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Soniccruzer · 04-06-2018, 10:22 PM

Interesting day 2 of our drive home with our new Mountain Aire. We shredded our drive belt to the cooling fan clutch. Picked up a new belt after calling Spartan and installed.
I seem to remember someone else having the same issue but can’t find post to see if there was a probable cause. Asked Spartan and dealer service and only thought was possible bad belt. Anyone have any ideas?

Scott

dav-cle · 04-07-2018, 05:07 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Soniccruzer

Interesting day 2 of our drive home with our new Mountain Aire. We shredded our drive belt to the cooling fan clutch. Picked up a new belt after calling Spartan and installed.
I seem to remember someone else having the same issue but can’t find post to see if there was a probable cause. Asked Spartan and dealer service and only thought was possible bad belt. Anyone have any ideas?

Scott

Scott my coach is on a FL chassis and i had a problem like that. I had called Cummins for a replacement belt and the belts I bought kept shredding after about 1000 miles. Long story short, although it's a Cummins engine, It is a Freightliner part.

BigDogSolo · 04-07-2018, 06:47 AM

I had this issue when my 2016 DS broke down with 2300 miles on it a month after we picked it up in Florida. I asked the question to FL on the phone...."How does this happen"..... well in my case, when the belt was installed (by hand) it was not properly lined up...the ribs of the belt with the pully.
Also....it was recommended by them that when replaced try to get it laser aligned to determine if the pully and arms are aligned correctly....which could cause the belt to become "mis-alligned".

So NOW.... I keep a spare belt and Tension bar.....and of course now it probably will never happen again.

Soniccruzer · 04-07-2018, 07:22 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dav-cle

Scott my coach is on a FL chassis and i had a problem like that. I had called Cummins for a replacement belt and the belts I bought kept shredding after about 1000 miles. Long story short, although it's a Cummins engine, It is a Freightliner part.

Well after just two days on the road I’m still trying to sort things out. I figured since mine is on a Spartan chassis they might do the cooling part. They were very responsive to my after hours call including follow up calls the next morning. I found a belt at Napa with same part reference, also have a spare. Spartan is sending me a new one to my home.

Soniccruzer · 04-07-2018, 07:23 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BigDogSolo

I had this issue when my 2016 DS broke down with 2300 miles on it a month after we picked it up in Florida. I asked the question to FL on the phone...."How does this happen"..... well in my case, when the belt was installed (by hand) it was not properly lined up...the ribs of the belt with the pully.
Also....it was recommended by them that when replaced try to get it laser aligned to determine if the pully and arms are aligned correctly....which could cause the belt to become "mis-alligned".

So NOW.... I keep a spare belt and Tension bar.....and of course now it probably will never happen again.

Thanks Sal, did you have it laser checked and if so was it ok? I do NOW have a spare.
Scott

Tigerfan1 · 04-07-2018, 10:02 AM

I went about 60 k miles on the original belt and then it began to fray. Put on a new one and it only lasted about a thousand miles as did the next one. Turned out to be a bad tensioner which was causing the belt to jump the groves on the pulley. New belt and new tensioner and all good the last 10k miles. Gates recommends changing the tensioner whenever you change the belt which is what I should have done on the first belt replacement.

BigDogSolo · 04-08-2018, 09:27 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Soniccruzer

Thanks Sal, did you have it laser checked and if so was it ok? I do NOW have a spare.
Scott

Hey Scott. I did not at the time because the shop was not equipped. But did once I got back.
Chances are now, we will never need the spare....but we do learn from our lessons and the "Boy Scout motto, "Be prepared" !

EZDZIT · 04-08-2018, 11:17 AM

Last year the original inner accessory belt failed at 47,000 miles and 6 years of age. Pulleys were ok and properly aligned. I had spare belts but discovered I had been sold two of the same and not the one needed!

After five hours on the side of road and a tow, camped overnight in the tow yard, some sensor wiring repairs, two new belts, then back on the road. I did not think to ask for the tensioner replacement (Thanks Tigerfan1 for the suggestion).
I talked to a Freightliner regional rep at the Tucson FCOC rally and his recommendation is to change belts every 3 years. I will follow his recommendation to hopefully avoid this inconvenience and expense in the future.