Why are stretch belts better than serpentine belts?
Stretch belts can take loads off of the main accessory belt drive, allow for better packaging and solve NVH problems that can occur with a longer serpentine belt. Less belt means less tension with fewer noise and vibration problems.
How much do serpentine belts stretch in a Jetta?
Serpentine belts don’t stretch much. This car is an ’83 Jetta so it has V-belts and those can loosen up a bit after some use. My memory is very hazy on this but some VWs of this era used rubber mounted alternators and/or rubber mounted A/C compressor/alternator brackets.
How do you tighten the belt on a serpentine car?
To correct the problem, tighten your belt. Open the hood and locate the adjustment screw that controls tension on the serpentine belt. This screw is typically a wing-nut located near the alternator and is in plain view. Place the socket end of the socket wrench over the wing-nut and turn clockwise to apply tension.
How long does a serpentine belt last on a car?
How Long Does a Serpentine Belt Last? Thanks to improvements in rubber technology, serpentine belts last much longer than they did back in the day. Most serpentine belts generally last between 50,000 and 100,000 miles. Eventually, your car’s serpentine belt will wear down from continuous exposure to heat and friction and will need to be replaced.
What is the average life span of a serpentine belt?
The lifespan of the serpentine belt will depend mostly on the type of material it’s made of. Older style belts generally last about 50,000 miles, while those made from EPDM can last up to 100,000 miles.
How do you install a stretch fit belt?
The Stretch Fit ® belt is placed around the pulleys. Place the tool between the pulley and the belt and hold firmly. Use the appropriate key (according to the installation instructions) to rotate the pulley, while you continue to hold the installation tool.
What is a stretch fit belt?
Micro-V Stretch Fit Belts are made with TwistLock™ Technology – Advanced process adhering cord and adhesion gum, allowing the belt to stretch and tension on the drive without compromising the belts performance properties. These belts are being used on newer vehicles with 2 – 4 pulley drives…