I bought an auto zone /advance belt 2 yrs ago, and it seems to have a choke hold on the tensioner.No room on the tensioner to even pull it back and spin the pulleys.This can mess up a tensioner.Any better belts on ebay which will give you enough room?

 

idk about ebay, I run goodyear gatorbacks on my cars.

 

I dont understand, you can't move your tensioner? You might need a new tensioner if you can't release the tension. But, I agree with PD, Goodyear Gaterback belt.

 

Lexus seemed to think Mitsuboshi and Bando were the best, and they have always been excellent for me!

what you are describing would have nothing to do with the belt, it starts out the factory specified length, and in 40 years of repairing cars, I have never seen a belt get tighter with age, only looser!

the tensioner puts a predetermined amount of tension on the belt, and as the belt ages and becomes looser, the tensioner takes up the slack to keep the factory specified amount of tension, so there is really no such thing as you are describing

a belt cannot "mess up" a tensioner, but old age can.

 

the choke hold on the tensioner only means the belt was too short to begin with.

i run OE mitsuboshi which came with my timing belt kit.

 

This is the exact point I am trying to make.The belt was too short in the beginning and then cause the tensioner to fail.I pretty much need 2 people to put the belt on.It shouldn't be that hard.I will look on ebay.

 

gang,

I just purchased a Bando belt off ebay for 19.00 dollars/free shipping. I was told by a Toyota Mechanic in McKinney TX as well as LS Cowboy that Bando was one of the OEM suppliers for LEX/TOY. mine will show up tomorrow in the mail and be put on with my Aisin WP/TB kit later this week. I will let ya know if it presents ant issues.

 

all the belts i have put on a 1st i always had a friend help me. it just makes it so much easier.


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I'm running a Gates-made MasterPro from O'Reilly. It fits better than the Goodyear Gatorback that killed an tensioner.

 

If the belt was too short then you wouldn't have been able to get it on, even with 2 people. No matter which brand you buy, they're all the same length. These tensioners are known to go bad once in a while, I wouldn't blame it on the belt. Although I suggested the Gaterback, I have a belt a bought at Advanced Auto 3 years ago. (I think it was Dayco) It's got about 30K on it and still in good condition. But you do want a good quality belt.

 

go look on your current belt for it's size, which is basically the part number, anything 2230-2240 mm should be fine, I actually prefer the tighter end of that. - they may have given you the wrong size, though I doubt it

if the size is given in tenths of inches, then look for one in the 878-882 range

If it takes two people to install a belt, you need some practice, although I will admit it is a learned skill

now I am curious what size nthach & PD are running