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Pulleys
Smiley - August 13th, 2012 at 11:32 PM

Does anyone know where I can buy an equaliser pulley that is multiribbed for a serpentine style pulley/belt setup??

I'm chasing something like this
http://www.piersideparts.net/MB16-9700.html 

That has a belt setup something like this
http://www.piersideparts.net/CB1888.html 


Anyone seen a product like this on offer from anyone??



Smiley :)


vwo60 - August 14th, 2012 at 07:24 AM

I am not aware that you can get the combination, i run the 5 1/2" pulley with a billet alternator pulley, has a major advantage over the serpintine set up, belts are available everyware, and it does the job very well, there is no adavantage to the serpintine set up, only more things to go wrong.


Uber Kafer - August 14th, 2012 at 08:46 AM

Quote:
Originally posted by vwo60
there is no adavantage to the serpintine set up, only more things to go wrong.


whereas some people, who arent 'stock is best forever' types reckon they are a massive improvement over the stock system.

but this combo of equaliser pulley and serpentine belt is such a logical next step and evolution of the serpentine belt on VWs I reckon its only a matter of time before someone starts doing it. Check with BMD Pulleys or Motor Sports Tulsa ( MST ) in the US, they might already be working on it.
Or, be the first, buy a kit and get a machinist to make the main pulley for you.


Joel - August 14th, 2012 at 09:46 AM

Quote:
Originally posted by Uber Kafer
Quote:
Originally posted by vwo60
there is no adavantage to the serpintine set up, only more things to go wrong.


whereas some people, who arent 'stock is best forever' types reckon they are a massive improvement over the stock system.


Indeed, as long as it's not a high revving engine and it;s not a cheap sweatshop serpentine kit it's a nice upgrade.

Vbelts do the job, they are strong and cheap to manufacture, fine for your ride on lawn mower and keeping the stock purist nazis happy but technology has moved on, good reason why they havent been seen in mainstream cars for 2 decades and it's not cause rib belts look pretty.

Aside from the obvious benefits the couple I've had experience with reduced the vibrations the stock Vbelt setup transfers through all the tinware which made the engine idle quieter and smoother.

Just don't stick one on a big HP engine wthout a decent welded fan, exploding fans are no fun.


bajachris88 - August 14th, 2012 at 09:56 AM

Is somebody sussing out new belt systems to look towards driving that supercharger hey :P?


vwo60 - August 14th, 2012 at 03:11 PM

You run good billet top pulley, a good notched belt and a good bottom pulley with no run out and there are no problems with vibration with the stock set up.


Smiley - August 14th, 2012 at 09:09 PM

Thanks to everyone for their input.

Uber Kafer - Those sort of links is what I am chasing, I will check them out and see if they are offering anything.

vwo60 - I do agree with you about the simple stock design being very good. However one of the problems I have on my Baja is that dirt/mud and sand especially wear the belt out quite quickly. The V design doesn't help this as it wears the sides down and loses tension. I do a lot of kms in my Baja so something that's going to hold tension for longer than a month or 2 is exactly what I want. The ribbed belts have the added bonus of not wearing out as quickly.

Chris - Hadn't even thought of that. I've been wanting to add a weighted pulley for a while to make up for my lightened flywheel (why is that on a Baja!) And figured if I'm going tot eh trouble of buying a pulley then multiribbed instead of V was logical to include in my purchase.


Smiley :)


vwo60 - August 14th, 2012 at 10:54 PM

If the serpintine belt is subjected to the same amount of mud it will probaly wear as well, why not fit a cover over the belt so it is not subjected to the wear issue, the other problem will be mud getting into the idler puller bearing, from what i can find out the bearings in a lot of the idlers are very average, i just rebuilt my alternator and had a problem getting quality bearings, not some non discript chineese rubbish that is currently available, as far as i can see it is just another point of failure that will get over looked until it fails in the middle of noware.


Smiley - August 16th, 2012 at 09:17 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by vwo60
If the serpintine belt is subjected to the same amount of mud it will probaly wear as well, why not fit a cover over the belt so it is not subjected to the wear issue, the other problem will be mud getting into the idler puller bearing, from what i can find out the bearings in a lot of the idlers are very average, i just rebuilt my alternator and had a problem getting quality bearings, not some non discript chineese rubbish that is currently available, as far as i can see it is just another point of failure that will get over looked until it fails in the middle of noware.


The belt won't wear as badly because on a V belt the edges wear off and they soon lose tension. Whereas a muiltrib runs on the bottom edge on on the sides of the belt. Plus the tensioner will keep the belt tught anyway.

You make a good point about the idler pulley bearing. I have no intention of buying a cheap kit so I hope that good quality parts will be present. As for breaking in the middleof no where, I always carry spares in the car, and a spare idler and belt won't be an exception. You're mad not too in cars this old, especially the kms and flogging that I give mine.


I emailed both of the companies that Uber Kafer mentioned above, so far no replies.



Smiley :)


68AutoBug - August 16th, 2012 at 09:47 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by vwo60
You run good billet top pulley, a good notched belt and a good bottom pulley with no run out and there are no problems with vibration with the stock set up.


Yes, it depends on the bearings in the idler pulley...
and the multi ribbed belts are very strong..

but just carry a few 11.3 x 912 belts [alternator belts]
not expensive and easy to replace...

LEE

PS: I bought a spare belt at Valla for $6 from george...
I left My spares at home... good for a spare but Ill probably never use it... lol I prefer German belts from VVD.. Lee