Reference: Ford V8 fan belts: off the shelf replacement

[Hanno Spoelstra]

Who can help me with specifications, or better:

a brand name and type number for a set of Ford V8 fan belts.

I need to replace the belts on my Ford F15A, as they have streched to their limit. The generator is at its highest point and the centre bolt barely holds the generator.

Thanks in advance!

Hanno

[Richard Farrant]

I have used B52 belts on British V8, oddly enough an Australian friend called me yesterday and he had been out to buy a B52 for one of his Fords.
Just in case you are not familiar with the designation, B indicates the width and 52 inches around inside of belt.

regards, Richard

[Hanno Spoelstra]

Originally Posted by Richard Farrant

Just in case you are not familiar with the designation, B indicates the width and 52 inches around inside of belt.

Thanks Richard,

It is currently fitted with a "BTR 51050", could this be a 51" belt? But then it wouldn't be too large, would it?

Hanno

[Hanno Spoelstra]

Originally Posted by Hanno Spoelstra

I need to replace the belts on my Ford F15A, as they have streched to their limit. The generator is at its highest point and the centre bolt barely holds the generator.

Here's a picture of the generator at its upper limit, barely held on by the bolt.

[Richard Farrant]

Originally Posted by Hanno Spoelstra

Thanks Richard,

It is currently fitted with a "BTR 51050", could this be a 51" belt? But then it wouldn't be too large, would it?

Hanno

Hi Hanno,
Belt makers often had their own set of numbers which did not mean much unless you had their catalogue. Take a look at this link for a B52;
http://www.vbeltsupply.com/ecommerce...ssic-belt.html
It states the belt is 55 inches around outside. Worth you taking a belt off and measuring. The belt may have stretched a little, but main reason for running out of adjustment is the flanks wearing allowing the belt to drop down in to the pulley vee.

[Hanno Spoelstra]

Thanks, will do.

Meanwhile I found the specs in the manual, width, height, but oddly enough it does not list the circumference?

[Richard Farrant]

Hanno,
Go back through the archives, B52 is mentioned !
http://www.mapleleafup.net/forums/ar...p/t-15045.html

[Lauren Child]

You can get spot-on replacements from Macs in the states. It's expensive shipping if that's all you need though.

http://www.macsautoparts.com/early_v8_ford_truck/

[Richard Farrant]

Originally Posted by Lauren Child

You can get spot-on replacements from Macs in the states. It's expensive shipping if that's all you need though.

http://www.macsautoparts.com/early_v8_ford_truck/

I just got the belt from my local bearing supplier.

[Hanno Spoelstra]

Thanks for finding that old thread, Richard.

I measured a spare BTR 51050 belt I have and surely enough it measures 53 inches on the inside. Combined with approx. 2 mm of wear (not stretching - thanks Richard) it obviously is now over size.

Have searched the internet and a B52 v-belt is an off the shelf item, used in many applications. I will call my local supplier tomorrow, surely this is a faster and cheaper option than buying from the States. But thanks for the suggestion, Lauren.

Will let you know how it all works out - thanks for now!

H.

[Hanno Spoelstra]

Originally Posted by Hanno Spoelstra

Have searched the internet and a B52 v-belt is an off the shelf item, used in many applications.

Found these specs (on a German site, thorough as they are):

Classical V-belts to DIN 2215 Part 1 / ISO 4184

B52 - 17x1320 Li - 17x1360 Ld / Lw

Dimensions:
Internal length (Li): 1320 mm
Effective length (Ld / Lw): 1360 mm
Upper belt width: 17 mm
Lower belt width: 9.4 mm
Belt height: 11 mm
Minimum disc diameter 112 mm
Conversion:
La = Li + 69 mm / La = Ld + 29 mm / Ld = La - 29 mm / Li = Ld - 40 mm

[Richard Farrant]

Hanno,
My Austalian friend emailed last night and the belt he has bought is one of the "toothed" type, a BX52. The metric number is 17 x 1330

regards, Richard

[Hanno Spoelstra]

Then I had a closer look at the old belts. As you can see they sit low down in the pulley, a tell-tale sign of wear. Luckily, the belt was not bottoming out:


Fitted the same make and size of belt, but unworn (bottom one in LH picture). Worn belt on top of and unworn one - note the obvious difference in length!


Approximate dimensions (mm) of BTR 51050 V-belt: worn | unworn
Internal length (Li): 1373 | 1355
Upper belt width: 16 | 17
Lower belt width: 8.5| 9.5
So, the width of the belt decreased by 1 mm, and the length increased by 18 mm - they do strech!

Generator bracket is now fitted on the adjustment bolt properly (compare with above), but still at the end of its adjusting range:


New B52 belts are on order, should be available over the counter tomorrow. While the B52 belts are 35 mm shorter, it will help getting the generator lower down on the adjustment bolt. Stay tuned!

Hanno

[Hanno Spoelstra]

Originally Posted by Hanno Spoelstra

While the B52 belts are 35 mm shorter, it will help getting the generator lower down on the adjustment bolt. Stay tuned!

Well.... Tried fitting the B52 belts yesterday, but they don't fit. With the generator in the lowest position, the belts would not fit over the pulleys. I might have been able to force them on with a screwdriver, but there should be enough slack to fit them by hand.

So I fitted an unworn BTR 51050, which is a B53 size. Those went on easily, but the generator still sits high on the adjustment bolt.

Maybe I should try a B52-1/2.

H.

[rob love]

I just went through this exercise of one belt being at the outer limit, and the next available size down was just too short. In my case it is an 8BA engine squeezed into a carrier.

The flatheads with the single water pump pulleys only had a bushing for the water pump shaft. As such, the belts were elft with considerable deflection. Since our CMPs had the heavy duty double pulley water pumps with a more conventional bearing on the pump shafts, you can get away with a little tighter belt.

The new belt will stretch considerably in the first 10 minutes of run time. Rather than forcing it on with a screwdriver, get it started onto the upper pulley as best you can and then turn the fan to get it to take. Once it is on the pulley, you may find it is not that bad. After 10 minutes of run-time, you may find it stretched into specs.

[Hanno Spoelstra]

Originally Posted by rob love

The new belt will stretch considerably in the first 10 minutes of run time. Rather than forcing it on with a screwdriver, get it started onto the upper pulley as best you can and then turn the fan to get it to take. Once it is on the pulley, you may find it is not that bad. After 10 minutes of run-time, you may find it stretched into specs.

Thanks for the tips, will give it a try again.

I will be living in my truck and doing a lot of driving during 13-22 september, so I'm sure I will get to learn much more about the intricacies of a Ford CMP

Hanno

[rob love]

Personally I love the Ford flatheads, with one exception. The charging systems on the early ones are so marginal (this goes for most 6 volts vehicles actually) that at some point you will be tempted to use the hand crank to start it. Twice my old KL whacked me in the elbow, and after I finished doing the dance of pain, she just sat there purring away, unapologetic and oblivious to the pain she caused me.