Alpine Hardware American Owned Universal Window Air Conditioner & Heat Pump Bracket One Arm Heavy-Duty Window AC Support-Supports Air Conditioner Up to 160 lbs.-for 12000 BTU AC to 20000 BTU AC Units

Instructions were a bit wonky but after getting it put together it is excellent

The hardest part about installing this bracket was drilling the holes - but that was because of how I installed it.I wanted my AC unit "outside" of my window, so I could still shut the window. I did this by creating a plywood "baffle" that I could insert inside the recesses for the screen. I removed the screen, put the baffle in, then used putty tape to seal it up around the edges.To mount the AC unit and bracket this way, meant I had to drill and mount the bracket on the outside brick/block "sill" of my window. So with some research, I settled on using some carbide bits to drill with, and special "blue" anchor screws. I quickly found that:a) you want to drill the block "dry"b) you want to periodically use canned air (or a compressor) to "blow out" the hole as it fills with dustIf you don't do those steps - you end up with the drill only going so far, then not going any further. So drill, blow out the hole, drill some more, etc - until you get to the depth needed.But other than that difference, I followed the instructions just as they were written, and things went together really well and fast. I've had the bracket up for about 2 weeks now, and it works great. It only took a couple of hours to install (I took my time, as I didn't want to mess up the block), then a few more to make the baffle (a week or so later, I caulked it, painted it, then re-installed it properly - but I did use it for a week without all of that).The only other extra thing I did was add a couple of L-brackets to the holes, to keep the unit from potentially "sliding backwards". Overall, the install turned out great, and I'm very pleased with the product.

Does this work? YES. It will hold your AC in place and it latches on very well WITHOUT having to drill anything. I have had no problems with the structural integrity of the bracket and it does exactly what it advertised.The issue I have with this bracket are the INSTRUCTIONS on how to put the piece together. I'm usually pretty good at assembly and even I was stumped on this one. The paper instructions it comes with are absolutely useless. The only saving grace was a poorly shot youtube video that shows you how to put this together. Even the video has the worst angles and steps, but with enough pausing and zoom, you'll get it done.This is NOT hard to put together. However, the "instructions" are SO bad, it makes it seem a lot harder than it actually is. Other than this criticism, I'm satisfied with the purchase. The materials are sturdy, I received all the hardware and it does exactly what it claims.Prep yourself in advance and maybe grab a buddy to tackle this assembly so at the very least you can have a few good laughs in the process.

The Alpine Hardware Universal Window Air Conditioner Bracket may work in some cases but it has some serious design flaws and was completely useless for me. Installing a window unit in a garage workshop, I thought the bracket would provide solid support.The first problem that the long screws that connect the legs to the platform are impossible to tighten enough to keep the feet against the outside wall. The legs are just enough narrower than the platform arms that the legs swing free. I was concerned that vibration from the unit would cause them to fall and the weight of the AC would cause it to fall outside, ruining the AC and the window frame. To fix that I made a trip to the hardware store and bought four sets of screws, washers, and lock nuts. That at least kept the legs in place. (See photos)The next major flaw is the frame causes the AC to sit ½” above the bottom of the window frame. That means you’ll need to stuff a lot of foam (not included) to seal the large gap underneath the AC unit.The final flaw is that there is no simple or obvious way to attach the unit to the bracket. Normally the AC came with L-brackets that attach it to the windowsill, but the brackets raised everything so far above the sill that the included brackets wouldn’t reach. The side curtains aren’t sturdy enough to hold the AC in place so a bump to the front or back of the AC would send it crashing to the floor/ground.Rather than make another trip to the hardware store to work around the problems with the bracket, I cut a shelf for the sill from a 2x4 and build a small frame outside to help support the unit. I made it wide enough to attach brackets to keep the AC in place.If after reading this you decide to purchase this bracket anyway, be sure to watch the assembly video several times. It will save you a lot of trouble. The one-page, tiny print instructions in Chinglish are difficult to read and understand and they do not follow the “simple” steps shown in the video.Any product that, out of the box, requires that many updates, fixes, and work-arounds is not worth the time or the money.

This air conditioner bracket is very well-made and very strong and will hold up to 200 pounds. If you want to put it together properly, don’t use the instructions. Watch the video instead. you can stop and start the video whenever you want step by step. It is not hard to assemble and I like the idea that you do not have to drill or screw anything. If possible, use a ratchet and an open end wrench on the nuts and bolts not a pair of pliers because you can strip the nuts. I Just assembled mine after two weeks in the box and it will be another week before I can use it because I am waiting for new side panels.