[SmartDigger]

At what milage did you change your belt?

2) if you did not change it and over 50K, what mileage are you at ?

at my last attempt I did not have the right tool. Now I do ( I hope) and I am at 70K

 

[NCC1701]

I am nearing 70K myself and on the original belt.

Is this something any qualified mechanic can do for me? If so, do I need to source the belt for him?

 

[wahi]

Changed mine at 63K miles during the 60K service. My next change will be at 120K.

 

[jetfuel]

...Is this something any qualified mechanic can do for me? If so, do I need to source the belt for him?

...if by qualified you mean Kermit....yep...he can do it...

Jetfuel...BTW....where's Kermit.????

 

[NCC1701]

...if by qualified you mean Kermit....yep...he can do it...

Jetfuel...BTW....where's Kermit.????

Actually, I was hoping to spare him of the job if I can get a local mechanic to do it. No doubt he's up to the task. But, he's going to be doing a roof swap for me soon. That seems like a big job to me.

I guess the belt might be a big one too, huh?

Haven't seen him online much. I think he's enjoying the happy married, retired life of leisure. And working on everyone's smart, heh.

Maybe this post will catch his eye. Or not.

So, is the belt itself commonly available? Or will I need to order it online for whoever does the work?

 

[SmartDigger]

I got mine at advanced auto parts. They had it in stock. it is very easy to do. the tool you need is a hex end not the regular square tip.

 

[WhiteNBlack08]

Actually, I was hoping to spare him of the job if I can get a local mechanic to do it. No doubt he's up to the task. But, he's going to be doing a roof swap for me soon. That seems like a big job to me.

I guess the belt might be a big one too, huh?

Haven't seen him online much. I think he's enjoying the happy married, retired life of leisure. And working on everyone's smart, heh.

Maybe this post will catch his eye. Or not.

So, is the belt itself commonly available? Or will I need to order it online for whoever does the work?

The water pump/alternator belt is common. The A/C isn't. In fact, be careful, becasue I've seen several places list an A/C belt, and it's incorrect. The A/C belt is a stretch belt, there is no tensioner, it has built in elasticity. You can find a poly-V belt the same size, but it's not a stretch belt, and will cause a failure eventually. The only place I've ever seen a correct belt for the A/C is direct from smart...

Oh, and to answer the OP's question, I am still running the original belts at 148K. I know, I'm living on borrowed time... as soon as the State pays me for the damage they did to my smart, I'll be ordering some body panels from sc Orland Park, I'll get the belts then.

I hope none of you ever get in an accident with INDOT and have to file a Tort claim with the State of Indiana. Next week will be 4 months, and I'm still playing the game trying to get paid for the accident THEY caused... Yesterday I was promised a check in the next 7-10 days. Of coarse, I was promised a check in 3-4 weeks, 5 weeks ago....

 

[SmartDigger]

i am not planning on removing the ac belt. just the flat belt. I hope I am correct that the flat belt is in front of the V belt and can be removed without removing the v belt.

 

[NCC1701]

Bump ... how did the belt change go Digger?

 

[larryw4csc]

Thanks for AC belt information. 148K will squash any Polish jokes I get at my MB shop. Just checked my belt at 32K and mechanic chuckled about "Polish wheels and serpentine belt". The belt says Gates on it, made in Poland. I feel much better with your info.

 

[SmartDigger]

Still not done yet. I ripped my biceps tendon and had to shelve the project till late spring or early summer. will post on it when I get it done.

 

[SmartDigger]

Ok I changed the belt today at the 75k mark. The old belt still looked great. I got to the tensioner from under the car ( jacked up rear passenger side.). Still had to remove wheel and inner fender well. Made my tensioner tool from a harbor freight 12mm socket that I cut off the hex end. Then I grabbed it with a set of vicegrips other than being tight it wasn't all that hard after taking the time to make the tensioner tool.