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2nd Gen Ram Tech1994-2001 Rams: This section is for TECHNICAL discussions only, that involve the 1994 through 2001 Rams. For any non-tech discussions, please direct your attention to the "General discussion/NON-tech" sub sections.
I am in the process of a plenum repair job and I cannot get the accessory bracket that holds the alternator and compressor off the truck. All of the bolts have been removed and I can twist the bracket back and forth although it appears to be pivoting on the hole where the bolt securing the water pump inlet tube was removed from. First of all, should the bracket be threaded in the mounting hole for this bolt or in the aluminum behind it? My bracket is threaded in that mounting hole and appears to use a larger bolt than the rest of them. Maybe during a previous repair the bolt broke off someone threaded the hole in the bracket just to secure the water pump inlet tube? I am thinking that there has to be a little piece of a bolt in there that is holding the bracket on. Would it do any harm to drill out that bracket hole a tiny bit larger hoping the free it up? I tried to find pictures of what is directly behind that hole and it appears to just be an aluminum mounting point where I would not do any damage drilling through the mounting hole and a little bit into what is behind it. Am I correct in this, or is this a terrible idea?
Last edited by rboarderi; Jul 30, 2018 at 08:54 AM.
I wacked it with a hammer quite a few times. That water inlet bolt point acts as an axis point. You can grab both sizes of the bracket and rotate it clockwise and counter clockwise an inch either way and it rototes on the bolt hole.
Remove the tube. Stick a cork or something in it to prevent more coolant loss. (if you haven't drained the system already.) Then try and wiggle the bracket off while pulling it toward the front of the truck. Some chemicals into the hole may not be a bad idea as well.
Plenum Repair - Accessory Bracket Stuck
