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Any service truck in this model year should have a good electrical setup. You may luck out and find an old ambulance, police, or fire department vehicle that was picked up at auction and nobody has stripped yet. You can also see if you can find a dual alternator bracket for cheap and just rig a second alt. That's what I was planning on doing when I get around to upgrading my systemYou're welcome! Keep in mind that you'll be right on the edge of your 110A alternator's capabilities, though. If you notice any voltage drop at all once you get everything hooked up then I'd hit up a junkyard and grab one of the higher capacity alternators that came on these trucks.
Grate post KenYour OEM alternator is probably a CS130 or CS130D from 84-04. The diode bank is stacked on top of each other and are prone to overheat failure during periods extended use of high output. The AD244 uses staggered diodes and the plastic back cover has venting around 180 degrees over the rectifier. This alternator can be found in salvage yards on everything truck or van after 1999-2007. Check the website Alternatorman.com and search parts upgrades that have USA made copper diode plate w/80 amp diodes, regulator for one wire operation and a new set of brushes for about $150. The range of parts allow you to produce from 145 - 350 amps. He has YouTube videos for identification and mounting issues. Your AD244 will bolt right in, just pick the number of regulator wires your truck has. Remember, the battery starts the engine but the alternator runs the electrical system and trickle charges the battery. Save your money on a second battery unless you live up north, and put your money in the alt., cables, eyelets, star-washers and some dielectric grease. I buy my dielectric grease at the local Mercruiser boat store or eBay, in large tubes for about $20. I use it in flashlights, bulbs, connectors, etc.
Excellent info, I'll be looking here rather than my usual Mechman upgrade when I put my system in.Your OEM alternator is probably a CS130 or CS130D from 84-04. The diode bank is stacked on top of each other and are prone to overheat failure during periods extended use of high output. The AD244 uses staggered diodes and the plastic back cover has venting around 180 degrees over the rectifier. This alternator can be found in salvage yards on everything truck or van after 1999-2007. Check the website Alternatorman.com and search parts upgrades that have USA made copper diode plate w/80 amp diodes, regulator for one wire operation and a new set of brushes for about $150. The range of parts allow you to produce from 145 - 350 amps. He has YouTube videos for identification and mounting issues. Your AD244 will bolt right in, just pick the number of regulator wires your truck has. Remember, the battery starts the engine but the alternator runs the electrical system and trickle charges the battery. Save your money on a second battery unless you live up north, and put your money in the alt., cables, eyelets, star-washers and some dielectric grease. I buy my dielectric grease at the local Mercruiser boat store or eBay, in large tubes for about $20. I use it in flashlights, bulbs, connectors, etc.
If you are not running a big amp, then you don't have to do the big 3 up grade, but no matter what size amp you are using, you should. It is just a lot better for the charging system. I have a 680 watt amp pushing 1 Sony 10. I had the truck like that for years, but after doing the upgrade, I saw an improvement in the charging system. Even my wipers got faster. Think about it like this, how big of a wire did you run to your amp ? did you run another wire the same size to ground the amp ? And look at how small the OE wire is that charger the battery from the alt. Its very small. All you battery is, is a storage tank for electricity. The alt is what powers the truck, not the battery. Also the big 3, should be a big 5. + from the alt, - from the alt body, to the battery, - from the battery to the engine, - from the battery to the frame, and - from the battery to the body of the truck.Had the subs in for 2 weeks now and no problems! Still has the junk battery (replacing soon) and voltage stays the same, everything seems fine. Didn't even do the big 3!