Eating Belts

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Mar 8, 2001 | 05:07 PM

tom87

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Eating Belts

My truck (87 F150 - 300) seems to be going through belts quite regularly. The belt starts to come apart on the side towards the radiator. I've checked all the pulleys and everyone of them spins freely except the power steering pulley. It does not turn freely and the pulley slides a little - frontward and backwards. Is this my problem? What should I do?

Thanks,
Tom

87 F150
300 - 4.9
4spd

Mar 8, 2001 | 05:25 PM

otto

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From: Racine WI

Eating Belts

Are you buying quality belts ? are your pulleys lined up with each other ? are you over tightening them ?

Mar 8, 2001 | 05:45 PM

Pastmaster

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Joined: Jun 1999

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From: Lee's Summit MO

Eating Belts

I would place money on your tensioner pulley. These have a habit of going out. I have to put a serpentine belt on my 1993 truck at least once a year. I need to replace the pulley, but haven't had time.

Mar 8, 2001 | 05:49 PM

tom87

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Eating Belts

I am using a Kelly (Goodyear)Belt. My truck uses a serpentine (one belt) setup. Everything appears lined up. I'll check the tensioner.

Thanks,
Tom

Mar 8, 2001 | 07:02 PM

jakegypsum

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From: Linwood, N.J. USA!

Eating Belts

I agree with the tensioner being the problem. Check both the pulley bearing on the tensioner and the tensioner pivot itself. I have seen trucks of all sizes have a little foward/back motion on the power steering pump but never really seen that to be much of a problem. Also, just like the above post, you do need to use a quality belt. I have used Gates and Motorcraft. No problems. Cheap belts can break quickly. Good luck.

Jakegypsum // Ford fleet, soup to nuts.

Mar 10, 2001 | 01:08 AM

ccjh97

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Eating Belts

You might want to check to make sure they pulleys are all tight. Get the torgue specs for the pulleys and tighten accordinaly. Another thing you might want to do is check for nicks in any of the pulleys, even the slightest nick will eat belts like crazy. I used to build Ford alternators so i know what eats belts.