I’m considering replacing these, or just having them as spares to include with my road trip “break-down” kit. The belts on the car do look old, but I don’t see cracks or anything scary. I added them to a jag-vendor shopping cart, but thought to ask here before placing the order. Are there any known issues with the belts sold by the usuals?
Thank you
Carlo
I know of nothing wrong with belts from the usuals but I have always gotten mine from the FLAPS (O’Reilly’s).
On mine it wasn’t always certain which length would work best and they were good enough to let me buy an assortment and return what didn’t fit.
A belt with a tensioner (aka jockey pulley or idler) in particular needs to be a very specific fit.
My practice is to replace the belts with new even if the old ones look okay, then carry those old ones as my get-me-home spares.
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I don’t know of any issues that have been voiced on J-L but some things I just like to buy locally. I don’t know who makes what the usual supplier sell, but if I buy belts at the local FLAPS (Friendly Local Auto Parts Store) I know the brand and equally important, to me anyway, I know the part number which I can match or cross match at virtually any auto parts store.
There are also alternatives to the hoses the usuals sell. I’n my limited experience those alternatives are better quality. For example, the upper hose I bought from a usual swelled like a snake after a meal when the car was at normal operating temperature and pressure. The alternative, a more substantial piece, holds it shape under normal pressure and temperatures. Same for the lower hose.
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Thank you, guys. Good to know the options may very well be the better way to go. I can’t make out parts nos. on the belts, so I’ll have to bring them into a parts store for comparison. I’ll give it a try this week.
CHEERS
Carlo
There were some quality issues on the W belts for S1 cars sold by the usuals over the last few years. We had a number crap out very quickly on customer cars. This (and not having the correct pulleys) motivated me to put a standard V belt system on my 3.8, along with doing away with the tensioner.
Easy enough to measure yours and buy quality name brand locally.
Put the new ones on the car and put the old ones in the boot for emergencies.
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