What brand belt do you guys/gals recommend?
My truck had a NAPA belt when I bought it, after a few months it stated squeeling. I replaced it with a belt from Advance auto, it lasted a day before it shreaded. They gave me a new one, and it also shreaded after a few months leaving me stranded in BFE.
I then bought another NAPA belt (only parts store for miles) and yesterday it started squeeling again real bad after I hosed off the engine.....
I forked over $58 for a Gates Green Stripe belt from O' Rileys. (It was their best belt with a 1 year warrenty)
Did I just waste more money? So far (today) its been a very quiet belt.

 

OEM, Baby!

Got mine from Ed. Reasonably-priced, and quick to ship.

Since you're shredding belts, carefully check the alignment of all your tensioner pulleys.

Gates makes a very good belt, however, and if you haven't got pulley problems, it should give you very good service.

Pop

 

Pulleys are good. I'm not sure what happend with the Advance belts?
I wonder who makes the OEM belt
I'm afraid to rinse my engine again now.
I'll have to find Rick's (millerfeed) secret. I looked under his hood at the GTG and WOW....its cleaner than showroom new.

 

i would say OEM ford motorcraft belt as i have never replaced mine since the day i drove it off the lot 160,000 miles later its sill in good condition

 

OEM for me.My first lasted over 120k miles and still looked and worked good so I figgered thats as good as t gets.Still have the old one for a spare

 

Pop has the right advice about checking things. Napa and Carquest both sell Gates belts as their private label. If all your belts are squeaking, something else is going on.

I'd suggest you inspect your new belt now for any signs of wear before you have problems with the new one.

 

I went with the OEM for the same reasons as above. I carry the still good old one, as a spare.

 

I clear it up for you...



OEM BABY!

 

Maybe something is going on? I replaced all three tensioner pulleys, and I still have the same problem. Everything looks good, and rolls smooth without the belt .
I even tried a can of belt conditioner to stop the squeel, and it just changed the tone on the noise.
Do you think the actual tensioner spring could be the problem? The last belt that shredded happened right as I floored it to pass someone.

 

I have anew Napa belt.As Chris said,it has Gates name on it and Napa as well.

 

Frank, When my tensioner started to go out I was seeing deflection in the belt between the alternator and power steering pump. Then when it was on it's last leg it started to make a loud clanking sound. Good chance yours has never been changed out and probably a good idea. You can look at the gap in the tensioner and make sure that it is even. Don't take apart the old one they are spring loaded and may cause bodily harm.. I was going to take mine apart until I read the warning on the directions. I have a gator belt and OEM as a spare.....:

 

Ill have to take a look-see for deflection. Maybe the squeel is the belt slipping. Thanks for the heads up Grant, I dont mess with springs under tension.

 

Frank,
How do the Bearings feel on your AC compressor clutch pully?? Just thinking outloud.

 

I shreded one belt after another it ended up being the power steering pump. When I hit the brakes hard the pump was looking up due to a failure in the pressure spring from the hydroboost and causing the belt to spin and cut through the sharp ridges on the pulley. Just a thought.

 

Nice and smooth, quiet and tight. Thats exactly what I thought was going at first.

Interesting......and worth looking into. Thanks