Serpentine Belts
- Thread starter Beowulf
- Start date
I Leak Oil
Expedition Leader
The belt on our '95 cherokee we used to have grenaded at about 50K miles. It didn't just break, it shredded itself to pieces, got wrapped up in the fan and around a couple pulleys and the tensioner. It was unusual for sure but does happen. Lesson learned, easier and quicker to change it than to cut it away from all the engine components.
Jason T.
Jason T.
Root Moose
Expedition Leader
Belts are one of the things I try to replace at factory recommended intervals.
This way you have a spare for your boonie box.
I've only ever had one belt fail on me and that was due to the bearings on the AC compressor failing catastrophically. It was a bad maintenance thing on my part (heard them going, trying to put off till time available). Thankfully the old iron Rambler engine in the XJ tolerated the mild overheat via the drive a bit, pull over and cool off heat cycle several dozen times without issue. I'm a big fan of iron blocks and heads on truck engines for this reason.
This way you have a spare for your boonie box.
I've only ever had one belt fail on me and that was due to the bearings on the AC compressor failing catastrophically. It was a bad maintenance thing on my part (heard them going, trying to put off till time available). Thankfully the old iron Rambler engine in the XJ tolerated the mild overheat via the drive a bit, pull over and cool off heat cycle several dozen times without issue. I'm a big fan of iron blocks and heads on truck engines for this reason.
I don't go anywhere, and I certainly wouldn't go 4wding without 2 of every belt, as well as belts the right size to just run the water pump (alternators are for girls with gasoline powered vehicles 
)
It's not about inconvenience, it's about life and death in a big empty country like this.
If you ever get stuck, a pair of pantyhose / stockings will get you moving for a normal belt, not sure on a serpantine.
Those orange things you posted up, only thing I can see them being good for is gas stations and mechanics that don't want to carry stock of every size. They sell you an expensive orange one and get you on your way to a dealership.
Sean
)It's not about inconvenience, it's about life and death in a big empty country like this.
If you ever get stuck, a pair of pantyhose / stockings will get you moving for a normal belt, not sure on a serpantine.
Those orange things you posted up, only thing I can see them being good for is gas stations and mechanics that don't want to carry stock of every size. They sell you an expensive orange one and get you on your way to a dealership.
Sean
I Leak Oil
Expedition Leader
I don't go anywhere, and I certainly wouldn't go 4wding without 2 of every belt, as well as belts the right size to just run the water pump (alternators are for girls with gasoline powered vehicles
It's not about inconvenience, it's about life and death in a big empty country like this.
If you ever get stuck, a pair of pantyhose / stockings will get you moving for a normal belt, not sure on a serpantine.
Sean
Ummm....You wouldn't carry a spare, girly, alt. belt but you carry pantyhose?:shakin:
Jason T.
Redline
Likes to Drive and Ride
I will back this up with personal experience on my old F350.
I always carried a new, spare serpentine belt for the Power Stroke since it was new. At 100k I replace the old with the new and kept the old belt as the spare, I did not change the tensioner. About 20k later the tensioner started to go while hunting, letting the belt partially slip off the grooves. This happened a couple times and soon I replaced the tensioner and the 'new' belt that had been damaged from sliding off.
Doing both at the same time seems very wise advise and a good maintenance practice.
I always carried a new, spare serpentine belt for the Power Stroke since it was new. At 100k I replace the old with the new and kept the old belt as the spare, I did not change the tensioner. About 20k later the tensioner started to go while hunting, letting the belt partially slip off the grooves. This happened a couple times and soon I replaced the tensioner and the 'new' belt that had been damaged from sliding off.
Doing both at the same time seems very wise advise and a good maintenance practice.
Ha Ha, I do carry a belt for my alternator, and one the right length to bypass it.
michaelgroves
Explorer
I don't subscribe to the idea of keeping an old one as a spare - why not a new one? If the current one breaks, or when replacement is due, put the spare on, and buy a new spare for the box!
In a similar vein, I know a guy who keeps his old thermostat and ignition points, condenser etc. as spares! Why??? All it does is save him the interest he might have been earning on the price of a the parts, and in return, he gets spares that might not in fact see him home, and the obligation to do the job twice!
I choose what spares to carry on any trip (or generally), by the following criteria:
In a similar vein, I know a guy who keeps his old thermostat and ignition points, condenser etc. as spares! Why??? All it does is save him the interest he might have been earning on the price of a the parts, and in return, he gets spares that might not in fact see him home, and the obligation to do the job twice!
I choose what spares to carry on any trip (or generally), by the following criteria:
- Likelihood of failure
- Consequences of failure
- Difficulty of buying/making a replacement
- Weight/volume
- Cost
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R_Lefebvre
Expedition Leader
I agree with Michael. I like to carry new spares instead of old spares. Depending on the cost... ie: I want to get around to changing my crank position sensor, because it's a deal-breaker if it goes. But I will carry the old one around because they are so pricey. But belts??? They're only about $20.
I carry a spare serpentine belt for my JK. I bought a new one right after I rolled off the showroom floor. Until the belt has around 50k I'm not really worried about it failing but in the past I have had things poke up into the engine compartment and destroy a belt. I figure carrying a new spare is cheap insurance. I know if I had to spend a day or two walking out to acquire a spare I'd be real PO'd at myself for not spending 25.00 when it was easy. Carrying a spare just seems prudent.
michaelgroves
Explorer
I agree, even though it scores quite low on items 1 and 3 below, it's got a high score on all the others.
Actually, come to think of it, it might not be so easy to rig a makeshift serpentine belt, (but you can probably pick something up in just about any little town), so it probably scores moderately on item 3 rather than low.