctly, but it's just a bit short and I was going to try one a little longer.

The price is still up in the air. Somewhere between $50 and $85, and hopefully at the lower end of that range. I saved a bunch my machining up the end bosses myself. My partner, Rob, and I will have to sit down on Monday to settle on a price after accounting for all the component costs, time and money invested.

When we are ready to sell, I will open a thread in the Group Buy forum and post a reference to that thread here. This thread, like the one in the 1st gen section, is mearly informational and has proven invaluable in decision making, as well as putting us on a fast-track to selling the brackets. I want to be sure to follow forum etiquette, so we can take this sounding-board approach with other potential products in the future.

ddub

Are you going to provide the new belt or just let us know the exact size needed? Also, I have a main underdriver pulley, and I realize my belt will have to be shorter, this is just where one of my concerns comes in.

Blake

We may, initially, open up the buying to those who wish to buy just the bracket and tie up their own loose ends, before offering a comprehensive kit...or perhaps offer it ala carte, where you can pick and choose what you want (belt, tensioner, A/C spacers, bolts, etc). Give me a couple days to figure it out...

Blake

I ordered up the fasteners today and should have them by Wednesday or Thursday. Their computer was being backed-up, so I won't know the price until tomorrow -- kind of scary ordering large quantities of metric button- and socket-head fasteners with weird thread pitches (for the size) with a blank check. I also had to order them by the box (unspecified quantities), not the unit, so God knows what I'll be stuck with. Until that cost is known, I can't firm up the price.

Still in search of the perfect belt size, but very, very close. I'll try another one tonight and hopefully, that will be it. At least initially, we will not include the belts but, rather, provide buyers with the recommended belt size and Gates part number. If you are running non-stock pulleys, the size may be different, so I won't force you to buy something that may not work for you. If you buy locally, they usually let you try a belt and then exchange it if it won't work.

Waiting on the rod ends for the tensioner assembly. When they come in, I will fabricate the turnbuckles. Heavily leaning towards offering the tensioner separately, so you could just modify a stock tensioner if you wanted to save money.

Got permission from Ryan to run a Group Buy. I will start the thread tomorrow or Wednesday, summing up the key points and setting the prices. When that is up, I will post a link to it here and vice-versa.

That's all for now...

--
Blake Qualley
Pineapple Racing

sleeperfc

yay make the group buy end soon i want one soon

jon88se

I still don't get the point of this...it still seems like an "I can't leave things alone mod."

ilike2eatricers

Sooo uhhh whats your point?

Blake

Let the games begin! Group Buy thread started in the Group Buy Forum. $10 deposits being accepted to confirm your spot in line. Units are expected ship before the end of next week...we're only waiting on one fastener and the rod ends for the tensioners.

General questions should still be posted here and only those questions or comments related to the actual Group Buy (e.g. price, shipping, availability) should be posted in the Group Buy thread.

https://www.rx7club.com/forum/showthread.php?t=440933

Thanks!

--
Blake Qualley
Pineapple Racing

BoostedRex

Blake,

Any definitive answer yet on whether or not the TII guys can run an FD alt with your bracket setup? I'd really like to go with your bracket, but I NEED the FD alt. Too much electrical crap in my car to stay with the weaker S4 alt. Thanks in advance.

Zach

Wankel7

There you go

KNONFS

iTrader: (14)

Nevermind

cafcwest

Nib, yep plus turbo :-) ...Hope it funs again some day soon...


God, that was the greatest thing ever, seeing you pull up after driving cross country pulling another half RX-7 behind you. The beer drinking and friendship there was incredible!!!


Did you ever install that Electromotive from eBay on the REPU? If so, how's it going? I lost the auction, but at least I knew it was going to a good home.

Blake

You were there?! Cool. What were you driving? I'd love to do the GRM Challenge again, but only if they clamped down to keep everyone honest.

The ECM was a Motec and, yes, it's in the Rotary Truck. The project has been going slowly because of lack of time, so I've only run it briefly. Here is a picture, which should look familiar...

Blake

I can't say I have tested the setup, but there is no reason I can think of why it would not work. Anything that can be bolted to the stock WP mount can be bolted to this relocation bracket, and there is plenty of room for clearance. If, for whatever reason, it doesn't work, I will refund the price of the bracket minus shipping if you return it in the same condition you received it in. It looks like we're going to have more demand than supply, so there won't be a problem re-selling it. Or, I suppose you could sell it again yourself and maybe even make a profit, presuming we are sold out and people are waiting for another batch. Basically, the risk is yours, but it's a small risk (at worst, you're out the cost of shipping), and if it works, you will be a pioneer!

Blake

Quick Update: 16 deposits taken in the first 24 hours of the group buy. Only 7 units remain available. All 10 heim-jointed tensioners are spoken for, but I'm starting a waiting list for the next batch. And, after all the current orders are fulfilled, I plan to fabricate another batch of alternator brackets...maybe fifty or even a hundred, so we can keep them in stock.

Curtisleeyoung

Look great is it aluminum or steel, al would be great.