As a result of spending to much time under the sHARk I was looking at things...damn near everything, really.
And what with the rash of belt and pulley topics something clicked.
There seems to be a REASON for the various and sundry accessories, mount points and pulleys.
Was the system designed with opposed tension -alt. to the left, a/c comp. to the right.
power steering pump to the left smog to the right.
If so what happens to the DRIVE pulley when only one accessory is removed?
If the tension is removed, say you remove the A/C unit from the right side. Is the reduction in tension on that side going to create an unbalanced situation where the drive pulley developes a wobble, perhaps, causing a leaking seal, or worse. Or is the system safe as this would be a negligable change in opposing tensions?

Looking at the drive system I know there have to be people out there thinking to make their sHARKs go faster by reducing weight, parasitic drag or both. (Not me ) But it seems to me that removing tension from one side is like hacking all the tension line/guy wires off of one side of a transmission tower. Instant imbalance.
Guru's? Others?
TIA
John S. <img border="0" alt="[cheers]" title="" src="graemlins/beerchug.gif" />

 

john,
my track car runs with no smog pump or a/c so no belts on that side at all. been like that for several years. no known problems as of now.

 

Consider the asymetry of the load on newer cars with the "serpentine" belt driving all the accessories with one long belt. Only one load vector on the crankshaft, and no apparent trouble. At least no more than driving 4 high performance cams with one 8' long cog-belt!! <img border="0" alt="[oops]" title="" src="graemlins/oops.gif" />

Also, consider the front main-bearing. With the explosion loads from a pair of cylinders hitting it at upward of 5000 beats per second, what's a little tug from a power steering pump?? <img border="0" alt="[cheers]" title="" src="graemlins/beerchug.gif" />

 

On a somewhat related note, I'm very impressed with all the accessory mounting brackets/adjusters. Very strong. Don't wobble around. Easy to tension belts. Keeping the belt straight and well tensioned has to limit the stress on the whole system including the drive pulleys.

 

Brian:
Aren't the loads on the main bearings distributed one side to the other, while the loads on the pulley not only constant, but also applied to a cantilever (the pulley on the shaft is cantilevered)? I think John has a point.

 

Brian:
Did you ever find replacement seats? If not don't forget that I am interested in yours.

 

Thanks all,
Now to my ulterior motive...
After today, one more rebuilt alt. in transit, and every Alternator, Batt. Elect. shop in town slinging Holy water and mumbling Gregorian chants when they saw the Bosche Alt. and genuine rough treatment when they saw the Paris Rhone unit.
I'm planning on putting a Chev. 350 charging unit on and will remove the smog -store for posterity- and current alt. -storage again- will fabricate or modify case for install.
Will post when complete.
Thanks again for the observations
John S. <img border="0" alt="[thumbsup]" title="" src="graemlins/bigok.gif" />

 

John, did I read this right? You're puting a GM alt. on your shark? I don't understand. Is this a common or non-unique move?- Ruf

 

Ron: You are certainly right about the cantilevered stress applied to the front main-bearing by the pulleys. My point was the "amount" of force that the crank journal and bearing get exposed to from the firing process, in relation to the amount from pulleys pull. Anyway, the one-vector stress of the serpentine belt was probably the better reference for the question asked.
Also, I'm having NO success in locating replacement seats for the car. I found a local upholsterer that specializes in upscale and hot-rod work that will replace that worn panel for about $300.00, and guarantee that it would pass concourse standards. We'll see..... but that still leaves me with those Sport-torture Seats!