now that there are a few different pulleys which is the best? i have noticed looking at the recent pulley party pictures that Randy was using the Alta. i believe they said its easier to put on or something but is also more expensive i think. any comments appreciated

 

I believe Randy uses the Alta as he's got a good deal on volume purchases, and because it'a bolt on, it's quick for him to install.

I prefer the type like the P&D or Madness, where you heat up the shaft piece and slide it on, giving a really secure fit. YMMV.

For what it's worth, the Madness pully is getting redone in black annodizing, made by Comptech, out in the coming weeks. That is going to be the steathiest pulley out there, unlike the bling bling Alta one.

R

 

hey davebret while i have you here...

Its 60 bucks more for the silicone hose on the Alta intake. Should i even bother with getting it? does it affect hp? i really like the way it looks.

 

I don't think they are currently selling it with the hose due to fit problems or they can't manufacture them cost effectively or something.

All the same, the foam filter is not as good as the S&B dual cone paper filter on the Madness intake. S&B makes filters for Dinan. The silicone tube really isn't doing much, as it's simply a "smoother" tube for between the throttlebody and intake. Alta claims the inside of the stock tube is corregated, somthing my tube is NOT. My tube is smooth as a baby's *** on the inside. All bias aside, I don't think you can beat the bang-per-buck of the Madness intake.

R

 

Whatever Randy is using, is what you want.

Be careful, :smile:
Paint it black.
[Regarding heatsoak: Foam v. Paper air intake filter debates will continue...]

Good luck, - all ways.

-s.b.

_________________
MINI: The best horse for the buck!

 

The Alta at 160 bucks, I thought was the least expensive one out there...

Here is a copy/paste from Randy on MINI2:

New taper bore design

Pros:
No heat required for the installation on the supercharger
Capped end prevents installation problems with belt alignment
All stainless steel

Cons:
Heavier than the other style

Interference fit design

Pros:
Lighter weight
Interchangable sizes available (but why you would really need this is up for debate)

Cons:
Heat is required to get the new hub on the shaft - so care has to be taken to cool the hub ASAP to prevent damage to the shaft seal
Alignment is a one shot deal, and there is no stop to prevent the hub from going on too far or not far enough

Testing has been done on both units to determine the torque required to spin on the shaft, and the taper bore actually has a higher torque rating, but both are well above anywhere close to the load on the pulley - the belt would slip way before the pulley would on the shaft.

Interference fit is used in several other applications - including the stock set-up - without slip issues. I would be concerned about the orginal interference pulley that used to be available (no longer on the market) that is all aluminum. This has to do with the different thermal expansion rates of steel and aluminum and may cause issues over time. The new designs all use steel hubs.

Taper bores are used on numerous industrial applications where direct torque loads are carried at sustained RPMs - much more grueling than the application we have in our Eaton M45s.

I think what I'm saying is, they are both good products - I'd be happy to help you make the right decision based on what your needs are.

Let me know if you have any other questions.

 

Davebret,

What pulley do you have?

I spoke to Randy at length about the BEST pulley,
he and I agreed the best for my car was the Alta.

He was willing to install any pulley I wanted, but he prefers the Alta - I agree.

The Alta is a thing of beauty. Nice stainless. Nice workmanship.

 

If you look at the rubber seal when you pop off the old pulley, there is no way that you would want to apply any heat to install a pulley. The seal is basically the smallest "O" ring you can imagine. And for those who believe that the factory installs it this way, I doubt it, they likely press fit and assemble the pulley to the supercharger in an entirely different way. To each his own, but the Alta looks to be the safest out there. Regardless, the pulley is an awesome upgrade.
Cheers!

 

question pls! what aftermarket pulley looks closest to the stock one?

 

I don't know about the P&D,
but the Alta and MiniMania = not even close.

Check out the Alta and MiniMania sites to see what I mean.

_________________
DS/B/B MCS with every option known to man
- CD changer

 

Neither one is close to looking stock. If you're going to do the pulley don't con yourself into thinking you can do a "stealth" pulley and no one will notice if you supercharger goes out.

 

a topic revisited....

i read somewhere that the aftermarket pulley's are much heavier than stock, i guess because it was 100 stainless steel. Others have aluminum mixed in and are lighter. Does it matter? Will a lighter one spin faster? Found this surprising since it is a 15% reduction pulley after all, shouldn't it be lighter?

 

about to pull the trigger.....

 

Give me a call weaver, and I'll walk you through all of the rpos and cons to each type - and there are some for every pulley! EVeryone here is right inquoting me as liking the Alta the best.

Randy
720-841-1002

 

i doubt weight is an issue , but in order of increasing weight: P&D(220g), stock (390g), alta(?), mostly due to materials and type of construction, not overall size.

 

thanks everyone. i had a nice long talk with Randy and i have made my decision. to be installed monday at helix woo hoo