Nigelw Posted February 24, 2013 Share Posted February 24, 2013 Ok, so tech time.... What is the maximum degree bend I can put on a drive belt within a given distance? And what is the minimum run on the pulley for an alternator roughly? Will a serpentine belt give the best flexibility for a one off custom built install? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dirtydiesel Posted February 25, 2013 Share Posted February 25, 2013 Some manufactures get over 240° of wrap on some pulleys anything less than 90°-100° on a pk5 and it'll slip A serp belt is nicer to package as you can bend it backwards over idlers to gain wrap, but one important thing to consider it tha a serp belt drives on tension whereas a v belt drives on surface area. i've found this makes a huge difference to the bearing life span of alternators and such. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SPendrey Posted February 25, 2013 Share Posted February 25, 2013 Just goes to show what I'm used to... I was interpreting this question as "how much can I bend a belt off true", i.e. how much can the pulleys be misaligned?! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nigelw Posted February 25, 2013 Author Share Posted February 25, 2013 Some manufactures get over 240° of wrap on some pulleysanything less than 90°-100° on a pk5 and it'll slip A serp belt is nicer to package as you can bend it backwards over idlers to gain wrap, but one important thing to consider it tha a serp belt drives on tension whereas a v belt drives on surface area. i've found this makes a huge difference to the bearing life span of alternators and such. Thanks Dan, Well what would you say would be better to tension a serp belt? manual screw adjustable idler or an idler under pretension? think I can get at the very least 180 degrees on the pulley with least contact and more than 200 on the one with the most so slipping should not be too much of an issue I don't think, just the method of pretension to over come now I think Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Team Idris Posted February 26, 2013 Share Posted February 26, 2013 Idler under pre-tension for me if you have the room. If anything throws up into it it may give the slack needed and if you leave the truck a bit and the pulleys go rusty, the auto pulley sorts it all out while it beds back in. Infact, I should fit an automatic pulley tensioner on mine Swing-on-a-spring is also good. You crack the lock bolt, the spring adjusts the belt tension and you loack it back up. No idea what they fit though in a scrap yard ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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