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loudsubz
08-05-2012, 08:18 PM
Swapped out the belt on our Assault 325 today because it was making a squealing noise. Got the correct belt from NAPA according to Indmar.

Installed the belt but wasn't able to get the belt as tight as I would like. Indmar suggest no more than 1/4" deflection but I had a piece of wood wedges between the alternator bracket and alternator and I was afraid of bending or breaking that thin piece of metal that has that 9/16" bolt on the engine. What method do you guys use to tighten the belt?

NCSUmoomba
08-05-2012, 08:28 PM
I am almost embarrassed to admit, but I used a pry bar about 2 feet long. I just made sure to be very gentle with it.

kaneboats
08-05-2012, 11:40 PM
What year or how many hours? I have some squeak but just hit 170 hrs. Not sure what is squeaking right now.

phospher
08-05-2012, 11:48 PM
it is difficult to tighten. I just use brute force with my arms. Then after I run it the first time I tighten it once more time.

loudsubz
08-06-2012, 12:10 AM
What year or how many hours? I have some squeak but just hit 170 hrs. Not sure what is squeaking right now.

2010 with 155 hrs

mmandley
08-06-2012, 10:43 AM
All you need is it to be tight enough to not squeel when you accelerate, and not so lose its flaping like a lose bike chain.

If you over tighten it you will wear the alternator and water pump bearing out pretty fast and be paying a lot more for those, plus removing and reinstalling that same belt.

If you have belt squeel, spary a little WD40 on it while its running, sqeel goes away try tightening the belt a little more. Squeel doesnt go away, or you see cracks in the belt its time to replace it.

kaneboats
08-06-2012, 11:17 AM
Whatever squeak I have I did not notice till I opened the rear locker when someone else was driving. So I opened the hatch and listened and had my daughter accelerate adding 500 RPM at a time. Did not notice anything till 2500 RPM. Seems kind of unlikely to be belt squeal at that high of RPM but I guess it could be.

loudsubz
08-06-2012, 11:24 AM
All you need is it to be tight enough to not squeel when you accelerate, and not so lose its flaping like a lose bike chain.

If you over tighten it you will wear the alternator and water pump bearing out pretty fast and be paying a lot more for those, plus removing and reinstalling that same belt.

If you have belt squeel, spary a little WD40 on it while its running, sqeel goes away try tightening the belt a little more. Squeel doesnt go away, or you see cracks in the belt its time to replace it.

Our belt was glazed so it was time to replace.

loudsubz
08-06-2012, 11:24 AM
I am almost embarrassed to admit, but I used a pry bar about 2 feet long. I just made sure to be very gentle with it.

I double checked with Indmar again and seems they use a crowbar as well to tighten so I guess it can't be that bad :)

NCSUmoomba
08-07-2012, 10:27 AM
Well that is good to know! Mine belt had about 550 hours on it, and was still working fine. I was having slight charging issues, so I thought the belt may be slipping on the alternator. I tightened it first, but the alternator was as far as it would go and the belt was not as tight as I wanted it. So I figured that it had stretched, so I went ahead and replaced it. I was able to tension the new belt like I wanted, so the old belt had in fact stretched quite a bit.

Consequently, it didn't solve my charging issue. It turns out that my stereo battery had finally bit the bullet and wasn't taking charge any more. New battery, all is fine.

deepcove
08-09-2012, 12:46 AM
Swapped out the belt on our Assault 325 today because it was making a squealing noise. Got the correct belt from NAPA according to Indmar.

Installed the belt but wasn't able to get the belt as tight as I would like. Indmar suggest no more than 1/4" deflection but I had a piece of wood wedges between the alternator bracket and alternator and I was afraid of bending or breaking that thin piece of metal that has that 9/16" bolt on the engine. What method do you guys use to tighten the belt?


I used a hockey stick....

beat taco
08-09-2012, 02:33 AM
A belt tightening thread
15725
Yay, where do you keep your bag?