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Removing the Alternator Need a little help


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I'm needing to remove the alternator to get to the steering hoses behind it. As I discovered when leaving the Rally, gearbox or something started groaning, and sure enough, we were low on Hydro fluid. Added some fluid (thanks RickW) and made it back to the Dallas area without any problem. Of course drove straight through, but there wasn't anymore groaning!

I removed everything off the front of the alternator, but there is a bolt towards the motor that it hinges on. I could only move it about a 1/4 turn in the beginning, but then put a little more umph into it, and it now rotates to the right as if I'm trying to tighten it. But nothing is loosing up. And as soon as I turn it to the left (usually loosening), I am stuck at a hard spot stop.

 

Truck is 2001 Volvo motor, 780.

 

Anybody encountered this problem removing their alternator?

 

Thanks for the help.

Rocky & Sheri Rhoades
'01 Volvo 770
2016 DRV Mobile Suites, Houston
HERO Makers Ministry

 

30495168531_143d8fb8d6_m.jpg

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Soak the bolt in Kroil or my favorite mix acetone and transmission fluid, soak the bolt and work it back and forth. If that fails, try some heat, even a propane bottle can help loosen bolts and nuts. Are you positive there is no nut on the back side?

Jim's Adventures

Old Spacecraft.... Who knows whats next

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There is no nut on the back. But there is something that feels like it might have been part of the bracket that holds the long swivel bolt in place. But I can turn it around and around in a tightening motion and nothing happens. As soon as I turn it to loosen the bolt, I barely get a quarter turn and then it locks up. If that piece is part of the bracket, and if it is threaded, it doesn't turn when I am cranking on the tighten it up direction. I'm almost thinking it might be stripped!

Rocky & Sheri Rhoades
'01 Volvo 770
2016 DRV Mobile Suites, Houston
HERO Makers Ministry

 

30495168531_143d8fb8d6_m.jpg

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Stripped is either ugly or easy depending on where and how its attached. Wrench with pipe and shear the bolt off if this allows the alternator and bracket to be removed. If the bolt has to removed, slide out of the housing/bracket, then it gets a wee bit more complicated... If its part of the bracket and replaceable then for me, it becomes a "whatever it takes" to remove without creating further damage.

Jim's Adventures

Old Spacecraft.... Who knows whats next

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Is it possible the bolt is going through a sleeve which is rusted yo the bolt?

 

Dave

2005 Freightliner Century S/T, Singled, Air ride ET Jr. hitch
2019 46'+ Dune Sport Man Cave custom 5th wheel toy hauler
Owner of the 1978 Custom Van "Star Dreamer" which might be seen at a local car show near you!

 

Check out http://www.hhrvresource.com/

for much more info on HDT's.

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It's been a while but I'm pretty sure mine has a nut on that bolt, it's hard to get at have to wiggle a socket and short extension in from rear of alternator

2014 jayco siesmic 3914

1998 volvo 610, singled short ( bought in 2005)

14 speed volvo tranny

2014 Toyota yaris

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Well Rocky since we have sister 770's This is what the back of ours looks like...

Black plastic - looking 4 sided bolt

Susan & Trey Selman | email | HDT: '01 770 VED12 | 5er: '02 40' Travel Supreme RLTSOA | '16 Piaggio MP3 500 | '15 Smart Cabrio | Personal Blog | HHRV Resource Guide | HHRV Campgrounds | Recreation Vehicle Safety & Education Foundation |

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That nut is welded onto a bracket. If yours is the same the threads on the bolt may be worn out or the Knut. Either way you need to act like an impact wrench and just back it out. Plan on replacing the bolt and the bracket.

Ron C.

2013 Dynamax Trilogy 3850 D3

2000 Kenworth T2000 Optimus Prime

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Well Rocky since we have sister 770's This is what the back of ours looks like...

Black plastic - looking 4 sided bolt

Thanks Trey. Looks like mine has been replaced sometime! I can't even see the end of the bolt, but had my fingers on it. No nut on it, but it could be embedded in the part that tries to spin.

 

Like Ronbo says, I will be the impact wrench today and get it apart! All I was trying to do was replace my hoses, and as you all know, it gets a little deeper even in the smallest of things.

Rocky & Sheri Rhoades
'01 Volvo 770
2016 DRV Mobile Suites, Houston
HERO Makers Ministry

 

30495168531_143d8fb8d6_m.jpg

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I am the master of turning a 1/2 hour job into a 3 day religious experience!!!!

Oh yeah, we turned a 45 minute ET Hitch removal at Hutch into a 4 hour experience in frustration.

2006 Volvo 780 "Hoss" Volvo D12, 465hp, 1650 ft/lbs tq., ultrashift

Bed Build by "JW Morgan's Custom Welding"

2017 DRV 39DBRS3

2013 Smart Passion Coupe "Itty Bitty"

 

"Don't go around saying the world owes you a living. The world owes you nothing. It was here first!"

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Well, not sure what we were feeling yesterday, but there now is a nut on it. There was a piece of metal folded over and was being used as a stop for the nut. Not sure what I did, but I was able to feel the square nut and after several tries did get a 23 mm wrench on it. It was frozen on the bolt, so then I had to wait for PB Blaster to do it's thing.

It is now off, which wasn't very easy, and a few of the hoses are disconnected and drained the fluid.

 

Going to also take the top part of the gear box off. Saw a little seeping of oil there too. Might as well do it now. Any advice on that project?

 

Thanks guys,

Rocky & Sheri Rhoades
'01 Volvo 770
2016 DRV Mobile Suites, Houston
HERO Makers Ministry

 

30495168531_143d8fb8d6_m.jpg

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Well Rocky since we have sister 770's This is what the back of ours looks like...

Black plastic - looking 4 sided bolt

Trey, it does look like mine (or yours) was replaced. The casing of the alternator is 7.5 inches wide. It totally hides the end of the bolt and the nut behind it. I can see the high pressure steer hose on your picture, but mine is behind the alternator.

 

Thanks for posting the picture.

Rocky & Sheri Rhoades
'01 Volvo 770
2016 DRV Mobile Suites, Houston
HERO Makers Ministry

 

30495168531_143d8fb8d6_m.jpg

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Rocky, when you say gear box are you talking about the steering box? If you are you probably mean seeping around the seal. Ours was leaking there once and whether it was the shop doing the work OR someone previous to us owning it someone used a drill when removing the seal. DO NOT DO THAT. They scarred the shaft and we had to replace the entire steering box. $$$$. Just saying.

 

Brad

Brad and Jacolyn
Tucker the Wonder dog and Brynn the Norfolk Terrier
2009 Smart "Joy"
2004 VNL630 "Vonda the Volvo"
2008 Hitch Hiker 35 CK Champagne Edition
VED12 465 HP, Freedomline, 3.73 ratio, WB 218"
Fulltiming and loving it.

 

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OK. Managed to get all 4 bolts out of the top half of the steering gear box. Gave it a tap with a rubber mallet and I'm able to turn the whole top clockwise and it seems like it is rising out of the bottom. Is this correct, or am I about to loosen everything in the bottom part and will play like crazy trying to get it back together? Anybody had experience with this?

It looks like the gasket is stuck to the top part, which I was going to take into NAPA with the hoses so he could order the right gasket.

Rocky & Sheri Rhoades
'01 Volvo 770
2016 DRV Mobile Suites, Houston
HERO Makers Ministry

 

30495168531_143d8fb8d6_m.jpg

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