Ford's serpentine brackets allow a modular
removal of accessories from the front of the engine. After removing three
7/16 bolts from each side, half of the accessories can be removed from the front
of the engine. The serpentine belt uses one very heavy duty belt that is
easy to change by unloading the spring tensioner. Life expectancy of these
belts exceed 50,000 under normal circumstances. My '92 Ford F-150
Flareside pickup has 76,000 on the original belt.
The driver needs to carry only one spare belt,
not three or four. It takes the average person a minute and a half to
remove these belts. The accessories do not need to be removed and adjusted
to replace the belt. These serpentine belts are self-adjusting and require
far less maintenance than conventional belts. These belts are also quieter
and stronger than conventional fan belts.
The serpentine brackets accommodate the more refined Ford accessories such as the power
steering pump, alternators, air conditioning compressor, and water pump.
Part availability on these newer products is far easier than attempting to
obtain an original early Bronco part. These items are more efficient, more
compact than older Ford parts, and are available at almost any car parts
retailer.
I removed the center ear of the A/C, P/S
bracket assembly so that the serpentine brackets don't need to be unbolted to
remove the water pump. The water pump is separate from all other components and is easily
removed.
If you decide to convert to the serpentine
configuration, you must replace the timing cover, water pump, and harmonic
balancer. Those of you that are running power steering boxes on the inside
of the frame will have to either switch to an outside power steering box, or
have a knowledgeable fabricator channel the frame to make room for the
serpentine brackets.
Glossary
Body, Bed, and Appearance
Engine, Intake, & Exhaust
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1-12-2006
5-15-2007