Saratoga Alternator Drive Belt Conversion 767-310

[jrzyshore]

I've been flying PA32's for 25 years, all of them without AC. Recently I bought into a 1982 PA32R-301 with AC. I never noticed it until recently how small (microscopic may be more accurate) that the alternator belt is! On the non-AC aircraft from the 80's vintage the alternator v-belt is a normal looking thick belt. On the aircraft with AC it is this tiny belt. Once I realized how small it is, I had significant trepidations about taking the plane in real IFR. The only gauge in my plane that is not electric is the backup AI for the Garmin G500. We lost a belt recently, during run up thank goodness and the replacement belt ended up twisting within 5 hours. Yes the shop the used the Lycoming alignment tool and belt tension tool.

We looked into options and found a Piper conversion kit (767-310) that allows you to change the belt to a standard "thick" belt. The kit is a fly wheel, alternator pulley, tension pulley and belt. Our issue it's $5500 for the parts!! Piper actually has them in stock.

We found a few salvage yards on line (Texas Air Salvage, and Wentworth). They list the part but both are out of stock. I was wondering if anybody knew of any other salvage yards that I might be able to contact about possibly finding the parts used.

Thanks

 

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[jrzyshore]

 

[markgroce]

 

[jrzyshore]

 

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