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Topic: Pullies not quite aligned (Read 1658 times) previous topic - next topic

Re: Pullies not quite aligned

Reply #25 –
Well, Mr. Murphy was, indeed, hanging around here. As a result, I'm only now getting back to this project.

I asked a question earlier that wasn't answered. Since it could be a safety issue, I'd really like to know the answer before I start taking things apart. Is there any sort of stop that will keep the tensioner from just spinning around when I remove the pulley? As I write this, the belt is off (very easy to do) and the tensioner is resting on the pulley. Turning the pulley turns the wheel on the tensioner.

Re: Pullies not quite aligned

Reply #26 –
Just use your bar to keep the tensioner out of the way, you could even tie the bar to hold the tensioner out of the way. The
tensioner will only go so far as the spring tension will run out. I usually use a piece of string to check alignment. I hope I answered
your question.
Peter and Frieda Morin
1999 36ft. U320 Foretravel
Build # 5436
1998 Suzuki Sidekick Sport

Re: Pullies not quite aligned

Reply #27 –
"The tensioner will only go so far as the spring tension will run out." That's the part that had me worried. I can see the thing throwing the bar right across the battery terminals after it breaks a few bones in my hand.

"...you could even tie the bar to hold the tensioner out of the way." That's a great idea! Thanks.

Re: Pullies not quite aligned

Reply #28 –
The tensioners are not under THAT much tension.  Very common to use one hand on the ratchet and one to install the belt.

But, you can certainly try rotating it before deciding it is too much tension for you to be comfortable with.
Brett Wolfe
EX: 1993 U240
Moderator, ForeForum 2001-
Moderator Diesel RV Club 2002-
Moderator, FMCA Forum 2009-2020
Chairman FMCA Technical Advisory Committee 2011-2020

Re: Pullies not quite aligned

Reply #29 –
I just use a ratchet with one hand (right) and remove or replace the belt with the other. With no tool in place, I've put a ratchet (3/8 or 1/2") in , put the belt on and had it running in 7 seconds. It's impossible to take more than 30 seconds. It's super easy and does not take a lot of strength. Good to have a ratchet or breaker bar at least a foot long. 18 inch bar would make it so a child could do it.

After I take the belt off, I just relax pressure with the ratchet and let the tensioner roller rotate until it hits the pump pulley.

What makes the whole operation easy is that the belt/tensioner is the only thing on the crank pulley.

Pierce
Pierce and Gaylie Stewart
'93 U300/36 WTBI
Detroit 6V-92TA Jake
1140 watts on the roof
SBFD (ret)

Re: Pullies not quite aligned

Reply #30 –
I've had the belt off and on several times, and have NO problems with that. When the belt is off, the tensioner's wheel (don't know the proper name for it) rests tightly on the pump's pulley. If that pulley is removed, what would stop the tensioner from spinning around until the spring inside is unwound? Once that happens, how would I retighten it?

In playing around today, though, I found what may be another piece of the puzzle. One side of the tensioner was touching the pulley (belt removed) and the other was not. I loosened the bolt that holds the tensioner in place, and it immediately snapped down so that both front and rear of the wheel were resting on the pulley. I tightened it up and put the belt back on. Got called away at that point, so tomorrow I'm going to fire up the Detroit and see what happens back there. I still think the pulley will have to move rearward some, but maybe not. It looked like maybe the tensioner was putting more pressure on the forward side of the belt than the rearward side, and now it may be more even. We'll see.

If I do have to remove the pulley I think I have a way of tying the tensiioner up and out of the way so I can work without it throwing things around.

Re: Pullies not quite aligned

Reply #31 –
Don't know about your tensioner but I just pulled mine off to lube both bearings on the idler roller. It does not spin but gets all it's power in just a partial turn.

When the engine is running, the belt does not have to be centered on the tensioner roller. So long as one edge of the belt does not go over the edge on the roller. Ours is right at the edge. The big thing is the face of the tensioner roller has to be the same as the surface the belt rides on on the pump pulley surface. In other words, the angles have to match. If the roller touches one side of the pump pulley shoulder but is not centered and does not touch the other side, that's not important. Again, the angles must match on all three surfaces., crank pulley, idler roller and pump pulley.

I wish I were a good illustrator and could make drawings. I have trouble with stick figures.

Pierce

Pierce and Gaylie Stewart
'93 U300/36 WTBI
Detroit 6V-92TA Jake
1140 watts on the roof
SBFD (ret)

Re: Pullies not quite aligned

Reply #32 –
Pierce,  When you remove your tensioner to lube it, is there a center bolt that holds it to the mounting bracket? or what is the mounting system?  :-\
The selected media item is not currently available.
Gerry & Brenda
CHARLOTTE HARBOR, FL
1994 Grand Villa - # 4466
U300 Unihome - 6V92 Detroit
4 speed Allison - Jake Brake

Re: Pullies not quite aligned

Reply #33 –
Gerry,

It's been a few years but yes, as I remember, there is a center bolt. After I lubed the bearings, I left a few turns of the bolt loose and then found a washer the right thickness to put between the tensioner and the mount to correct the angle. I will take a look today as the coach is just a few feet away.

Pierce
Pierce and Gaylie Stewart
'93 U300/36 WTBI
Detroit 6V-92TA Jake
1140 watts on the roof
SBFD (ret)

Re: Pullies not quite aligned

Reply #34 –
Most automatic tensioners have both a center bolt and a detent pin that fits in a hole in the bracket.  The detent pin is what allows the tensioner to wind up/tension.

If the tensioner is all of a  sudden at an angle, insure that the bolt has not backed out enough that the detent pin is now on the surface of the bracket rather than in the hole.  That will surely change its angle of orientation.
Brett Wolfe
EX: 1993 U240
Moderator, ForeForum 2001-
Moderator Diesel RV Club 2002-
Moderator, FMCA Forum 2009-2020
Chairman FMCA Technical Advisory Committee 2011-2020

Re: Pullies not quite aligned

Reply #35 –
Quote from: wolfe10 –
Most automatic tensioners have both a center bolt and a detent pin that fits in a hole in the bracket.  The detent pin is what allows the tensioner to wind up/tension.

If the tensioner is all of a  sudden at an angle, insure that the bolt has not backed out enough that the detent pin is now on the surface of the bracket rather than in the hole.  That will surely change its angle of orientation.
Yes, but a very large amount. Ours was just 3 degrees and while the mounting plate was fine, the 3 degrees was in the arm. In other words, when I took the tensioner off and check the tensioner's mounting surface against the roller, the discrepancy was internal.

Pierce
Pierce and Gaylie Stewart
'93 U300/36 WTBI
Detroit 6V-92TA Jake
1140 watts on the roof
SBFD (ret)

Re: Pullies not quite aligned

Reply #36 –
"It does not spin but gets all it's power in just a partial turn." Thanks, Pierce. That's the missing piece of the puzzle.

Re: Pullies not quite aligned

Reply #37 –
Dave, I pulled mine off today , I lubricated both the inside and out side of the pulley bearing. The Tensioner arm has a "stop" built into the case so it will not unwind. it only moves about a half inch beyond the pump pulley after it is removed from the mounting bracket. Mine was held on with a center bolt only,  9/16th bolt head with a 9/16th locking nut. I used a 1/2 inch breaker bar reduced to 3/8th drive adapter to release the belt, worked great.  New belt I should be good for another 10 years or 10,000 mile which ever comes first.....  ^.^d   
The selected media item is not currently available.
Gerry & Brenda
CHARLOTTE HARBOR, FL
1994 Grand Villa - # 4466
U300 Unihome - 6V92 Detroit
4 speed Allison - Jake Brake
 

Re: Pullies not quite aligned

Reply #38 –
Quote from: Gerry Vicha –
Dave, I pulled mine off today , I lubricated both the inside and out side of the pulley bearing. The Tensioner arm has a "stop" built into the case so it will not unwind. it only moves about a half inch beyond the pump pulley after it is removed from the mounting bracket. Mine was held on with a center bolt only,  9/16th bolt head with a 9/16th locking nut. I used a 1/2 inch breaker bar reduced to 3/8th drive adapter to release the belt, worked great.  New belt I should be good for another 10 years or 10,000 mile which ever comes first.....  ^.^d   
^.^d  ^.^d  ^.^d

p
Pierce and Gaylie Stewart
'93 U300/36 WTBI
Detroit 6V-92TA Jake
1140 watts on the roof
SBFD (ret)