broken fan and alternator belts

G

goshawk

Joined
Dec 27, 1998
Messages
297
It may be common knowledge but maybe of use
to someone.
If you have a vehicle that doesn't have a
serpentine belt - ie.. one that runs on both
sides of the belt, in other words if you
have a vehicle that HAS v-belt pulleys. You
can make a repair on a broken fan or alternator belt with a pair of panty hose.
It works especially well in cold weather and
you don't have to have any wrenches. The
knot has to be pulled very tight and the
ends need to be trimmed close, but it will
work in an emergency. I'm am not responsible
for any accidents caused by this idea. You
try it at your own risk. If you have any
doubts try it in your driveway before you
depend on it out in the boonies.
For you people not wanting to be seen carring
around a pair of panty hose - put them in a
small box


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http://www.imt.net/~goshawk
Don't walk in tradition just because it feels good!!!!!
Romans 10:9,10
Hebrews 4:12-16
Psalm 91

 
This idea goes back 30 or 40 years; probably to the invention of panty hose. It is worth a try in an emergency. To carry around a pair of panty hose to use for a fan belt strikes me as rather foolish; carry an extra fan belt instead! I have extras for all my cars in the trunk of the car. Walt
 
I think I said COMMON KNOWLEDGE. Ever have to change one without wrenches or in -30 weather with the wind blowing? It takes less than 5 min. and your on your way.

------------------
http://www.imt.net/~goshawk
Don't walk in tradition just because it feels good!!!!!
Romans 10:9,10
Hebrews 4:12-16
Psalm 91

[This message has been edited by goshawk (edited 01-18-2000).]

[This message has been edited by goshawk (edited 01-18-2000).]
 
My wife is always throwing out panty hose, so I put several in the trunk of the car for use as an emergency fan belt or tie down. My wife saw these in the trunk and asked me about them, so I told her. She just looked at me kind of suspiciously, reminding me of the old story where some guy is getting changed in a locker room and his buddy notices that he is wearing a pair of women's panties. The buddy asks him when he started wearing women's panties, and the guy says "ever since my wife found them in the glove box!".
redface.gif


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AirMojo the Airgunning Harmonica Man
 

good one airmojo!! They work well for cordage and filter for the big chunks in a survival kit. They don't take up a lot of room.
And believe it or not they will keep you warm
if you dicide to wear them. Nope I haven't
tried but have friends that have and swear
by them. One guy got it from his girl friend
that it always kept her alot warmer so he
tried it and it worked!!!!!!!!!!!!!

------------------
http://www.imt.net/~goshawk
Don't walk in tradition just because it feels good!!!!!
Romans 10:9,10
Hebrews 4:12-16
Psalm 91

 
Pantyhose will also add more drag if you want a better workout swimming. Not that I ever needed a better workout, I did fine with just me, the folks I knew that did that on occasion were also the folks willing to shave their legs for the extra second or so they'd drop...

Anyways, I agree with the carrying an extra fan belt rather than a pair of panyhose. I don't carry a backup for my airpump, but I figger I don't need an emissions system in an emergency. (Though, I guess I could swap that one to the alternator, and just stop every once in a while and let the engine cool down...)

Stryver, wishing he could re-do the pocket-improv after getting back from skiing today...
smile.gif
 
I have my doubts that panty hose have the tensile strength to transmit even a fraction of a housepower.

That aside, I have some info based on two real life events, from cars with mutliple belts.

My dad went to come home from work (at night) and after starting up, the alternator belt broke. He was able to get approximately 30 miles with headlights before they became too dim to see and had to stop. ( old car, new ones probably better)

In another drive (different car) the alternator bearing seized. We snipped the belt to keep it from burning up and was able to drive 2 hours home, in the daylight with minimal use of electrical accessories.

The moral is your car battery has sufficient reserve to keep the ignition running for a good length of time. If your alternator belt breaks, don't panic.

If you have a serpentine belt, next time you replace it under periodic maitenence, keep the old one as an emergency spare. (unless it's a total wreck).

Oh, and something else, there is a spiral cell car battery that will give you extra reserve time called Optima. It's popular with off roaders, or do a search on the web. About $125 last I looked. Not that much more than a top of the line die Hard, Delco Freedom, or Interstate.

DaveH
 
Just a suggestion but most people never check their fan belt. Either for tightness or wear. I check mine every time I pop the hood and I always carry a spare fan belt as well as a few other parts like a thermostat, radiator cap, spark plug(s), spark plug wire(s), and coil wire, for instance. For long trips, I carry a fuel pump and a water pump, and some gasket material. A can of WD40 can loosen up stuck chokes or an emergency brake cable. And lots of tools, shim stock (pop cans work great), nuts, bolts and washers.

If you look closely at the inside of the belt, you may see some slight cracking. Pushing on the belt will make them easier to spot. Whenever these show up, time for a new belt. It could run for years or break tomorrow but I always replace them when I see this kind of checking. And check those water hoses as well. Lose your coolant and your screwed. If they are hard and dry or cracked, replace.



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Hoodoo

No, I do not weep at the world--I am too busy sharpening my oyster knife.
Zora Neale Hurston

Oversharpen the blade, and the edge will soon blunt.
Lao Tsu
 
If you are worried about having reserve battery power, add a battery to your trunk. It won't run dead if you leave your lights on or have some other electrical fault.

Stryver
 
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