Took me 4 years to figure out I was over-tightening dryer belt tensioners

I used to crank those belts down tight thinking it would stop slipping. Then after a call last Tuesday on a 5 year old Samsung, the homeowner showed me the old belt still had tooth marks pressed into it from the pulley. That's when it clicked. I'd been stretching them out way too fast, causing premature wear and noise. Now I leave a little slack and check deflection with my thumb. Anyone else have a similar wake-up call on something you thought was basic?

2 comments

2 Comments

the_spencer4h ago

Read a guy on a hvac forum say the same thing about fan belts years ago and it stuck with me. The belt should have like half an inch of play or you're just cooking the bearings on the motor and the idler pulley.

parker1834h ago

Wait, you mean I'm NOT supposed to tighten belts until they're screaming like a dying animal? My dad taught me to crank em down like I was trying to strangle a snake. Half an inch of play sounds way too loose, like the belt is just gonna slip off and laugh at me. But I guess if an HVAC guy said it, it must be true, those guys are wizards with that stuff. Guess I've been cooking bearings for no reason, good to know I can finally stop treating my engine like a furnace.