Engine Drivetrain 1st Gen Cooper S Most liked posts in thread: Now I Know Why Belt Tensioner Stops Break...

In min68's behalf, thanks, metalman. His OCD tendencies have been positively channeled thru DIY modding his mini. Here's another of his recent downtime projects, the longer tensioner tool. Pic was taken before he had it powder coated black.

 

I know some makes like Mazda. GM, Ford, even Subaru have eliminated the belt tensioner & have been using stretchfit self-tensioning belts. Would anyone know if Gates or Continental has some that would fit our cars? & who sells em? This + that manual adjust tensioner would be the ideal worry-free replacement for our weak tensioner dampers. What do you think, guys?

 

That's another brilliant idea, Scott, but won't a stronger spring overtighten the serpentine belt? Come to think of it, not all have dampers in their spring loaded tensioners. And, not all cars w/ stretchfit belts need that special tool. Some can fit by a slight spin of the pulley. These approaches I might wanna try.

 

For a while there, got a lil dense. If anyone can point to stretchfit 6PK1388 & 6PK1374 belts, we shouldn't need that stretchfit tool as we can slacken our tensioners w/ the manual adjust 1, put in the belt, tighten it & let the belt do its thing. Good bye damper.....Did some search on Goodyear & Gates but wasn't able to see anything definite. Any help is most welcome.

 

The stops aren't the main issue here. Though it'll be good to have 1 that doesn't break. It's the DAMPER that fails. Again, it would be of great service to the community if someone could find those Stretchfit belts to pair w/ the Alta type adjustable tensioner stop for our MINIs.

 

Sick! Dimensions, metalman?

 

8mm diameter holes. Distance between holes should range between 150mm-190mm OC.

 

Those are doubtful to last as our tensioner damper, IMO.

 

Hmmm, mine is an 02 w/ 47kmi, but have changed those boot struts some 3years back.

 

Let's make the clamor a bit louder for these options:
1. Exact Stabilus Damper to be sold separately from the assembly at less than half the Gates assembly price. $70 isn't much for the whole tensioner, but the strut life is outlived by the pulley many times over. Plus, assembly change isn't something I'd wanna do yearly.

2. A better, more durable replacement damper.

3. 6PK1388/1374 belts to be available in Stretchfit. This will be a great long term combo w/ that Alta adjustable tensioner. No periodic adjustments. The belt's designed elasticity will compensate for the absence of a tensioner. No more extra tensioner stops needed, nor fear of snapped belts. All you'd need on long journeys aside from basic tools & stuff would be a spare stretch belt as precaution.....won't that be ideal?

Again, perhaps sponsoring vendors on here can help develop or source those 3 options for us! That will be some awesome service to the 1st gen MINI community! Anyone up for it?

 

I didn't share the same long term luck, Crash. Actually just ignored my failed damper til the bushes fell off & had to change both the damper & bushes from a new assembly. No doubt a working damper smoothens everything out.