Belt tensioner arrived

billy · #1 10-25-2007, 09:31 PM

I bought a belt tensioner to test the ribbed belts on the car and it arrived today. Simple enough device thats basically a lever that pulls the belt between two points and you can read the tension required on a gauge. Works from 50lbs to 180lbs.

Anyway, it's here if anyone local needs it.

JimLill · #2 10-26-2007, 07:50 AM

Wow, the deluxe model......... I use this $22 one

http://www.amazon.com/KRIKIT-BELT-TE...3402944&sr=8-1

Eric · #3 10-26-2007, 08:12 AM

Billy,

Did you give it a shot? Is it easy to use? Do we have numbers on what the tension is supposed to be on all the belts?

billy · #4 10-26-2007, 10:00 AM

On Jim Kritit "NOTE: Not for use on timing belts".

It's here anyway, accurate to 10% or so they say. Bring on the belts for testing

sbranda · #5 10-27-2007, 03:12 PM

You can actually get the krikit belt tensioner at Napa or Orielly's for about $12. A lot of the Lotus guys use them as a grassroots method for tensioning timing belts (they're meant for v-belts). The Esprit timing belts are supposed to be tensioned to 95 lbs. The equivalent for that belt on the krikit was 55 lbs (I think each belt requires a different correction factor). I tried to use one once, but it was defective and told me my belt was loose when it was right in the middle of the correct range.

Billy, I ended up using one similar to yours to check the tension on the belt. I understand the caveat with these to be that they do have to be calibrated to the particular belt. You can do this yourself. If the belt is supposed to be tensioned to 95 lbs, you take the belt, cut it, hang 95 pounds from it, put the gauge on it and mark the spot where it measures.