I guess this is really a general question, not vehicle specific. But, I'm
asking in regards to my 96 Cherokee.

How do I check or know if the tension is correct on the serpentine belt? I
think I over-tighten it and end up wrecking the water pump bearings/pulley.

tia,

Mel P.

 

The only real way these days is to get the tension gauge tester. They
sell this unit that grabs the belt and measures the deflection over a
certain distance to set it. These are not too expensive.

Mike
86/00 CJ7 Laredo, 33x9.5 BFG Muds, 'glass nose to tail in '00
'New' frame in the works for '08. Some Canadian Bush Trip and Build
Photos: http://mikeromainjeeptrips.shutterfly.com

Mel P. wrote:
> I guess this is really a general question, not vehicle specific. But, I'm
> asking in regards to my 96 Cherokee.
>
> How do I check or know if the tension is correct on the serpentine belt? I
> think I over-tighten it and end up wrecking the water pump bearings/pulley.
>
> tia,
>
> Mel P.
>
>

 

The only real way these days is to get the tension gauge tester. They
sell this unit that grabs the belt and measures the deflection over a
certain distance to set it. These are not too expensive.

Mike
86/00 CJ7 Laredo, 33x9.5 BFG Muds, 'glass nose to tail in '00
'New' frame in the works for '08. Some Canadian Bush Trip and Build
Photos: http://mikeromainjeeptrips.shutterfly.com

Mel P. wrote:
> I guess this is really a general question, not vehicle specific. But, I'm
> asking in regards to my 96 Cherokee.
>
> How do I check or know if the tension is correct on the serpentine belt? I
> think I over-tighten it and end up wrecking the water pump bearings/pulley.
>
> tia,
>
> Mel P.
>
>

 

TIME OUT!

Sorry.

Don't serpentine belts have a spring loaded tensioner, making the adjustment
of the belt tension unnecessary?

I had several cars and trucks that use serpentine belts, and each of them
had a spring loaded tensioner. The only vehicles I own that require belt
tension adjustments are the ones that still use v-belts.

Time in ...




"Mike Romain" <romainm@sympatico.ca> wrote in message
news:476e955d$0$15218$9a6e19ea@unlimited.newshosti ng.com...
> The only real way these days is to get the tension gauge tester. They
> sell this unit that grabs the belt and measures the deflection over a
> certain distance to set it. These are not too expensive.
>
> Mike
> 86/00 CJ7 Laredo, 33x9.5 BFG Muds, 'glass nose to tail in '00
> 'New' frame in the works for '08. Some Canadian Bush Trip and Build
> Photos: http://mikeromainjeeptrips.shutterfly.com
>
> Mel P. wrote:
>> I guess this is really a general question, not vehicle specific. But,
>> I'm asking in regards to my 96 Cherokee.
>>
>> How do I check or know if the tension is correct on the serpentine belt?
>> I think I over-tighten it and end up wrecking the water pump
>> bearings/pulley.
>>
>> tia,
>>
>> Mel P.

 

TIME OUT!

Sorry.

Don't serpentine belts have a spring loaded tensioner, making the adjustment
of the belt tension unnecessary?

I had several cars and trucks that use serpentine belts, and each of them
had a spring loaded tensioner. The only vehicles I own that require belt
tension adjustments are the ones that still use v-belts.

Time in ...




"Mike Romain" <romainm@sympatico.ca> wrote in message
news:476e955d$0$15218$9a6e19ea@unlimited.newshosti ng.com...
> The only real way these days is to get the tension gauge tester. They
> sell this unit that grabs the belt and measures the deflection over a
> certain distance to set it. These are not too expensive.
>
> Mike
> 86/00 CJ7 Laredo, 33x9.5 BFG Muds, 'glass nose to tail in '00
> 'New' frame in the works for '08. Some Canadian Bush Trip and Build
> Photos: http://mikeromainjeeptrips.shutterfly.com
>
> Mel P. wrote:
>> I guess this is really a general question, not vehicle specific. But,
>> I'm asking in regards to my 96 Cherokee.
>>
>> How do I check or know if the tension is correct on the serpentine belt?
>> I think I over-tighten it and end up wrecking the water pump
>> bearings/pulley.
>>
>> tia,
>>
>> Mel P.

 

Jeff,
The good 'ol 4.0 uses a long bolt to set the tension via the power
steering pump. The 4.0 was one of the last serpentine belt systems using a
manually set tension system. It is set this way on my 2000XJ.

Carl

"Jeff Strickland" <crwlr@verizon.net> wrote in message
news:dexbj.10150$GV4.10106@trnddc05...
> TIME OUT!
>
> Sorry.
>
> Don't serpentine belts have a spring loaded tensioner, making the
> adjustment of the belt tension unnecessary?
>
> I had several cars and trucks that use serpentine belts, and each of them
> had a spring loaded tensioner. The only vehicles I own that require belt
> tension adjustments are the ones that still use v-belts.
>
> Time in ...
>
>
>
>
> "Mike Romain" <romainm@sympatico.ca> wrote in message
> news:476e955d$0$15218$9a6e19ea@unlimited.newshosti ng.com...
>> The only real way these days is to get the tension gauge tester. They
>> sell this unit that grabs the belt and measures the deflection over a
>> certain distance to set it. These are not too expensive.
>>
>> Mike
>> 86/00 CJ7 Laredo, 33x9.5 BFG Muds, 'glass nose to tail in '00
>> 'New' frame in the works for '08. Some Canadian Bush Trip and Build
>> Photos: http://mikeromainjeeptrips.shutterfly.com
>>
>> Mel P. wrote:
>>> I guess this is really a general question, not vehicle specific. But,
>>> I'm asking in regards to my 96 Cherokee.
>>>
>>> How do I check or know if the tension is correct on the serpentine belt?
>>> I think I over-tighten it and end up wrecking the water pump
>>> bearings/pulley.
>>>
>>> tia,
>>>
>>> Mel P.
>

 

Jeff,
The good 'ol 4.0 uses a long bolt to set the tension via the power
steering pump. The 4.0 was one of the last serpentine belt systems using a
manually set tension system. It is set this way on my 2000XJ.

Carl

"Jeff Strickland" <crwlr@verizon.net> wrote in message
news:dexbj.10150$GV4.10106@trnddc05...
> TIME OUT!
>
> Sorry.
>
> Don't serpentine belts have a spring loaded tensioner, making the
> adjustment of the belt tension unnecessary?
>
> I had several cars and trucks that use serpentine belts, and each of them
> had a spring loaded tensioner. The only vehicles I own that require belt
> tension adjustments are the ones that still use v-belts.
>
> Time in ...
>
>
>
>
> "Mike Romain" <romainm@sympatico.ca> wrote in message
> news:476e955d$0$15218$9a6e19ea@unlimited.newshosti ng.com...
>> The only real way these days is to get the tension gauge tester. They
>> sell this unit that grabs the belt and measures the deflection over a
>> certain distance to set it. These are not too expensive.
>>
>> Mike
>> 86/00 CJ7 Laredo, 33x9.5 BFG Muds, 'glass nose to tail in '00
>> 'New' frame in the works for '08. Some Canadian Bush Trip and Build
>> Photos: http://mikeromainjeeptrips.shutterfly.com
>>
>> Mel P. wrote:
>>> I guess this is really a general question, not vehicle specific. But,
>>> I'm asking in regards to my 96 Cherokee.
>>>
>>> How do I check or know if the tension is correct on the serpentine belt?
>>> I think I over-tighten it and end up wrecking the water pump
>>> bearings/pulley.
>>>
>>> tia,
>>>
>>> Mel P.
>

 

In article <dexbj.10150$GV4.10106@trnddc05>,
"Jeff Strickland" <crwlr@verizon.net> wrote:

> TIME OUT!
>
> Sorry.
>
> Don't serpentine belts have a spring loaded tensioner, making the adjustment
> of the belt tension unnecessary?

Not always.
Not in this case.

 

In article <dexbj.10150$GV4.10106@trnddc05>,
"Jeff Strickland" <crwlr@verizon.net> wrote:

> TIME OUT!
>
> Sorry.
>
> Don't serpentine belts have a spring loaded tensioner, making the adjustment
> of the belt tension unnecessary?

Not always.
Not in this case.

 

Mike Romain wrote:
> The only real way these days is to get the tension gauge tester. They
> sell this unit that grabs the belt and measures the deflection over a
> certain distance to set it. These are not too expensive.

Ditto that.

It also depends on if that 96 had the tension arm. The V8 Grands had one.
If it has one of those then there is no adjustment to be made.
The I6 didn't, so you need a tension gauge and an assortment of wrenches
to fiddle with the PS pump (two bolts on the back are the pain), the lock
nut on front, and the adjuster. (it's a bit easier to adjust if you remove
the airfilter box)

Expensive one, but it works on many types of belts.
http://www.etoolcart.com/browseprodu...ion-Gauge.HTML
How it works.
http://polarbearinc.com/PBPC/homepag...uct_belts.html

There are cheaper ones out there like the krikkit, some like it, some
don't.

> Mel P. wrote:
>> I guess this is really a general question, not vehicle specific. But, I'm asking in regards to my 96 Cherokee.
>>
>> How do I check or know if the tension is correct on the serpentine
>> belt? I think I over-tighten it and end up wrecking the water pump
>> bearings/pulley.