Blower belt questions

[TimP]

Ok...as you guys know I'm new to maintenance and all as in truck mounts. Anyways I own a Hydramaster CDS 4.8. I get slight squeeling from time to time when running. So I think my belt may be slightly loose.... I checked it to day and I can probably push the belt about 3/8th inch in one direction or maybe 3/4" total in both direction.

So the biggest questions are how do you adjust the belt, and do I need to? I had it done once by my supplier but I don't feel like driving my van 360 miles total for that. There is a machine screw that pushes down on the bearing that holds the lower pully that I think moves it down to put tension on the bearing or whatever you want to call it. Anyway it's all the way down. I don't see much other way to adjust the belt. Is there anyone who has one and can tell me if there is a way to put more tension on the belt. Or should is it time to buy a new belt as this one may be streched out. I have almost 950 hours on the belt so maybe it's at it's life expectancy??? It's pretty hot at times especially near the blower so I'm thinking this may be a possibility since the belt feels plastic like or hard.


Anyways I'm looking for someone who can help me out....

 

[Jim Martin]

If you are sure it is the blower belt then it is probably time to replace it..Normally when I changed mine I would have to loosen the block bearing and the tension on the hex head screw...If you say the supplier has already had to adjust it then it is stretched out to its max if the hex screw is already bottomed out.....

if it is at that point I would go ahead and change the apo and the cat belt while you are at it..if the blower belt is at that point get them all over with and not have to worry about it...more so if you have to drive that far....

blower belt is easy
cat belt is easy
APO (if you have it) will eat your lunch....hard to get to those bolts on the slide..

 

[TimP]

No APO here.

I feel I have to be a contortionist to get the blower belt done. I guess I'll order some belts next week. Looks like the Cat pump one I'll have to disconnect the PTO to do it.

 

[Jim Martin]

If I remember right there should just be a shaft coupler hooked on to the shaft from the PTO that holds the 2 together...take a scratch awl and mark where the coupler sits on the shaft before you remove it..
that way you can be sure to put it right back where it was...the cap pump itself sits on a slide plate and should have tension bolts....

 

[TimP]

I have tightened the belt on the cat pump before that's no biggie. The blower belt looks more difficuilt because it doesn't look adjustable. I wish Hydramaster would of done something like butler does with an auto tensioner.

 

[Jim Martin]

I liked my CDS but it was not a very "user friendly" unit....way to may useless bells and whistles to worry about...they crammed a lot of shit into a little area...........

 

[TimP]

Well I didn't replace the belt and kinda forgot about it cause I am a BDCC and I didn't have the cash to pay for a belt nor did I order anything from my hydramaster dealer since last june.....and he did remind me of that for sure.


Anyway on wed (my last job and today is friday) I heard a loud sound as I turne don the TM and it went away. Well today it made the same loud sound after finishing 3 br and a hall of the jobe and the belt broke. So I drove 5 hours to get the belt today. I have a job tomorrow 2 monday and a reschedule of today for monday probably too.....if I was busier this would of been more of a burden but glad I have plenty of open time to get it all done.

 

[Jack Zipper Zerkie]

Just had my 47 blower replaced today on my Hydramaster 470D. The unit stopped interlink said no repair so they put in a new one $2995.00 The double belts felt very loose on the new blower. I was told that my old blower belts were to tight and damaged the bearings? Oh well to late now time to work and pay for the repair. Jack Z.

 

[TimP]

Well I did check to see how the blower spun after it broke. And it's as smooth as silk. Both the pto and the blower. And the pto machine made almost no noise as it was spinning after the blower broke so I feel the bearings are fine.

Mine is a salsa machine and it gets very hot in the florida heat. Over 1,000 hours now so I suppose it did ok.....the new belt looks more durable....has a blue coating on the bottom (wear toothed side) and says "carbon" on the back of it...the old one doesn't. So maybe I'll get more life out of the second one. Also the old one is a good bit longer than the new.

 

[Able 1]

No pics? Mine was slipping (could smell the rubber burning) for three jobs today... I really can't believe they made it. I keep a spare set in the truck since it seems to happen quite a bit with my TM.

 

[Chris Sheldon]

Just had my 47 blower replaced today on my Hydramaster 470D. The unit stopped interlink said no repair so they put in a new one $2995.00 The double belts felt very loose on the new blower. I was told that my old blower belts were to tight and damaged the bearings? Oh well to late now time to work and pay for the repair. Jack Z.

When the belts are too tight it can cause what is known as "side loading"; which means the belts are pulling the bearing in one direction and eventually the bearing will wear-out/overheat and fail.

$2995 seems kinda pricey to replace a 47. I replaced a Roots 59 last year and that bill came out to about $3000.

 

[TimP]

No pics? Mine was slipping (could smell the rubber burning) for three jobs today... I really can't believe they made it. I keep a spare set in the truck since it seems to happen quite a bit with my TM.

No slipping with this for sure. The belt has teeth....once it starts slipping the belt gets eaten at least that's what it seems. No smell or nothing.

 

[TimP]

Ok update.....took me 2 hours to get it on. And had to have help to figure it out. Anyways the machine sounds good and may even have a bit more vac. I think it was a shitty belt from the start cause the machine has never sounded so smooth. Anyways I'm about to go test it out on some carpet.

 

[hogjowl]

Side note:

Never ever tell the price you paid for any type of repair or replacement work on the bulletin boards.

Some knuckle head will always tell you that he thinks you paid too much.

 

[Shane T]

Did you say you drove 5 hours to buy a belt? :shock: Surely you have a Grainger somewhere closer to you. Did you buy a spare belt while you were there?

 

[TimP]

Did you say you drove 5 hours to buy a belt? :shock: Surely you have a Grainger somewhere closer to you. Did you buy a spare belt while you were there?

It was Friday afternoon and I didn't want to dick around trying to find something that fit. They had it and I went and got it. It was 2.5 hours there 2.5 back. I drove my car there so I spent only around 20 bucks on gas to get it. Just my time was wasted but I really doubt that anyone would have this poly chain belt. Never seen anything like it in a vehicle or what not. So that's what my thinking was.

And no I only bought one. It lasted 1,000 hours and I'm a BDCC so maybe around 7-800 hours I might come off my money (all negative dollars of it, meaning i'm in debt up and above my eyeballs) and get one just in case.

 

[TimP]

Side note:

Never ever tell the price you paid for any type of repair or replacement work on the bulletin boards.

Some knuckle head will always tell you that he thinks you paid too much.

I paid nothing to have it repaired....just bought the part and cussed it in.


Anyways I got my job done, it runs the same as far as performance. At least that I can tell with a hole Greenhorn. But it sure does run smoother and quieter.

 

[Shane T]

Tim, I didn't realize you had that type of belt drive system on the blower. I've wondered why they aren't used more. It seems to me that belt slippage would be completely eliminated.

 

[TimP]

Tim, I didn't realize you had that type of belt drive system on the blower. I've wondered why they aren't used more. It seems to me that belt slippage would be completely eliminated.

Seems like that should be the case. But they can squeal and slip it seems. And when they do slip start to slip they are destroyed quickly. No burns or nothing on mine. half the teeth are shreded off and it has a very clean break....threads on both sides about half inch on both sides of the break.

 

[TimP]

Ok I found the belt on e-bay and I'm going to buy it as a spare. 1/2 the price of the hydramaster dealer.


Anyone who needs one for back up!

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vi ... %26fvi%3D1

auction #

200284248994


Gates Polychain 8mgt-720-21 part # for those who want to buy one later. Search for the carbon one.....I think they are probably better.....and has blue on the toothed part of the belt.


Keep in mind this is for the CDS 4.8 and probably 4.6.

 

[Rex Tyus]

I would bet you can get a Gates belt since you have the number at the local Carquest without the shipping charges.

 

[Guest]

Side note:

Never ever tell the price you paid for any type of repair or replacement work on the bulletin boards.

Some knuckle head will always tell you that he thinks you paid too much.

Well since Larry has one on his site for 1700.00 it might be warranted in this case.

 

[Chris Sheldon]

Side note:

Never ever tell the price you paid for any type of repair or replacement work on the bulletin boards.

Some knuckle head will always tell you that he thinks you paid too much.

Well since Larry has one on his site for 1700.00 it might be warranted in this case.

Thanks Kevin.

 

[Guest]

Chris,the more you are on here the more you will take what Marty says not very seriously, and he is just pissy cause he ALWAYS pays to much.

 

[joey895]

I would bet you can get a Gates belt since you have the number at the local Carquest without the shipping charges.

Yep, you should be able to get any gates belt from carquest, albeit they would have to order that belt but like Rex said no shipping if they have it put on their regular delivery truck.

 

[hogjowl]

I am always pissy because I am always PISSY.

And for no other reason!

 

[Jimmy L]

Bought my belts at NAPA.

 

[Greenie]

nothing like buying a HydraSlave spec'd blower...I always like to pay $1000 more for a name, reminds me of the butler blowers too.