Drive Belt Tension Tools

[Silvic]

I am looking at a drive belt tension tool. Never had one and have always used the thumb with the "that looks about right technique."
Well I have an application that I do not feel that technique is acceptable. Some would say it never is, others that it always is; but I digress and do not want to start that discussion.

Here is my question for those that have used a belt tension test tool in the past or have any knowledge of them.
I am looking at a 3/BX90 belt. It is a 1.98 inch wide three rib belt. Not your usual 5/8 inch fan or water pump belt.



I am looking at the test tool. With the width of the belt I am concerned that the small single point belt test tool may not be a valid test as the point of measurement is maybe 1/2" in diameter which is great for a 1/2 or 5/8 inch belt but for a nearly 2 inch belt may introduce error (or maybe not). I am looking at two types of testers but fear they both may fall in to the same issue of the point of test is such a small percentage of the width of the belt that the test is not valid.





Any thought on the subject from any expert is greatly appreciated.

 

[DFB]

What about one designed for motorcycle belt drives?

 

[Silvic]

Can't say I know squat about motorcycles or their belts.
How wide are their belts?
From the picture it still looks as if the tension is applied via a small point/diameter thus my question about testing a wide belt with a small diameter application of force point
is still an unknown if it affects accuracy or not.

I went and found the manual for what your picture shows. I am not certain if the whole "L" shaped bracket is the point of force application or not. If it is then that definitely spreads the force application across the width of the belt. It seems that it needs the motorcycle manual specification to tell you how much deflection is allowed at 10 lbs of force which is backward of what I think is normal. Might be workable will look into it more.

I'll see what else folks come up with.

 

[Xfaxman]

I think the ones in your first post would work. You could put a piece of 1/4 wide by 2 inch long piece of steel across the belt, under the tester to see if the reading was different.