Drive Belt??

JeepinJarhead03 · **Posted:** Wed Apr 22, 2009 8:51 pm

i didnt know gator made a tensioner, i just replaced mine with oem about 4k ago (a month or so heh)

replaced the apparent oem belt with a gator though, couldn't see spendin double that on an oem belt but i didnt know you had such good experience with the oem belt either

oddball · **Posted:** Wed Apr 22, 2009 9:16 pm

Engines like the Jeep KJ 3.7 have a spring-loaded automatic tensioner to maintain tension on the belt. Over time, automatic belt tensioners can weaken, allowing the belt to slip. Corrosion or wear may also cause the tensioner bushing to bind, wobble or make noise. For this reason, it is extremely important to always check the operation of the belt tensioner if a belt is making noise or when a belt is being replaced. In high milage vehicles, a new belt tensioner is often needed.

One way to spot a weak tensioner is to watch the belt while the engine is running. If the belt has a lot of movement or flutter, the tensioner is probably weak or sticking. If a vehicle has a history of eating belts, chances are the pulleys are misaligned or damaged. Roughness on a pulley can be very abrasive and chew up a new belt rather quickly. A bent or misaligned pulley can also force a serpentine belt to flex sideways as it rotates, something which serp belts don't like to do. This can also accelerate wear, or may even cause the belt to throw itself off the pulleys.

Pully alignment can be checked by placing a straightedge between the pulleys, or using a laser alignment tool to check for pulleys that are not in the same plane as the others. Worn pulley bearings or accessory drive bearings can also cause noise, unwanted pulley wobble and accelerated belt wear. Especially in older, high mileage (usually over 100K) vehicles.

Goodyear Belt Tensioner p/n 49003.

oddball · **Posted:** Wed Apr 22, 2009 9:21 pm

JeepinJarhead03 wrote:

i didnt know gator made a tensioner, i just replaced mine with oem about 4k ago (a month or so heh)

replaced the apparent oem belt with a gator though, couldn't see spendin double that on an oem belt but i didnt know you had such good experience with the oem belt either

Gator doesn't, Goodyear does. They also make the idler pulley & assemblies.

Oh and for the record, if anyone buys a Goodyear 'Nascar' Gatorback (p/n 4060875) and the inner side (backside) isn't double cross grooved (hatched, whatever), you got the wrong belt or ripped off. I have 2 which are exactly that -- double cross-grooved / hatched).

Note; people, the Gatorback should not be confused with the Goodyear MileageMaker belts. Those are cheap garbage.

rob103180 · **Posted:** Mon May 11, 2009 11:31 pm

The dealership wanted over $100 for the belt. I elected to purchase a Gates belt instead. Gates makes great stuff. I paid a little over $50 for it. I also agreed that you can't look at the belt and say that it's not worn. Most of the time unless a pulley fails the only failure you get is stretching which can lead to pulley failure. Take that "good" belt and compare its length to a new one.

2006KJSPORT4x4 · **Posted:** Tue May 12, 2009 2:00 am

Wow I change my drive belt Friday and threads just pop up every where about the topic, lol. Bought a Gatorback NASCAR Quiet Belt by Goodyear that I picked up from Checker Auto with a free 2-yr warranty on the belt (P/N 4060868).

LibertyRenegade · **Posted:** Tue May 12, 2009 7:01 am

Thats what I just replaced mine with. Close to 100,000 on my old belt

dkcase · **Posted:** Wed May 13, 2009 8:48 pm

The factory belt on our '02 lasted less than 25,000 miles.

I had no confidence in the dealer belts, having gone through three of them on a Dodge Caravan -- original, first dealer warranty fix, 2nd dealer warranty fix with an idler pulley -- before I put on a Gatorback.

When this one started to act up, I got rid of it right away. The Goodyear is still going strong now at 94,000 miles.

tjkoen01 · **Posted:** Thu May 14, 2009 9:39 am

tjkj2002 wrote:

tjkoen01 wrote:

I've got 119k on the factory belt and it looks great. I'm going to replace it, I just have a hard time replacing a belt that looks fine....if it ain't broke, don't fix it.....at least that's what I tell myself. I'll probably just keep the new belt and tensioner in the Jeep so if it does break, I'm not up a creek.

Just because it looks okay does not mean it's not stretched past the limit the tensioner can keep proper tension on it.Always replace the serp belt and tensioner at the same time,they both are wear items.

The intent of my original post was to express how impressed I am at the fact that the original factory belt and tensioner, with now almost 120k on it, does not have signs of imminent failure. I was not making a case to only change your belt after 120k miles.

meh_kick · **Posted:** Thu May 14, 2009 11:32 am

tjkj2002 wrote:

JeepinJarhead03 wrote:

plus our tensioners don't seem to last 100k either usually by then they're makin plenty racket

Yep I went through 3 OEM tensioner in under 20,000 miles,opted for the Dayco one that was great for over 40,000miles,now I have a GoodYear Gaterback one installed.

I'm due for a serp belt replacement too. When you all mention "tensioner" are you talking about the pulley? Or is there another mechanisim that can come off when you've got the belt out of there?

PS any tricks for the KJs with the additional fan/shroud in the front of the engine bay - or do I just need Gumby arms to get down there?

belvedere · **Posted:** Thu May 14, 2009 8:20 pm

Here's a link for the OEM belt:
http://www.trademotion.com/partlocator/ ... atalogid=0

I recently replaced my OEM belt at 75k. It had some cracks, but over all, didn't look too bad. I replaced it since we will be taking it on vacation soon.

Like others, I always carry my old belts. Two years ago, we went to Tulsa to see the unearthing of Miss Belvedere. I changed the belts on our Intrepid before we left. On a hot afternoon in OK, it threw the new A/C belt. That evening, I installed the old belt. Didn't exactly enjoy laying under the car in a motel parking lot, but it sure was worth it to have A/C in OK in June!

JeepinJarhead03 · **Posted:** Thu May 14, 2009 8:50 pm

meh_kick wrote:

tjkj2002 wrote:

JeepinJarhead03 wrote:

plus our tensioners don't seem to last 100k either usually by then they're makin plenty racket

Yep I went through 3 OEM tensioner in under 20,000 miles,opted for the Dayco one that was great for over 40,000miles,now I have a GoodYear Gaterback one installed.

I'm due for a serp belt replacement too. When you all mention "tensioner" are you talking about the pulley? Or is there another mechanisim that can come off when you've got the belt out of there?

PS any tricks for the KJs with the additional fan/shroud in the front of the engine bay - or do I just need Gumby arms to get down there?

the tensioner on ours is a unit held on by a 13mm bolt, attached to it are the tensioner pulley and the idler pully, i found it to be more cost effective to buy the entire unit already assembled than to attempt to replace idler and tensioner pullys/berrings

many, many, many vehicles have separate tensioner and idler pullys, and half the time theyre on opposite sides of the engine, thus it makes it a little confusing, it took me less than 10 mins to R&R the tensioner assembly and put on the new belt and that was while drinking a beer, i think you may like the unit

CRD Joe · **Posted:** Sun May 17, 2009 11:56 am

I'm buying Chads CRD KJ. It has 43,000 miles on it. It will have 45,000 on it when I get her home. Is there a time/mileage recommendation for serp belt replacement like there is timing belt replacement?

With a timing belt you generally replace tensioners pulleys water pump etc are there the same issues with serp replacements?

ATXKJ · **Posted:** Sun May 17, 2009 11:57 am

engine accessory drive belt - replace 37500 miles 60,000 Km (schedule B)

CRD Joe · **Posted:** Sun May 17, 2009 1:10 pm

Can always count on AT. Just belt AT, or anything else?

Tom

Mopar parts again?

ATXKJ · **Posted:** Sun May 17, 2009 1:56 pm

the belt is what the manual recommends and since it's a 5 minute job (with the right tools)
I'm not too worried about the others - although the pulleys and tensioner will fail at some point
actually several folks have had problems with the alternator decoupler pulley

I'm assuming that they won't have a catastrophic fail - you will have some warning.

on the belt - I used OEM - don't know about the others.

CRD Joe · **Posted:** Sun May 17, 2009 2:44 pm

Thanks again AT. I think Ill flush the rad, change the thermostat and serp belt at the same time. None of those things (I think) have been done yet. 43,000 miles.

Xodius · **Posted:** Tue Jun 16, 2009 4:52 pm

OK, So I finally got my new tensioner and belt in....when I look at the belt...I am a bit skeptical...Part #4060875. The grooved part has 5 grooves and is cross cut. The other side is slightly textured...when I say slightly, I mean hard any at all. It is a high gloss but you can just make out some texture to it. Is this right? I opened the belt up and it has some ink on there from Goodyear saying it is that part number. Do I have the wrong part number??

Thanks.

oddball · **Posted:** Wed Jun 17, 2009 4:25 pm

Xodius wrote:

OK, So I finally got my new tensioner and belt in....when I look at the belt...I am a bit skeptical...Part #4060875. The grooved part has 5 grooves and is cross cut. The other side is slightly textured...when I say slightly, I mean hard any at all. It is a high gloss but you can just make out some texture to it. Is this right? I opened the belt up and it has some ink on there from Goodyear saying it is that part number. Do I have the wrong part number??

Thanks.

You have the correct belt for a 3.7L

Goodyear Gatorback;
Belt tensioner Assy - p/n 49246 = (this is both pulleys attached to the assy).
Idler Pulley (single pulley) - p/n 49001
Tensioner Pulley (single pulley) - p/n 49003

FWIW, the cheap stuff from Goodyear is labeled; "Mileage Maker".

Xodius · **Posted:** Wed Jun 17, 2009 8:47 pm

Cool TY Oddball. I just wanted to make sure.

Drive Belt??

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