Any one have experiences with Gilmer drives?

[Incognegro]

I purchased a Gilmer drive set up for my motor and will be running only a water pump and alternator. I have my alternator located at the drivers side upper portion of the motor, but the gilmer kit and belt is for it located at the lower end of the motor. The question i have is can I run a longer belt and leave the alternator up top? Or does this distance seem to be a bit of a stretch for that type of set up?
http://i221.photobucket.com/albums/dd73/mrcmotorsportsLLC/IMAG0723.jpg

[superstreeter]

Uhhhhhhhhhhh, thats going to be a pretty long belt, any chance of movin that alt. any closer ?

[Incognegro]

Uhhhhhhhhhhh, thats going to be a pretty long belt, any chance of movin that alt. any closer ?

I know it long. thats why i was asking if anyone had any experiences with these set ups and if the distance is too far to work right.. I could get a new bracket to move it closer I suppose.

[fla1976]

You might be able to use an idler pulley to take up some slack, Burt closer is probably better.

[TopspeedLowet]

Although the longer belt will be expensive, there will be no stretch issues what so ever concerning the belt length due to your high mounting position. Your alignment or squareness on the alt to the water pump and drive pulley is critical on gilmer type belts to keep them on there pulleys. Do not tighten it like a V belt. I run them with just enough tension to keep them on the pulleys and not much more, however the longer the distance between pulleys the tighter you may have to have it to keep it running smooth. A one inch wide belt would be plenty to turn your water pump and alt. Looks like you are set up for a blower belt, should be plenty strong.
Bruce

[Incognegro]

Although the longer belt will be expensive, there will be no stretch issues what so ever concerning the belt length due to your high mounting position. Your alignment or squareness on the alt to the water pump and drive pulley is critical on gilmer type belts to keep them on there pulleys. Do not tighten it like a V belt. I run them with just enough tension to keep them on the pulleys and not much more, however the longer the distance between pulleys the tighter you may have to have it to keep it running smooth. A one inch wide belt would be plenty to turn your water pump and alt. Looks like you are set up for a blower belt, should be plenty strong.
Bruce
The belt i have is a 1 1/2" belt. So you think it woulc be no problem running it the way it is with a longer belt? Ill give it a shot, worst that could happen is the belt could throw and chew up the pulleys. lol

[TopspeedLowet]

Although the longer belt will be expensive, there will be no stretch issues what so ever concerning the belt length due to your high mounting position. Your alignment or squareness on the alt to the water pump and drive pulley is critical on gilmer type belts to keep them on there pulleys. Do not tighten it like a V belt. I run them with just enough tension to keep them on the pulleys and not much more, however the longer the distance between pulleys the tighter you may have to have it to keep it running smooth. A one inch wide belt would be plenty to turn your water pump and alt. Looks like you are set up for a blower belt, should be plenty strong.
Bruce
The belt i have is a 1 1/2" belt. So you think it woulc be no problem running it the way it is with a longer belt? Ill give it a shot, worst that could happen is the belt could throw and chew up the pulleys. lol

Your wider belt will look better than a one inch one would with that distance. Remember not to get tighten happy on the belt and you will have no problem. Watch the belt alignment as I mentioned previously and you will be set for good.
Bruce

[TopspeedLowet]

Although the longer belt will be expensive, there will be no stretch issues what so ever concerning the belt length due to your high mounting position. Your alignment or squareness on the alt to the water pump and drive pulley is critical on gilmer type belts to keep them on there pulleys. Do not tighten it like a V belt. I run them with just enough tension to keep them on the pulleys and not much more, however the longer the distance between pulleys the tighter you may have to have it to keep it running smooth. A one inch wide belt would be plenty to turn your water pump and alt. Looks like you are set up for a blower belt, should be plenty strong.
Bruce
The belt i have is a 1 1/2" belt. So you think it woulc be no problem running it the way it is with a longer belt? Ill give it a shot, worst that could happen is the belt could throw and chew up the pulleys. lol




Your wider belt will look better than a one inch one would with that distance. Remember not to get tighten happy on the belt and you will have no problem. Watch the belt alignment as I mentioned previously and you will be set for good.
Bruce

[Incognegro]

Thank you sir for your input, Ill give it a shot. I used to have a procharger with a cog drive on my Nissan and I did notice you did not have to tighten it much. However alignment was CRITICAL as you pointed out, at one point my main bracket got tweaked a bit and i was chewing up belts left and right..Might have been off a 64th of an inch, but it would kill belts.

[Incognegro]

I was thinking of switching to this bracket, might work better.
http://www.summitracing.com/parts/SME-2005/?rtype=10

[TheRabbit]

I was thinking of switching to this bracket, might work better.
http://www.summitracing.com/parts/SME-2005/?rtype=10

Much better choice.

[Incognegro]

I just noticed my alternator has no fan on it, because I was using an underdrive deep V pulley. I should have room to put an alternator fan behind the Gilmer cog pulley correct?

[TheRabbit]

I ran one on my old set up. If I remember right you can use spacers to match whatever.

[Incognegro]

I ran one on my old set up. If I remember right you can use spacers to match whatever.
Thanks.