Alert Serpentine belt failures

[Neal]

I know @ARD just went through this twice back to back and now I see a thread in the Newmar Owner's Group on Facebook that this is happening to people more often than I care to imagine. Maybe @ARD can shed light on what Spartan told her but it appears to be an alignment issue in the pulleys the belt travels. It seems like maybe in recent years they weren't installed properly? Just a hunch. Moral is, carry extra belts, maybe more than one, know the part number to get from stores like local auto supply stores as they are typically generic belts (heavy duty version). And maybe next time you do your chassis service ask for this to be inspected and verified.

 

[sheridany]

I can tell you that if the pulleys aren’t aligned perfectly on a Prevost the belts and or the pulleys will fail. I have seen it happen to others. I carry a complete set of belts because finding them somewhere in the US usually requires waiting for belts to be shipped to you. I know people who found an equivalent belt at NAPA auto store and it caused belt squealing like no tomorrow after it was installed. They had to wait. So the moral of the story is get the belts from the manufacturer and carry a spare set. My .02 cents.

 

[AbdRahim]

They had to wait. So the moral of the story is get the belts from the manufacturer and carry a spare set. My .02 cents.

Also, keep in mind rubber deteriorates, even when not used. I have been carrying a spare since I bought the coach in 2020. It would now be likely goid for an emergency, but I would not trust it for a permanent replacement. I think I got it at O’Reilly - funny, at least they know what a f53 chassis is. AutoZone and Advanced Auto seem to have no clue.

 

[Webz]

I carry a spare set of belts. Only belt issue I've had is when the dash AC compressor locked up and broke the belt. Had 4K miles on the bus at the time.
I put my spare belts and and fuel filters in a food saver vacuum bag. Figure it won't hurt.

 

[ARD]

I put my spare belts and and fuel filters in a food saver vacuum bag. Figure it won't hurt.

I seal vac them with my food saver too! lol Big Mike (Spartan) told me to that 7 years ago when I first started out.

So yes, 2 fan belts with a perfect cut. Because the alignment was off the belt would walk up the pulley and it would make a perfect straight line cut down the belt. Luckily, I carry a spare belt or I would have been on the side of the road much longer than 4 hours both times. I've ordered a ½ inch breaker bar so next time IF and hopefully WON'T happen again, I can change it.

Spartan adjusted the alignment and now I am sporting a FleetRunner green fan belt that you have to pry on so I am carrying a green belt and the usual fan belt. The green belt to be used at my next service and the normal one for "just in case."

Safe travels Everyone!

 

[Neal]

I've ordered a ½ inch breaker bar so next time IF and hopefully WON'T happen again, I can change it.

Link for those that may want to get one too?

 

[ARD]

Link for those that may want to get one too?

Amazon.com

 

[redbaron]

What about the other belts? Is it only the main that you have had fail? I’ve read where the fan belt has caused issues and I believe there is a 3rd belt too.

 

[ARD]

What about the other belts? Is it only the main that you have had fail? I’ve read where the fan belt has caused issues and I believe there is a 3rd belt too.

I have only had fan belt issues.

 

[Webz]

I've only have two belts.

 

[J&JD]

Carrying a breaker bar like @ARD recommends is a good idea. Make sure it has a swivel head as it helps in the tight areas where you will use it. Changing the belt(s) can be done by one person but is much easier with a helper. One can hold the breaker on the tensioner while the other positions the belt.

 

[Joe Hogan]

For those that have not had a belt failure, you might want to take a picture of the engine accessory end to have the correct routing of belts just in case.

 

[Kevin D Pem]

I seal vac them with my food saver too! lol Big Mike (Spartan) told me to that 7 years ago when I first started out.

So yes, 2 fan belts with a perfect cut. Because the alignment was off the belt would walk up the pulley and it would make a perfect straight line cut down the belt. Luckily, I carry a spare belt or I would have been on the side of the road much longer than 4 hours both times. I've ordered a ½ inch breaker bar so next time IF and hopefully WON'T happen again, I can change it.

Spartan adjusted the alignment and now I am sporting a FleetRunner green fan belt that you have to pry on so I am carrying a green belt and the usual fan belt. The green belt to be used at my next service and the normal one for "just in case."

Safe travels Everyone!


View attachment 25858View attachment 25859

Just a note! Prying on a belt is harmful to the reinforcement, and may shorten belt life.

The bottom numbers should match, that is the belt size!!!

 

[Joe Hogan]

Big Mike stated at a Spartan informational event that the Spartan belts contain Kevlar composite in the belt construction. They are more expensive but last considerably longer in service, as long as they stay where the are supposed to be.

 

[ARD]

Big Mike stated at a Spartan informational event that the Spartan belts contain Kevlar composite in the belt construction. They are more expensive but last considerably longer in service, as long as they stay where the are supposed to be.

The tech said that the belts stretch. @Kevin D Pem not sure why they chose to put this belt on. Will ask in April when I go in for service.

 

[FLSteve]

For those that have not had a belt failure, you might want to take a picture of the engine accessory end to have the correct routing of belts just in case.

I did take some pictures like you suggested, but also decided to come up with some belt routing diagrams as well. Now when I am standing in back of the coach on a dark cold night it might be a little easier to change one. My engine has four (4) belts. FYI only.

FLSteve

 

[FLSteve]

I decided to just make sure I had all the tools needed and knew how to change the belts while it was sitting in my garage and have it all figured out except for my AC belt. It is a single dedicated belt and for the life of me I can figure out how to loosen it without removing the four (4) bolts that hold the AC compressor to the engine. Here is a picture. The bottom pully is a double pully that is connected directly to the water pump. Anybody ever changed this belt? It it is on the 500 HP engine.

FLSteve

 

[sheridany]

I don’t have a Cummins engine so I can’t verify this is 100% correct. To loosen the AC pulley belt on a Cummins engine, locate the belt tensioner, which is usually near the AC compressor pulley, and use a ratchet or wrench to rotate it in the designated direction (typically clockwise) to release tension on the belt, allowing you to remove it from the pulleys; I’d also tell you to have a breaker bar handy to loosen that tensioner.

 

[FLSteve]

I don’t have a Cummins engine so I can’t verify this is 100% correct. To loosen the AC pulley belt on a Cummins engine, locate the belt tensioner, which is usually near the AC compressor pulley, and use a ratchet or wrench to rotate it in the designated direction (typically clockwise) to release tension on the belt, allowing you to remove it from the pulleys; I’d also tell you to have a breaker bar handy to loosen that tensioner.

Yes, that’s exactly how I change the other three belts, but this one as shown in the picture doesn’t have a tensioner. It basically goes from the bottom pulley up to the AC compressor pulley and the only thing I can see to move is the entire AC compressor but it’s gotta be easier than that.

 

[J&JD]

Are you sure that that bottom pulley is not also a tensioner? Usually when there is a square hole in front it is meant to allow you to attach a 1/2” bar to apply pressure to release the tension. My 2017 does not have the same setup as yours so I could be wrong.