Hi,

After hearing so much praise for the gatorback belts, I'd like to pick one up to fix my (now chronic) belt squeal problem. Can anyone tell me what size I should get for my 98 ranger, 3.0L w/o AC? Now that Autozone no longer carries them, I'd like to be sure before ordering the wrong one online. Different sites seem to suggest different sizes fit! Any help would be appreciated.

Thanks! :)

 

rub some candle wax on the belt to stop the squeel, soap will do it also but it will wash off when it rains. other than that try another parts house and order the one they say fits, if it doesn't they will take it back. they also make a spray called Belt ease that will stop the squeal as well and is a spray on.

 

Belt dressing and other household fixes are simply a band-aid repair and are not highly recommended.

Summit Racing carries both the 85 inch (GTR-4060855) and 88.25 inch (GTR-4060882) belts, however I couldn't find the "no A/C" belt.

Dayco makes a belt which is 86 inches and is noted for application for your year, make, engine, and no A/C.

Hopefully someone else in here with a similar truck will chime in.

Good luck!!

 

Thanks guys, I ordered the 4060855; I'll let you know if it's the right one.

 

replace your idler pulley and tensioner. The tensioner pulley becomes worn and the pulley is no longer parallel with the belt causing it to rub and squeal, takes 10 minutes and a torx socket to fix and costs about $70.

 

I know this is a little late, but here is a link to look up the correct gatorback belt for any vehicle. http://partfinder.veyance.com/

 

Sorry to revive such an old thread but I just completed this serpentine belt replacement (which was super easy) and all the info I found on the internet didn't help me with the proper size.

My truck is a 1999 Mazda B3000 3.0 V6, 2wd, power steering but no A/C.

I solved my chirping/squeaking belt by replacing the dayco belt with a gatorback belt which is now called a:

Continental Elite Poly-V Belt w "quiet Channel" technology

All the local parts source stores said I needed a 85.5" belt, which was incorrect. What I needed was an 86" belt, part no# 4060860.

Hope it helps someone out.

 

I recently found when looking at all the pulleys close up that they wear a pattern.

If you take it off and look at the side profile you will see it's not flat anymore like it should be. It will be slightly tapered. This taper causes the belt to sit lop sided and throws the belt off angle so it's not sitting flat anymore.

The chirp is caused by misalignment.
If you put some wd40 or water on it and the belt noise gets worse.....it's a worn bearing.
If you put wd40 on it or water and the chirp goes away.....it's misaligned. Changing out the pulleys themselves is the cure for this.

Sometimes it's the tensioner. However.....when the tensioner is replaced. The pulley is replaced as well. The problem goes away and you think the tensioner is at fault. When it is actually only the pulls.

New fancy Gatorback or whatever belts are a bandaid. You should be able to put the cheapest junk belt on there and it works fine as long as the parts are I good working order.

De glazing......maybe. Couldn't hurt but it's usually not the cause.

Tensioner.......it should bounce when the engine is reved. It's it's stuck then it could be over tightening. So let's say it is over tightening. It will stretch the belt over time and make it loose. This could also cause it to slip.

But again......tensioner a are often replaced because the pulley surface area is not flat anymore.
This was said above in thread 5 but not as in depth. We will call it social proof