Belt tension – alternator/air conditioning belt
08-09-18 | 01:51 PM
#1
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Joined: Oct 2011
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From: W-NY
Belt tension – alternator/air conditioning belt
Hey all,
I consulted the manual only to find a special tool is needed to measure belt tension in a way that looked completely foreign… I replaced my alternator/air conditioning belt, and I’m not sure how to tension it properly and was hoping for a rule of thumb… On old school stuff like my Chevy, pretty much tension the V-belt so that the longest length of it between two pulleys couldn’t be pushed by finger more than an inch… I can’t see that being appropriate on the set up…
Rule of thumb would be appreciated!
Thanks
I consulted the manual only to find a special tool is needed to measure belt tension in a way that looked completely foreign… I replaced my alternator/air conditioning belt, and I’m not sure how to tension it properly and was hoping for a rule of thumb… On old school stuff like my Chevy, pretty much tension the V-belt so that the longest length of it between two pulleys couldn’t be pushed by finger more than an inch… I can’t see that being appropriate on the set up…
Rule of thumb would be appreciated!
Thanks
08-09-18 | 05:15 PM
#2
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Joined: Dec 2013
Posts: 2,346
Likes: 481
From: wa
An inch? That's pretty loose. And I think I recall that silly tool method in a manual somewhere. I chuckled at it. Do they REALLY have such bad mechanics in dealerships that they can't trust them to get a belt tensioned right? I'm actually afraid the answer is yes...
I tension them to deflect about 3/8" with a firm push mid-length. This works well. Another rule-of-thumb is to twist them at mid-length. if you can easily twist them 90 degrees (edge now up), it's too loose. I find this also works well as a guide.
I tension them to deflect about 3/8" with a firm push mid-length. This works well. Another rule-of-thumb is to twist them at mid-length. if you can easily twist them 90 degrees (edge now up), it's too loose. I find this also works well as a guide.
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acarapella (08-09-18)
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