fan belts again...

[alanh]

i've just spent many happy hours changing the original pattern thick fan belt on my 2. i'd forgotten what a struggle that can be and i will definitely be changing to thin belt next time the front has to come off the car.

 

the belt i fitted is far too short, something 900 i think? but seems to be the "original" type provided by many suppliers. i've trawled the archives but can't find any mention of a part number for a cogged version available in the UK. the QH number for the thin belt is QBA963 (i think). anybody know the number of the thick equivalent? it must exist: there appear to be daycom (sp?) ones in australia but i can't find a supplier in this country.

 

if all else fails i'll take my broken one down to the local motor factor and see if he doesn't mind trawling through his stock to see if anything fits.

 

if the answer is in the archives, i apologise. (please show me where!)

 

cheers,

 

alan

[Kiwifrog]

Alan

 

The spare I have for my TR 4 which should be the same for your car is a Flennor 20 X 900 LI It fits on the 4 as I had to replace it a couple of weeks ago but it is a 900MM belt. I thought the 2 would be the same. Do you have some non origonal accesories on your car ??

 

Cheers

 

Alan

[vivdownunder]

Hi Alanh,

 

The wide fanbelt was the same four length for all the 4 potters. The trap is that if an original 20 section belt can't be obtained, and a 17 or 15 section is substituted, then this changes the length because the belt sits lower in the pullies.

 

Here are a few options -

 

Cummins Diesel cogged belt P/N 178539WRZ.

 

Dayco Top Dog Gold Label cogged belt P/N 28380 (20x965 which is ideal)

 

Gates cogged belt 19x970

 

Mitsubishi wide cogged belt 17 x889B-35 (A fridge belt from bearing shops).

 

Moss Motors in the USA have a cogged belt P/N 834-025 (which is much better than the original solid belt).

 

Do you realise that if you put the wheels on full lock, it's easier to get the wide belt past the steering tie rod. Turning the belt side on helps get it past the starter handle bolt.

 

Regards,

 

Viv.

[alanh]

thanks alan and viv,

 

yes alan, i agree the 900 should fit as it's the one moss et al provide as the standard fitment, but i can never get it around all 3 pulleys without removing the dynamo to twist it around enough to get the belt onto it's pulley. just pushing it on the pivot against the block doesn't give enough room. as far as i know it's standard configuration, no accessories added. i'll have to compare with another 4 cyl car when i can.

 

an added complication is that i have to remove the electric fan mounted inboard of the radiator to make enough space to get the belt over the water pump pulley too. as it's an early car with the cable operated bonnet release, all that gubbins makes for less hand room at the front of the engine.

 

thanks viv for the other options. yes, i knew about the full lock trick. i tried to find a dayco after your earlier reply that i did find in the archives, but i can't find a stockist easily in the UK. they appear to operate in europe but don't have a list of stockists. maybe i'll email them.

 

i can't help thinking there's an easily available quinton hazell one down at my local kevin coopers branch if i only knew the number!

 

i'll keep digging and thanks again for your replies.

 

alan

[RAHTR4]

Alan,

 

I am in the midst of changing from dynamo to alternator on my TR4 but still retaining the fat belt.

 

No way could I get the standard 900 internal circumference belt to fit - which having previously checked the Forum questions and answers I knew would be the case.

 

Moss and the TRShop only sell standard size belts however I noted that Revington supply various lengths of belt, so I sent them an e-mail and gave them a call, they sell a larger belt RTR 5034X 1000 which I was told suits this conversion, thus I have bought one which I have yet to fit.

 

It is a German manufactured belt marked Optibelt VB 20 x 1000 L1 and strangely I think, it has an internal circumference of 985mm and a 1060mm outer circumference. So quite why it is marked 1000 I cannot see the logic?

Also the cross sectional dimensions are the same as the original belt.

 

As I say, I have yet to fit it, but being larger than standard by 85mm it might well suit your purpose and save all the heaving and grunting getting it onto the pulleys, providing you end up with sufficient movement on the adjusting arm to obtain the required tension.

 

Regards, Richard

[alanh]

hi richard,

 

my 900 belt came from RTR too but i must admit i haven't spoken to them.

 

i'm relieved to hear that i'm not the only one to have a problem with the 900 belt, but can't imagine anyone fitting it easily. how can it have ever been original fitment i wonder?

 

i've had a dig around for viv's suggestions and have found a supplier of some dayco belts in the uk, but viv's part number "doesn't compute". viv, does anything here look like your recommended dayco belt?

 

this one is a 17a0965c (17mm width? 965mm length?)

 

http://www.camskill.co.uk/products.php?pli...b803s2588p14091

 

cheers,

 

alan

[vivdownunder]

Hi Alan,

 

I suspect a 17 x 965 belt will be too long, as the 17 section Mitsubishi belt that fits the standard generator set-up is only 889.

 

Here the TRR has it's own spare parts supply, and we stock the Dayco cogged belt pictured at http://www.tr-register.com.au/pics/newparts/t219.jpg

 

I doubt that Dayco makes this belt just for Oz, as our market would be too small, so perhaps you can email your stockist to see if they either carry or can obtain part 28380 for you.

 

Regards,

 

Viv.

 

 

PS Just noticed the Dayco is a Top Cog, not a Top Dog as I previously posted.

Edited April 29, 2009 by vivdownunder

[littlejim]

Alan,

the responses above have probably sorted things out for you already.

When I went through this exercise after fitting an alternator (with old wide pulley fitted) I just had to keep going until I found one I could get over the pulleys and tighten sufficiently. The one that worked is actually 17mm thick not 22mm or whatever the original was. The suppliers were good and kept taking the wrong ones back. When I went from automotive to industrial suppliers the width wasn't expressed in mm's but in profiles A, B etc. Having to loosen the engine mounts and jack up the donk to get the belt nto the pulleys each time adds to the pleasure.

At that stage you start to contemplete self immolation or TR4A immolation.

[RAHTR4]

Viv,

 

Can you confirm what the internal circumference of this particular Dayco 28380 belt is?

 

Being cogged I assume it would be easier to fit and also give the bearings an easier time in use.

 

Regards, Richard

 

 

Hi Alan,

 

I suspect a 17 x 965 belt will be too long, as the 17 section Mitsubishi belt that fits the standard generator set-up is only 889.

 

Here the TRR has it's own spare parts supply, and we stock the Dayco cogged belt pictured at http://www.tr-register.com.au/pics/newparts/t219.jpg

 

I doubt that Dayco makes this belt just for Oz, as our market would be too small, so perhaps you can email your stockist to see if they either carry or can obtain part 28380 for you.

 

Regards,

 

Viv.

 

 

PS Just noticed the Dayco is a Top Cog, not a Top Dog as I previously posted.

[alanh]

thanks all for your replies.

 

viv, i checked with dayco (btw i think they should use the top dog name!) and the reply from the european distributor is that 20a965 is an american product that they don't bring into europe.

 

so it looks like it isn't available in the uk through official sources. perhaps i'll buy a few from tr-register.au and distribute them in the uk myself!

 

but the mystery to me is that some like alan with his tr4 can fit the 900 belt ok, but richard and i can't. as far as i know my engine is standard. i wonder if one of the pulleys has been replaced at some time by a larger one? the dynamo would be the most likely culprit. i've replaced 2 in my ownership of the car in 5 years, but used the same pulley each time.

 

so the search continues...

[vivdownunder]

Firstly, Richard, sorry I don't have a Dayco 28380 belt to measure, as I have a NOS solid wide belt on the 3A at the moment. My spare is branded Dunlop Fan Belt V516 (Japan), which is about 18 x 965, so that's something different again, but it was fitted to another TR, so it works. Our club spare parts are 550 miles away up in Sydney.

 

I think the reasons for the cogged belt are better flexibility for longer life, better pulley grip, and less heat retention.

 

Alan,

 

I too have wondered how a 900 fan belt fits a standard car, unless it's a narrower 17 section, in which case it's close in length to the 889 Mitsubishi.

 

Sometimes Vanguard water pumps are fitted to TR's, and perhaps they have a different diameter pulley, but I don't know on that score. Another option would be to email Moss Motors USA and get their cogged belt airmailed across in a postbag. The Roadster Factory in the USA also offer a "high quality" replacement wide fan belt. Or contact a reputable local TR supplier such as TR Bitz, who should have something appropriate available for a standard car. It's probably an item easier purchased from a TR dealer than a generic parts outlet.

 

Regards,

 

Viv.

[Jack Horner]

I have a Flennor 20 x 900 cogged belt, that was on my TR2 if you need it let me know.

 

It was easy to get on and off with the original pully wheels and Dynamo fiited. But far too short for when an alternator was fitted. When you compare it to the 20 x 900 from Moss you can tell its longer and it is not as deep in profile.

 

 

I got a longer belt from RTR which is a Roulunds 2441 (20 x 975), but this was too long with the alternator. Then tried various belts from Gates in 17mm, but no joy.

 

Gave up in the end and just got the thin belt conversion.

[littlejim]

Alan,

 

for what it is worth, my original belt (with dynamo on) was a Flennor(Germany) 20x900L. (width and length in mm.

 

I eventually managed to get the following one over the pulleys with an alternator (original wide pulley fitted) it is a japanese brand avaialable at motoring shops in Oz - Bando #5370 - 17 x 915L.

It is a cogged belt.

With it the alternator adjustment is very close to the starting point. I also ordered a Bando belt 17 x 920L, which is available, as a spare. Can't find it in the TR mess downstairs to verify its # which somewhere else I have recorded as #5375.

 

Yell out if you can't source one yourself and need a Bando from Oz.

 

At first I tried to get belts that were 20mm thick to maintain the linear speed of the old belt, but couldn't find any long enough to get over the pulleys. The 17mm belt sits further down in the crankshaft pulley, which drives it, so revs of water pump and alternator will be down a bit, but probably insignificant. One of the forum's mathematical genii can probably tell us the difference.

[StevedTR4A]

I have a Flennor 20 X 12.5 X 900 LI belt on my 3A with Dynamo set up. Its absolutely fine. Does anyone know if there is a UK stockist for these as I would like to get a spare.

Thanks

Steve