• Welcome to the new NAXJA Forum! If your password does not work, please use "Forgot your password?" link on the log-in page. Please feel free to reach out to [email protected] if we can provide any assistance.

Belt tighteness

i believe it is 140 - 160 ft lbs for used belts and 180 - 200 ft lbs for a brand new belt. I bought a belt tension gauge from Napa auto parts online for 13.00 dollars. It is called the Krikitt 2 and makes a adjusting the belt a whole lot easier. Adjusted to the numbers above the belt will be very tight.
 
Maximum deflection at the longest free length (usually from idler pulley to PS pump) should be 1/2". Be careful about overtightening the belt. This could accelerate wear in the PS pump pulley bearings and other pulley bearings.
 
Instead of starting a new thread, i had a question regarding belt tension. I installed a new belt a few weeks ago and tensioned it to 185 (using kricket tool), but today i checked it as i had the hood open and it was around 120, isnt that too low ? What would have cuased it to go down like that ? Should i retighten it , to what lb ?

Thanks
pete
 
I haven't gotten around to getting a Krikit yet - I really should, one of these days.

My usual test is to grab the longest free span of the belt in the middle, and try to twist it through 90 degrees. It should just get there - if it's easy, it needs to be tightened. If it doesn't make it, loosen it.

It's an estimate still, but it's served well for years. Too tight of a belt will accelerate wear in the alternator bearings, power steering pump bearings, idler bearings, and compressor clutch (and the water pump, and...)

The alternator is usually first to go, oddly enough.

5-90
 
jeepsrock said:
Instead of starting a new thread, i had a question regarding belt tension. I installed a new belt a few weeks ago and tensioned it to 185 (using kricket tool), but today i checked it as i had the hood open and it was around 120, isnt that too low ? What would have cuased it to go down like that ? Should i retighten it , to what lb ?

Thanks
pete
Click to expand...
A new belt will stretch (break in).
 
As I recall, a "used" belt is one with more than 15 minutes' runtime (I could be wrong on the time - but it's short.)

You may want to retorque it to the "used" belt figure - since that's what it would be reinstalled to if you took it off. The belt is, as I recall (and I'm fairly sure on this) rubber over fibreglas or similar - it gets strength from the fibres, and traction from the rubber surface.

Once you run the belt for a bit, the strength fibres stretch into the shape where they want to be under load, and that's why your belt loses tension only to a point. I'd be willing to bet that if you checked your belt tension again a week or so later without tightening it, you'd only see a change of 1-2% vice the previous reading...

5-90
 
I found it helpful to draw a diagram of the serpentine belt routing before removing the old belt. It's easy to make a mistake routing the new belt:roll:
 
They have two models, one for normal belts which will work fine and one for serpentine specifically. I have the box in my hand, 'Krikit II V-Belt tension Gauge NBH-KR2 7401-0102 and thats a napa part number, 5 years old but thats whats on the box.
 
RichP said:
They have two models, one for normal belts which will work fine and one for serpentine specifically. I have the box in my hand, 'Krikit II V-Belt tension Gauge NBH-KR2 7401-0102 and thats a napa part number, 5 years old but thats whats on the box.
Click to expand...

I just asked for "KR2" and they were able to find it.
 
kr2 is it and most of them have to order it, it costs around 11-15$.

Any ideas what the used belt specification is ?
So in the future i would install it tighten it to the new spec and then check again in 15 min of run time ?

pete
 
langer1 said:
I have checked with Napa and they never heard of Krikitt 2, anyone know the Napa stock number?
Click to expand...

Just tell them to stfu and enter "KR2" as the part number, "NBH" as the line code and order it. I work at a Napa, the item is supplied by the belts manufacturer not tools. That might throw some people off. KR1 btw is the tension gauge for V belts.
 
bajacalal said:
Just tell them to stfu and enter "KR2" as the part number, "NBH" as the line code and order it. I work at a Napa, the item is supplied by the belts manufacturer not tools. That might throw some people off. KR1 btw is the tension gauge for V belts.
Click to expand...
I found it a napaonline and ordered one thanks.
 
Out of curiosity where are you guys using your kricket specifically ? I used mine in between the PS pulley and the idler pulley adn the results dont seem always consistant ?

pete
 
I bought a Krikit II yesterday at NAPA....$14. Like their belts, it's a Gates product.

The directions don't appear to be very well written......or perhaps I'm a moron??? Could someone describe better how to use it??? I haven't tried it yet so it might be more apparent when I have the XJ in front of me.

Does anyone know of a website with a V-ribbed belt tension chart???

Thanks,
Jay in MA
 
New serpentine belt - 800-900N/180-200 pound-feet
Used serpentine belt - 623-712N/140-160 pound-feet

A "used" belt is one that has been run for at least 15 minutes. It is suggested that you tention a new belt and recheck after running 1/2 hour or so.

These figures are from the 1990 FSM, others similar (and probably from the belt manufacturer.)

5-90
 
Would a loose belt cause constant squealing? It is coming from the pwoer steering pump. I have a brand new belt(lest than 6hours of driving), a new power steering pump, , belt dressing on the pulley, and i have tightened the belt. i pushed on the longest free length of the belt and it seemed that it went down bought half an inch down. The only time it dosnt squeal is under load. I dont want to over tighten the belt.
 
Well I got around to playing with the Kriket II so I'll answer my own question. I was going to reply to a PM from someone that asked me to respond if I figured it out. It appears that I have 40 PMs stored but it's little unclear to me how I can get to them.....none show in the inbox or sent box.

Well anyways....usage.

- Place your index finger in the rubber loop.
- Push the needle to the down position
- Center it on the belt in the middle of the longest section of accessible belt.
- Push down hard on the yellow section under your index finger until the KR2 clicks. The yellow indicator needle should jump up through the scale slot.
- Carefully remove the KR2 and read where the top surface of the yellow needle bisects the scale. This is your reading.
- Perform this a few times to be sure your readings are consistent.

You can try it on a desk or table to get an idea of what to expect in terms of pressure needed to make the KR2 click.

http://www.gates.com/europe/brochure.cfm?brochure=2506&location_id=2977

Good luck,
Jay in MA
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

H
Can a bad power steering pump make a belt hop??
Replies
8
Views
216
RCP Phx
R
A
Rubber components
Replies
6
Views
103
75SV1
7
4
Timing gear?
Replies
3
Views
100
4x4JeePmaNthINg
4
A
Sluggish seat belt retraction
Replies
4
Views
1K
asymptonic
A
S
Master cylinder issue
Replies
2
Views
2K
SurplusFan98
S
Back
Top