SonexBuilders.net

I got the engine to the hangar today and right off the bat the alternator doesn't allow the engine to come close to the mounts. I thought I had heard of others using the 40A alternator on their CAMit with the Sonex mount. How do you make this work??

Rick Caldwell
Xenos 0057

hi rick,
i remember when camit came on the scene, and had their booth in an exhibit bldg at eaa oshkosh. i talked to ian bent in person , he showed a sonex specific bracket just for the sonex legacy mounts. . the regular alt mount from camit wont work. i kick myself to this day, not to order that specific bracket and alternator on the spot. camit went out of business. there are a few sonex out there with camit motors, maybe someone can take some pics. you may have to fab your own bracket.

best,

michael

I think Larry is flying with the CAMit alternator on his Sonex. If he or someone could send pictures and/or dimensions of the bracket needed it would save some head scratching.

Ian knew this was a Sonex engine and I think the exhaust is configured special for Sonex. Too bad the alt bracket got missed.

Rick Caldwell
Xenos 0057

hi rick, all
Yes that would be great if anyone with the sonex specific bracket could post a pic and dimensions. We could make our own bracket. Rotec sells a alt upgrade for the jabs , but again the bracket wont work on a sonex legacy mount.

keep us updated.

be safe everyone

michael.

Hi Michael,

I went at it today. I found out even the bracket from CAMit had to be cut off because it hit the slope under the fuel filler. After test fitting the engine on the mounts, I saw on the right side to big open space Ian must have used for the alternate alternator location. Then I see the tapped and empty holes in the center of the rear large bracket so I came up with a plan to make an alternator mount. The existing bolt above this space was used as the main alternator mount bolt. It was just one bolt over from the one used originally.

I make a paper template and picked up the existing tapped holes with my fingernail on the paper. I used a piece of 1/4" x 2" 2024T3 bar left over from my RV-6 kit. The existing spacer than CAMit supplied had to be shortened 1/4". Here are some pictures if anyone ever wants to duplicate what I did.

RIck Caldwell
Xenos 0057

Hi rick,
If you have a chance can you post the templete on here, email or send a copy to me?

thanks!
michael.

Hi Michael, I'll dig it out of the trash bag. It's the paper template and I could make a new one with the slight filing away of some interference with the distributor and the alternator. And I would increase the arc at the end so I could have made the adjustment slot a little longer. But what I have will work provided the belt does not stretch out too much.

Might be easiest just to mail it to you.

Rick Caldwell
Xenos 0057

hi rick,
thanks if you can write on templete any notes. is it 2024 or 6061? and how thick? i have the new rotec alt for jab 3300, but of course the supplied bracket doesnt work. sent you a pm with contact info.

thanks,
michael

HI Michael,

I'll look for your PM soon. I redid the paper template and it is here at home with me. I used a 1/4" x 2" 2024 T3 bar that was left over from my RV-6 kit. About 8" will do it. I'm sure 1/4" 6061 T6 would work if that's all you had. Most of the load is compression as there is a top mounting bolt that helps with keeping the forces from moving it out of plane. That bolt has inserts that CAMit made so an AN4-51A bolt is used on the alternator mounting lug.

The two tapped holes I used to mount the bracket were already present in the large bracket aft of the flywheel. There are four holes spaced around the center opening and I used two of them. They are tapped 1/4-20.

Rick Caldwell
Xenos 0057