68 Fury III A/C Belt Vibration

[Wellknowngundam]

I recently had my A/C refurbished and converted to R134a. NOT CHEAP. We put it back together with the factory type compressor which utilizes the dual v-belt set up. The shop installed new belts because the old(new) ones were slapping each other around like a couple of nerds fighting over a girl.

I drive the car and I notice the belts are still doing the same thing.

I was advised to find a "matching set" but was unsuccessful. However, an old timer at NAPA told me that manufacturing tolerances are much tighter now so they don't make matching sets anymore.

I was advised by other Fury owners to purchase some Gates XL 7640 belts, so I did, installed them and SAME DAMN PROBLEM. I've gone from getting them tight to REAL tight so I don't think its an issue of tightness.

I could just drive it like this but I'm anal about this kind of stuff. Does anyone else have any experience with this problem?

 

[Big_John]

That's true that they don't make matched sets and I've heard the same reasoning, but I don't buy into it. I think it just got too expensive to stock matched sets.

My belts slap too. They've gotten better as they stretched, but they still do it.

 

[traintech55]

No need to be anal about this. You may or may not know that Chrysler was the only auto maker to use two belts on the A/C and Alt. This problem has been going around since the early 60's when factory A/C came out. Your mechanic was correct in saying to get a matched set, but today that will be impossible to find, and no parts store is going to go thru their stock with a belt gauge. I have owned many Mopars from the 60's thru 89 with factory A/C and as long as the belts do not squeal with the air on you should be fine. Oh and one other thing, most of these parts are made in China now, so WHAT PRODUCTION TOLERANCES.

 

[cantflip]

That's true that they don't make matched sets and I've heard the same reasoning, but I don't buy into it. I think it just got too expensive to stock matched sets.

My belts slap too. They've gotten better as they stretched, but they still do it.

Gates Belts, Hoses, and Applications: V-belt Matching

This may shed a little light... now the issue is finding a local parts supplier who isn't selling crap v-belts... and a small amount of "slap" is still going to happen... nature of the beast.

 

[68plymouth383]

Some belt slap is normal yes, but I saw the video he posted on facebook... those belts are hopping...

 

[Wellknowngundam]

Some belt slap is normal yes, but I saw the video he posted on facebook... those belts are hopping...

Yeah I would've posted that here but I'm not sure how.

 

[cantflip]

Second best to a matched set would be to to stretch both using something hard (screwdrivers, extensions, etc) and try to pick the closest match from a pile... good luck finding a pile these days.
Never saw a belt gauge with fine enough increments...