Gatorback belts

[Dre L]

Well I started to notice a rattle coming from around the belt tensioner during a hard week of rain, but only when the AC/defroster was on.



I figure I'll go about changing the tensioner, idler pulley, and the belt again even though it's new. I have a thing about bad tensioners, and rather install the belt again.



Anyone ever use a Goodyear Gatorback belt? Any good?

 

[EddieS'04]

If the noise is only when ac/def is on, it is probably the ac compressor chattering.

If it was only doing it during the rain, the belt might have been wet and was slipping under load. That will make a chatter.



I buy nothing but Gates belts. Never had one to fail and they have a very long life.

Not sure about the GY belt, but the Gates have out performed everything else I have tried..

 

[Dre L]

Thought that, but it wasn't a "chatter" like with slipping, it was a rattle like a hard object in the dryer, very fast.

 

[EddieS'04]

Take a bar of bath soap, rub it on both sides of the belt with the motor running. If the noise stops, it is the belt macking the noise.

I have had serpentine and v-belts, make some real metalic noises. It is hard to imagine, but belts can make alot of noise...



On the other hand it could be the idler pully or tensonor...

 

[Jacob Economou]

just watch the belt tensioner... If it is moving with the rattling, you need a new one, belive me I have had 2 replaced under warranty so far. The ford dealership tells me its cause I go through too much water, but they're SOL cause my driveway floods about 2 foot deep every time it rains good (thats why I lifted my truck ) I actually just had the second one replaced on tuesday.

 

[Bruce Richardson 2]

I only run Gatorback belts on my supercharged Bonneville. It's the only belt I tried that wouldn't slip when the supercharger was doing it's thing. I haven't replaced the factory belt on the ST yet, but I will use Gatorback when I do.

 

[brandon mena]

I like Gatorbacks, they seem to run quieter. I had changed the serpentine on my Crown Vic police interceptor a couple years ago to a Gatorback and it was great.