348 - Broken AC bracket, and a new venture | FerrariChat

348 Broken AC bracket, and a new venture

Discussion in '348/355' started by steved033, Mar 19, 2019.

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, Skimlinks, and others.

  1. steved033

    steved033 F1 Veteran
    Owner Silver Subscribed

    Apr 12, 2017
    7,790
    Atlanta, GA
    Full Name:
    Steve D.
    #1 steved033, Mar 19, 2019
    When I got my 348, my AC made horrible noises. Well, the bracket was broken, so I figured I'd just wait till I did the major and take care of it then. I discovered that the only thing holding the AC compressor in place was the pivot bolts and the belt! The ear on the AC was completely broken, and missing. The adjuster/tensioning bolt had the head snapped off, and there was a small piece of the ear clamped between the clamp bolt and the ear on the AC compressor.

    Image Unavailable, Please Login

    In light of the Alternator bracket thread where people aren't loosening the tensioner before trying to loosen the adjuster and killing the bracket, I think that same thing has happened here. Searching around, used cast OE ones are $500 or so, and the one place I saw from a vendor had them at $900...but I never found that link again. What's the guarantee a cast one wouldn't just crack and fail again? The answer was billet. so I made a test fit model without the ear for the adjuster and fit it with a rapid prototyped plastic model.

    Image Unavailable, Please Login

    Image Unavailable, Please Login

    Then, being happy with that, I added the adjuster ear and sent it out for quotes. The billet part arrived yesterday, and fit just as good as the rapid prototyped version. (I did try the rapid prototyped version with the AC compressor in place to ensure I got the slot in the correct position)

    Image Unavailable, Please Login

    I got it installed, and took the car out for a ride last night. The AC works and is ice cold! (it's not worked since I owned the car)

    I'd been dreaming about a time when I'd start a little engineering/design/build gig, and that time is now with the formation of Atlanta Design Solutions. Big projects, little projects, I'm open to anything, but I haven't quit my day job yet. :cool:

    Stooge on.

    Steve
     
    taz355, Qavion and krazykarguy like this.
  2. tracktoys

    tracktoys Rookie

    Feb 5, 2017
    18
    Wales UK
    #2 tracktoys, Mar 19, 2019
    looks great Steve, will keep it in mind when I pull mine, good luck with the venture, just need to find some more obsolete/ hens teeth type brackets from the whole range
     
    steved033 likes this.
  3. Dave rocks

    Dave rocks F1 World Champ
    BANNED

    Nov 23, 2012
    16,047
    Orchard Park, NY
    Full Name:
    Dave Lelonek
    #3 Dave rocks, Mar 19, 2019
    Very Cool Steve :)

    I'm all for start up's but be sure you know what you are getting into. An item like this is not going to sell in much volume. A lot of the tools and accessories we do are more for community help than profit as you just can't sell enough to cover the development costs.

    Sub contracting the machining is an entirely other set of problems. Help to chat with you any time and will offer any advice I can.
     
    taz355 and steved033 like this.
  4. steved033

    steved033 F1 Veteran
    Owner Silver Subscribed

    Apr 12, 2017
    7,790
    Atlanta, GA
    Full Name:
    Steve D.
    #4 steved033, Mar 19, 2019
    Thanks Dave, I'll take you up on that.

    The plan is to do fun little projects like this for me (publicity is publicity), and do design/build/prototype. I considered getting more built, but I couldn't find ONE thread of someone saying they'd broken theirs. If people want what I'm making, I'm sure I can add extras to the list, but I don't want a warehouse full of parts no one wants. Previous to the current gig, I spent years in a design firm doing one offs. I've got a short list of machinists near and far that do excellent work. Metal, plastic, rapid prototyping, urethane casting...I've had it all done. Like I said, I haven't quit my day job.

    sjd
     
  5. Ferrarium

    Ferrarium F1 Veteran
    Rossa Subscribed

    Jul 28, 2018
    5,637
    Central NJ
    Full Name:
    Eric
    #5 Ferrarium, Mar 19, 2019
    I did that too but sold my cnc mill when I moved and I now outsource machining for stuff I come up with, but do the cad myself. Still have a day job.

    Lots of fun if nothing else! Good luck and have fun. Who knows where it goes.

    Sent from my LM-Q710(FGN) using FerrariChat.com mobile app
     
    steved033 likes this.
  6. User-C3

    User-C3 Karting

    Aug 29, 2018
    205
    Detroit
    Full Name:
    Trevor
    #6 User-C3, Mar 25, 2019
    How about making a timing belt Idler pulley bracket?
     
  7. steved033

    steved033 F1 Veteran
    Owner Silver Subscribed

    Apr 12, 2017
    7,790
    Atlanta, GA
    Full Name:
    Steve D.
    #7 steved033, Mar 25, 2019
    As I just don't have one laying around, PM me.

    sjd
     
  8. Wade

    Wade Three Time F1 World Champ
    Owner

    Mar 31, 2006
    32,793
    East Central, FL
    Full Name:
    Wade O.
    #8 Wade, Mar 25, 2019
    Speaking of broken brackets, here's the lower one.

    https://www.ferrarichat.com/forum/threads/what-bracket-is-this.526412/
    https://www.ferrarichat.com/forum/threads/348-aternator-bracket-again.169319/
     
    steved033 likes this.
  9. Keks

    Keks Rookie

    Jun 10, 2019
    39
    Full Name:
    Alexander Kexel
    #9 Keks, Jun 10, 2019
    Hi
    I Miss the bracket the ac and the tubes on my 348.

    A new bracket would be a good Start.

    Can you Build me one?

    Thanks
    Alex
     
  10. steved033

    steved033 F1 Veteran
    Owner Silver Subscribed

    Apr 12, 2017
    7,790
    Atlanta, GA
    Full Name:
    Steve D.
    #10 steved033, Jun 10, 2019
    Possibly. send you a PM.

    sjd
     

Share This Page