Drive Belt loose

[ArgoSteve]

Just bought my 93 Vanguard and just checking everything over and noticed the drive belt is very loose, is this normal? how much slack should it have?

[george_pimpdaddy]

best bet is to take a picture of it being loose and post it up so that others can look.

[Jeff t-boss]

If that is the only belt on the machine, it's normal. If you start the machine and watch as you SLOWLY throttle up, you will see the clutch on the engine start to "close", thust taking up the slack in the belt That's how it works. There is a link on this site that shows a picture of proper belt adjustment/travel. I believe it's in the pic gallery.

If this works, click on this link http://www.6x6world.com/images/salis...nverter-19.jpg

[ArgoSteve]

If that is the only belt on the machine, it's normal. If you start the machine and watch as you SLOWLY throttle up, you will see the clutch on the engine start to "close", thust taking up the slack in the belt That's how it works. There is a link on this site that shows a picture of proper belt adjustment/travel. I believe it's in the pic gallery.

If this works, click on this link http://www.6x6world.com/images/salis...nverter-19.jpg

It's almost like the middle belt, figure 4-A-2 Loose Belt.

Will try to take a pic when the weather turns better tomorrow.
Steve

[ArgoSteve]

Just went out to check my belt again and when I squeeze the belt together, I can touch them together, doesn't seem normal to me.
Steve

[Roger S]

Measure the width of your belt and tell us what it is. If it has worn narrow, or has the wrong belt on it, that will make it more loose. Argos usually set the distance between clutches at the factory, and if nothing has been changed, that distance never changes. I know the later models change the # of shims between the shivs on the trans clutch to set the belt.

Also can you give the vehicle ID #'s like V---- --

[ArgoSteve]

I will go out and measure in a bit. The argo id is Vanguard - Model No. V693-22, serial# S7151.

[ememechanic]

my 86 I/C 8x8 calls for a 125-56 belt. the top width should be no less than 1 5/16". There should also be a taper and some heavy cogs on the nderside. You shouldn't be able to squeeze it together. Hopefully someone has the same machine and can give you the part # or phone an ARGO dealer and they will be more than happy to help, but your belt is definitely shot. You may want to take the belt off and see if there is movement in your sheaves on your secondary clutch(t-case)by grabbing the inner and outer and moving them in opposite directions,and also a little throttle just enough to see if your primary closes and opens(engine) . I hope this helps.

[ArgoSteve]

my 86 I/C 8x8 calls for a 125-56 belt. the top width should be no less than 1 5/16". There should also be a taper and some heavy cogs on the nderside. You shouldn't be able to squeeze it together. Hopefully someone has the same machine and can give you the part # or phone an ARGO dealer and they will be more than happy to help, but your belt is definitely shot. You may want to take the belt off and see if there is movement in your sheaves on your secondary clutch(t-case)by grabbing the inner and outer and moving them in opposite directions,and also a little throttle just enough to see if your primary closes and opens(engine) . I hope this helps.

Hey ememechanic, I think that's the belt I have, 125-56. I measured the width of the belt, 1 3/8. I can definitely squeeze the belt together, see pics.
WHAT a pain in the ass it was taking off the exhaust/belt guards, OMG, I feel like leaving them off now!!!
BTW, I took off the exhaust manifold, can I reuse the gaskets when putting the mani back on? They look in half decent shape. Also the bolts, can I reuse them? Or should I replace both just to be sure?

[Roger S]

My guess is, it's not far from normal. I just went out and pinched my belt together on a '98 response. At about a 1/3 of the way back from the front clutch. I can't pinch them together at the 1/2 way point between clutches. My belt is worn a 1/16 or less.

There are a few things you could do to chage things, but first.. Argo says: at rest, the belt should be at the outer edge of the trans clutch(which it is). Start it in nuetral, rev the engine, and the belt should run out near or at the edge of the engine clutch. If it does this, operates normal, is as low geared on takeoff as you'd like, and has a top speed to suit you, then I'd spray some lube on the clutches and slam the hood

If you have shims between the trans clutch shivs, and also between the clutch and trans, those can be shuffled around to sandwich the belt tighter/take out slack. That's the factory adjustment that's not supposed to be necessary to change. If you go too far with removing shims, the belt will drag more on the engine shaft and cause harder shifting.

Have I overlooked the obvious, like engine mounting loose, or belt stretched( I don't know if they stretch)

[ememechanic]

I'm sorry. I should have waited for the pics. I was thinkig that you could litteally squeeze the the belt together in your fingers. Follow Argonut's instructions. Pictures are always better than words. I should have waited.