Belt tension
#1
Registered
Thread Starter
Belt tension
I always set my v-belts up so that there was about .250" play up and down. Tight enough to keep the belt working but not too tight to stress the shaft/bearings the pulley was attached to.
I just bought a belt tension gauge from KRC pumps. The instructions advise 140lbs of tension when new and 110 after run in. This is incredibly tight. My old method yields about 65lbs after run in.
I change out my belts too often to see a problems with the belts and I am reluctant to leverage the pulley shafts that much.
What is the consensus?
I just bought a belt tension gauge from KRC pumps. The instructions advise 140lbs of tension when new and 110 after run in. This is incredibly tight. My old method yields about 65lbs after run in.
I change out my belts too often to see a problems with the belts and I am reluctant to leverage the pulley shafts that much.
What is the consensus?
#3
I always set my v-belts up so that there was about .250" play up and down. Tight enough to keep the belt working but not too tight to stress the shaft/bearings the pulley was attached to.
I just bought a belt tension gauge from KRC pumps. The instructions advise 140lbs of tension when new and 110 after run in. This is incredibly tight. My old method yields about 65lbs after run in.
I change out my belts too often to see a problems with the belts and I am reluctant to leverage the pulley shafts that much.
What is the consensus?
I just bought a belt tension gauge from KRC pumps. The instructions advise 140lbs of tension when new and 110 after run in. This is incredibly tight. My old method yields about 65lbs after run in.
I change out my belts too often to see a problems with the belts and I am reluctant to leverage the pulley shafts that much.
What is the consensus?
Hey your finger is crooked jk
I have a tendcy to over tighten my belts. I prob need to buy one of those tools
__________________
.
The Only Time You Have To Much Ammo Is When Your Swimming Or On Fire.
.
The Only Time You Have To Much Ammo Is When Your Swimming Or On Fire.
#4
Registered
It also depends upon what percent of the radius of the pulley is contacted by the belt? When I went with a crossover system the alternator belt now contacts about half way around instead of a 1/4 to 1/3. If you ever get a peak at them at 5K rpm you will see they are moving up and down alot if too loose.
#5
Registered
Thread Starter
Actually, that is what started the whole process. I could see that the PS belt was contacting a cam driven water pump hose only at high RPM. Swapped to the KRC recommended smaller pulley and bought the gauge at the same time. Still, 140lbs is extremely tight.
#6
Registered
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: Aurora Indiana
Posts: 64
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
I am pretty sure that the shafts and bearngs can take all the belt tension you can put on them. What kills bearings in alternators, water pumps, etc, is loose belts. At high load/high rpm the belts start to slip, creating high temps and THAT is what kills bearings, it cooks the lube out of them.
#7
Registered
Thread Starter
I will have to get a longer leverage bar (hickory axe handle) as the 12 incher I carry in my tool box only gets me to about 100lbs.