89 xj only--alt.re-loc. question

Greets, yes I've searched, i.e., "89 alternator relocation" gets me info. on 'hood scoops', and an alternate method employed is 'googling' and getting various comments at various forums, etc. Hmmm...

My '89 XJ, RENIX, 4.0l., man. trans.., is without A/C, i.e., it is just the "base", (completely stock), model. Most posts on the subject of relocating the alternator to the top side are related to those with a/c., (I've read almost a hundred posts, this, and different forums, and have yet to find just one XJ mentioned that does not have an a/c in the mix). Some want to reverse the units, (a/c & alt.), some want to ditch the a/c, and use some, or parts of the, (one or both), brackets in various combinations, grindings, using a/c bolts in the 'newly modified alt. bracket, etc., etc., etc.

Me, I am simply making an inquiry as to the most simplest of relocation modification(s) necessary to enjoy the advantages of a topside alternator relocation, i.e., the possibility of a greater amp. alternator, and the desire to limit muck introductions into the alternator, etc.

Hence my rather 'pre-filtered' 'post-title' to limit the interest into a discussion to just the '89 model, or those model years, (86--90?), which have the same engine bolt hole patterns to receive bracket exchanges, etc.

I am hoping the experts here can guide me, and others about which brackets, (i.e., 2.5, or is it 2.46, XJ, or MJ, or whatever necessary), which will allow the transfer of the present low mounted alternator to the topside. Will there be a problem of pully locations, extra pullys necessary, deletion of a pully, running something backwards, etc? (my XJ is 50 miles away.., so I cannot think that problem visually through my brain pan at the moment). If it is a rather simple task, given the correct bracket, does anyone have the proper serpentine belt length in inches for such a mod?

If this is an easy modification, then the hassle could be minimized for me to seek, and order the correct parts on the net.., and then, with them in hand, travelling to the XJ's location so as to make it a one-shot-deal, lol.

Ultimately, I am looking for a responce from someone who has been there, done that, and not looking for speculation(s).

Thanks 'all, in advance, for your patience.

done it 3 times, twice on renix's (what a 89 or 90 would be)
the debate on a/c vs non-a/c is useless... the bracketry is the same, except instead of bolting in an A/c compressor, you bolt in a dummy pulley and its bracket..... unbolt this, and its the same as a 89 with a removed a/c compressor....

heres a post of mine from 2009:

xcm said:

search on this subject was a little daunting for me as well... theres a lot of little quirks in the differant engine/belt configurations..


i just did this a couple weekends back, and im very happy w/ how it came out....
i ditched my a/c and put it there, using this write up http://www.jeepforum.com/forum/showthread.php?t=540166

differances are i kept the mech fan (for now), and i made a little banana shaped bracket instead of using a shock bar pin like they do in the write up...

i had a dissasembled motor in my garage, so i took the renix a/c bracket, put it in the vise, and used it as a jig for lining up the pulleys all nice, got it spaced how i wanted it. and then moved the parts over from the jig onto my motor. belt was a 77" serp belt.

Click to expand...

770k6

I think he is thinking not so much about deleting the AC but getting the alternator up high and out of the mud and crap.

Thanks XCM.., well, I am a dummy, lol, just what dummy pully and bracket did you use? My XJ does have a 'dummy-pully' in the upper portion. --are you suggesting I can just use that somehow down low? Not much in the way of junk yards in my area of Alaska, as most old vehicles got crushed up here when that dictate came down from up on high. Hence, if I know what is needed, I can email/call around to junk yards in the lower 48.., I guess.

Snipped those images a week ago from the same link you supplied. Me, I can't figure out what the 'bar-pin', or other suitable metal scrap piece 'sticks' into. I get the idea of drilling a hole in the top portion in which is to act, in part, as a spacer, but the bottom portion goes where? To what? Another hole drilled into said metal piece?

In "lectrode"'s images, it is shown to describe in the verbage that he also swapped out his thermostat housing, and did some things with brass. I reckon this was done in order to route heater hoses 'mo-'betta? He mentioned a brass nipple.., any idea as to what, where, why he did that? The larger brass elbow piece is connected how? Hmmm.., so many questions. Too bad he did not show a step-by-step with that nice camera of his in order to simplify, and make for a more practical show and tell. Too much left to speculation. Sure, I could ooh, and ahh.., like many did, but I am more interested in by-the-book proceedure steps, rather than trying to re-invent the wheel, etc.

Thanks for the encouragement, but I really need to gain specific information before I travel 50 miles just to look under the hood, just to yet return another day with guess-work-parts. Push come to shove, I do have a cloth measuring tape in order to absolutely have a belt correctly within proper length tolerances once all appropriate bracket(s), dummy pully, and alternator are installed.
Thanks again.

Hi Old Man.., I do not have an air conditioning compressor, nor it's bracket. I have some type of dummy pully in it's place.., as installed at the factory, i.e., oem. I would think by now, after all of these years people have been relocating alternators, there would be some established universal method, or even a small kit for the job. Hmmm.., the 'ol find a need, and fill it sort of thing, lol.

you dont have to drill any holes, except for on the small peice with two holes that you need to make....

as far as the dummy bracket, im not using it, thats where my alternator is. you have that dummy bracket and will be deleting it. its right where your a/c comp would be. unbolt the alternator from down below and re-use the bracket to mount it up top....

I used the 4cy bracked it located the alt up high. i did away with the belt drivin fan used two factory electric fans and the belt is same as 4cy with no ac. very simple


Alaskan89XJ
Me, I am simply making an inquiry as to the most simplest of relocation modification(s) necessary to enjoy the advantages of a topside alternator relocation, i.e., the possibility of a greater amp. alternator, and the desire to limit muck introductions into the alternator, etc.

i used a CS144 alternator, heres some new pics...






youve allready got all the bracketry you need for this method, except a small dogbone bracket shown in the last pic, (theres also about an inch of washers behind it, or make a sleave). theres also about 6 washers, as shown in the second pic. the dogbone bracket is really just two holes drilled, and then ground for clearance against the alternator fan blades. ive had to do ZERO grinding to fit the larger cs144, whereas others have reported having to grind-to-fit in the oem location...

Greets;
CommancheDude: Really good idea to use electric fans, etc., especially in wet zones. Not too much a problem in my area of mostly mud, ice, and snow, lol. If'in I ever have to cross through hood deep waters for some distance over ten feet.., I suppose I'd just remove belt. Done that it the past during some floods in La. State with my Cherokee model 17.., for some quarter's-of-mile stretches here and there.

XCM: Seems a really straight forward explaination you've given. I'll take a 'look-see' with a flashlight, and mirror asap, to see where the bottom end of the 'dog-bone' mod. goes. So, It is now my belief that all I have to do is simply remove the lower stock position of the alternator, and it's bracket, and install said Alt. bracket into a top position without any difficulties, 'eh? Ok.., making, or fashioning a little 'dog-bone' bracket is of no sweat, nor finding spacers, washers, etc. Thing is.., your painted blue colored steel bracket looks alien to me. Seems last I looked, mine is some bulbous aluminum bracket.., but maybe I missed, or don't recall the animal you have, which may also exist in my set-up. (also I am on dial-up, and your ImageShack image(s) load up partially, then blank-out, reload a bit more, blank out, etc., so I will have to spend some time to see more clearly what you describe). However, thanks.., am getting closer to an understanding as what to do, lol, if'in I can gather all the correct parts. CS-144 is what I'm going for, with a local who can upgrade output.

the blue bracket is one of the alt brackets from down below, painted blue. quite oem.

heres some pics sized down, usually i post em 4000x1920 or so, huge is nice... unless your on dialup!


one way to make it easy, is if you have a spare passenger side accessory bracket (what the a/c comp bolts thru)... you can chock it up in a vise, then use the 2 other pulleys to shim/position your new alternator into place... its gotta be straight. 1 washer off, you'll have a motor that vibrates like crazy, not good for water pumps! make sure its straight! once its straight, and you can sight down the pulleys and everything looks ok... move it over to the motor.

XCM: Hmmm.., now I am really cornfused! (lol). The only Cherokees in my area are alive.., no yards. (Many were crushed flat for that dear leader's agenda, so unlikely I will be able to find any a/c bracket components). Ok, I've got the idea to get the pulleys, i.e., things straight for the belt.

So, seems plan A was to take that 'blue' bracket, install it topside, and introduce a little 'dog-bone' brace.., then get the correct size belt. Plan B, seems to be something in your last post to me indicating the use of an additional part from the a/c systems bracketing, in order to complete plan A. If plan B is actually required to complete, or augment plan A, then I guess I will have to find it, (whatever it.., is, i.e., part number, etc.), from some lower 48 junk yard. In addition to 'it', it would appear that I need to obtain some extra pulleys, make a 'jig'?, on a vise!?! I am cornfused, lol. Thought plan A is brilliant, and fairly straight forward, and highly doable. Plan B seems to be...

Anyway, I'm going to, Friday, or Sat., travel the 52 miles, and take a look see at the stock set-up in order to have a better understanding of what I face. Really need to upgrade. Thanks for your patience.

Relocated mine yesterday, this was a very easy mod. Only problem I had was I had to space the bracket out about a half inch to line up the top bolt. I am using the factory alt. may be different on the cs-144 since it's a little bigger. Thanks for the write up though.