by Dave Jackson

Created on: September 21, 2008

Do you remember the screams of protest when serpentine belts were dumped on us by the automobile industry? One broken belt and everything's dead? They are an absolute nightmare to replace? They cost a fortune? Now we wonder why they weren't invented sooner. The old "fan" belts were a pain to replace and tension. Slippage from being too loose was annoyingly common and any one of them would leave you just as stranded when broken.

First of all, do you have a serpentine belt and does it need replacing? A serpentine belt is much wider than the conventional "v" belts and it will have a number of ribs on the inside edge. It will have the distinction of being the only belt under the hood. Don't be alarmed if it has a few cracks on the inside edge. Once these cracks occur in 1/8 inch intervals, it's time for a "pre-emptive transplant".

If your vehicle uses a serpentine belt with five ribs, don't settle for a four rib replacement (even though it will fit and work). Some cheaper brands will consolidate several lengths to reduce inventory and part numbers. It may be wise to pay for a name brand or dealer replacement for the simple reason of getting a better fit.

The single most important step to replace a serpentine belt is to ensure you know the path of the belt BEFORE you remove it. It looks easy to remember but trust me, when the belt is off, it's easy for uncertainty to creep in. The vehicle will have a diagram under the hood. Make sure it's not missing. Make a sketch of the path either in a notebook or in chalk on the shop floor. Better yet, take a couple photos with your digital camera.

Gone are the days of searching for which of those grease encased bolts loosens the belt, prying until your eyes bulge to apply tension and simultaneously re-tighten the bolts. And then do it all over again after determining the belt is now either too loose or tight. These fond memories can now be left to restoration and vintage car projects. All serpentine belt equipped vehicles will have a tensioner wheel. Whether it's a bolt, hex, or torx fastener, applying quite a bit of force (often 80 pounds or more) in a counter clockwise direction is standard. Just slip the belt off the handiest pulley and release the tensioner.

Before installing the new belt you should check the condition and alignment of the pulleys. They may be out of alignment diagonally (crooked) or parallel to each other. Either situation may have caused premature wear of your belt and will have to be remedied. In some cases,

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