Most Important Factors to Consider When Replacing Belts

Maintaining the belts on a car is very important, as a belt breaking can cause the car to be totally inoperable. Routine belt maintenance and replacement can be done by nearly any auto repair shop, but it is also possible to save money by replacing belts at home.

Belts are extremely important to the function of the car. In older cars, there were several belts which were used to power various systems in the car. In newer cars, there is one single belt, called a serpentine belt. The serpentine belt powers many systems in the car (such as power steering, the air pump, and the alternator). If the serpentine belt breaks, the car will be inoperable.

The first step in replacing the belts in the car is to make sure there is a diagram of the configuration of the belts. Typically there is one on the underside of the car's hood. If there isn't one, a diagram should be drawn before the belt is removed. Next, the belt's tensioner should be removed. The old belt is then removed, and the new one is put on, leaving some slack at the tensioner. The tensioner then can be put back on.

It is a good idea to replace belts periodically, to prevent them from breaking. Most experts recommend that serpentine belts be replaced every four to five years, or 50,000 miles.