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how do you get proper tension on the serp belt?

S

sgtpepper

NAXJA Forum User
Location
RI
i know they sell guages that'll help dial in the proper tension on a new serp belt. but is there another wise trick? do you re-tension it after a break in period? will over tightening wear out bearings faster?

..doing the header this weekend if it shows up in time. thinking what else i should replace while it's apart.. belt. motor mounts. TB cleaning...
 
New belt 180-200 ft lbs, used belt (any belt after 15 minutes of operation) 140-160 ft lbs.

No, there is no way to get it right, with any assurance, other than using the $14 gauge.

Yes, you can cause premature failure of belt driven accessories and or the belt with improper tension.

No. Set it new and run it that way. If you need to remove it for any reason set it to the old belt specs.
 
My haynes manual gives "deflection" specs. Its based on the distance between pulley's.. such as 1.5'' deflection if your measuring between 1' of pulley's (I'm pulling those numbers outa my arse)
I have had belt squeaking issues ever since I replaced my balancer because it has a slight wobble. The squeak is not from slipping, but from the wobble of the balancer..

Anyways, after trying several brand belts, a Good Year Gator back is the first belt I've found that has now gone a month or so with no squeak. However, I've had to re tighten it at least 4 times. I try to aire on the "loose" side.. and ifs it ends up slipping some (usually with the A/C on and trying to turn just after start up) then I tighten it a bit more.
 
The gauge is about the only sure way to do it. As a quick check, one thing you can do is find the longest unsupported span, and try twisting the belt. If you can twist it more than 90 degrees without undue exertion, it's probably too loose.

Squeal is not a reliable gauge. While it's almost 100 percent certain that it is too loose if it squeals, it is nowhere near as certain that it's tight enough if it doesn't. You can be running nice and quiet, and find in an emergency that your power steering slips.
 
The Krickit II (for serp belts) is the way to go. Get it at NAPA. But the instructions are lol bad. Terrible translation. Six of us in Moab were thoroughly befuddled on how to make it work. Finally one guy did it by not looking at the instructions at all. Then it all made sense.

Steve
 
I love Haynes/Chilton manuals (NOT!). Yes, in the Old Days--I was there--for the v-style belts there was a point between certain specified pulleys on vehicles where you would push on the belt and it was usually 1/2" of deflection.

The first belt tension gauge I ever owned was a POS plastic tool for Volvos--the factory rep would come by the dealership and check new car prep on the Volvos on the lot, belt tension, tire pressure, fluids. I got tired of getting "dinged" and charged back--yeah, that is what they did.

As for the 90 degree twist--that is about as accurate as having ten different guys put new belts on 30 different vehicles--how many do you think might be within specifications? How many too tight? How many too loose? As an emergency measure on the side of the road or out on the trail--sure, it has to be better than nothing.
 
Last edited:
The tension is from the FSM.
 
SteveT said:
The Krickit II (for serp belts) is the way to go. Get it at NAPA. But the instructions are lol bad. Terrible translation. Six of us in Moab were thoroughly befuddled on how to make it work. Finally one guy did it by not looking at the instructions at all. Then it all made sense.

Steve
Click to expand...

I hope I'm using my gauge correctly it had no instructions that I remember. There really only seemed to be one way to use it...
 
I would take a pic of the instructions, but someone has swiped my Krikit... Googled a pic instead. Put finger in loop, carefully line it up, centered, on the belt in the middle of the longest span, push straight down on belt until it clicks, release and read.

krikit.jpg
 
I've idly considered replacing all the accessory brackets with the ones off a YJ or TJ (pretty sure they have a spring tensioner) but haven't researched how much work would be involved yet. Probably way easier for those of us whose AC is already broken, as I suspect the compressor is located differently on the YJ.
 
kastein said:
I've idly considered replacing all the accessory brackets with the ones off a YJ or TJ (pretty sure they have a spring tensioner) but haven't researched how much work would be involved yet. Probably way easier for those of us whose AC is already broken, as I suspect the compressor is located differently on the YJ.
Click to expand...

Not sure about the YJ's, but I'm pretty sure on the TJ's the A/C and the Alternator are swapped compared to the XJ's.
 
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