Accessory bracket ‘88 k1500 - replacement help

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MtnBaker

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I’ve got an ‘88 k1500 Silverado truck with a 5.0L engine.

My accessory bracket has cracked and broken right by my power steering pump.

Doing a bit of research, I discovered this is common with the old style one piece brackets. It seems this is common and that the common solution is to mount of a two piece bracket instead from later year trucks. Is this right? Will all of my accessories (PS pump, alternator, etc) all bolt up just fine? Is there a year range to these brackets? Engine size? I’m not the best with mechanicing, but I have a friend who will be helping who is, but I need to get the stuff first!
 

Schurkey

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I've heard of two of those main brackets cracking in all the years I've been on internet forums. Yours, and one other. My own '88 has over 300,000 miles on that bracket.

What I have seen is a smaller PS bracket crack, rather than the main one for all the accessories.

Anyway, if this were me, I'd just get another stock one-piece stamped-steel bracket. That way all your accessories end up in the same place. No concerns about alignment.

But then, there's this guy.
https://www.gmt400.com/threads/tensioner-pulley-belt-alignment.51727/#post-1142207
 

skylark

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I had one fail on an 87 Astro van. It is the same bracket. It cracked up along side of the power steering pump. The rear bracket was still in place and tight.
I always swap to the new style bracket. Make sure to use the new style strut braces, tensioner and idler. All of the accessories are the same otherwise.
 

Steven Petersen

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I’ve got an ‘88 k1500 Silverado truck with a 5.0L engine.

My accessory bracket has cracked and broken right by my power steering pump.

Doing a bit of research, I discovered this is common with the old style one piece brackets. It seems this is common and that the common solution is to mount of a two piece bracket instead from later year trucks. Is this right? Will all of my accessories (PS pump, alternator, etc) all bolt up just fine? Is there a year range to these brackets? Engine size? I’m not the best with mechanicing, but I have a friend who will be helping who is, but I need to get the stuff first!

I had mine crack on the 1st 88 K1500 350 I owned. If I remember correctly it cracked in the same area as yours around 300,000 miles. I welded it up. It lasted until I scrapped that pickup. It had over 650,000 miles then.
 
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