Belt Auction

Dayco or Gates? I'm replacing a Gates belt that I put in only 3 years ago on my '94 F150?

I'm replacing a Gates belt that I put in only 3 years ago on my '94 F150. It's getting VERY squeaky and has tiny cracks between the ribs. Do serpentine belts normally wear out that fast? I always hear people brag about Gates but am wondering. oh i put some Prestone Belt Dressing on today and the sound went completely away; until it dried......then sounded like 40 screaming babies when i drove it. Then i held a bar of soap to it and the got it to be quiet for 30 miles. I haven't seen any benefit from belt dressing. Maybe it has its place when the belt is newer. if it was a tensioner pulley, then why would it get quiet when i put soap on the belt? i guess the pulley could be out of alignment since it's coming from that location (power steering pump/tensioner area)

Public Comments

1. Dayco and gates are both good belts.......Normally a Squeak is caused my improper tension or a bad pulley, a small amount of cracking is normal after 3 years depending on the mileage you have put on. Once belts get dry they can also start to squeak, some guys hate belt dressing, i think it has its place.......like on a 1994 ford, You might wanna try that
2. I would be happy with 3 years. They get old and dry, the under hood heat and oil make for really bad conditions for rubber components. Both are good brands but you gotta consider 3 years isnt bad at all.
3. Sounds like a bad idler pulley\tensioner. Serpentine belts do not normally make noise because the idler pulley\tensioner keeps the proper amount of belt tension. Belt dressing or soap was meant for older cars that relied on the belts being manually adjusted for the proper tension. BTW, tiny cracks on a serpentine belt are normal.
4. 3 years is a little on the short side, unless your mileage is really high. You should check your pulleys, bearings and tensioner while you have the belt off, especially if it's at all glazed (shiny). Then get yourself a Goodyear GatorBack belt. They're the best available, and I've found they're often actually a little cheaper than Gates. $32 at my local AutoZone (local prices may vary), if you have a 4WD with a 302; http://www.autozone.com/R,2560807/vehicleId,1942902/initialAction,partProductDetail/store,3099/partType,00077/shopping/partProductDetail.htm If not, go through here and select info for your vehicle; http://www.autozone.com/N,15399999/shopping/partsLanding.htm