Serpentine Belts $$$???
Thread Starter
Drifting
Joined: Jun 2020
Posts: 1,355
Likes: 396
From: Northwest Ohio
Serpentine Belts $$$???
93 LT1 47k mi... WTH is with the double sided ridged belts being so expensive? They are all around $50+?! Please tell me I'm missing something? RA shows all of the double sided belts being out of stock, was there some shortage or did the manufacturers all pretty much drop support for these since they are 92 to early 93?
Am I better off going through the trouble to replace the idler, tensioner and power steering pulleys with smooth? I mean for this belt change no, but my goodness... unfortunately the PS pulley appears to be pretty expensive (at least new) and may be a pain to change but still maybe worth it?
Some other very old threads mention running the single sided belt with the double sided pulleys no issue, maybe just do the tensioner and idler to smooth, but leave the PS for now...?
Am I better off going through the trouble to replace the idler, tensioner and power steering pulleys with smooth? I mean for this belt change no, but my goodness... unfortunately the PS pulley appears to be pretty expensive (at least new) and may be a pain to change but still maybe worth it?
Some other very old threads mention running the single sided belt with the double sided pulleys no issue, maybe just do the tensioner and idler to smooth, but leave the PS for now...?
Racer
Joined: Jun 2019
Posts: 390
Likes: 126
From: Franklin, TN
I had a tensioner wheel disintegrate and needed to replace belt, tensioner wheel, and a damaged power steering pulley. After pricing the double-sided replacement parts and finding the double-sided parts were an order of magnitude more expensive than one sided parts, I converted mine to single sided. You can borrow the wheel puller from one of the major auto parts stores. You give them a deposit, use it, return and get your deposit back.
Thread Starter
Drifting
Joined: Jun 2020
Posts: 1,355
Likes: 396
From: Northwest Ohio
totally reasonable...with all of the other preventative "stuff" I am buying right now I might still take that route as I'm up to quite a bit a $$$ at this point, deferring this upgrade until later. I put a WTB in the for sale section, if someone has a used pulley and it's not too expensive I may still go for it (the smooth idler/tensioner pulleys are around $16 each so those are not a big deal, and the cheaper belt will pay for most of that, it's just the PS pulley that hurts). I want to "harden" the car so that I can perhaps track it/future proof it, otherwise I would just buy the belt and move on especially with only 47k on the pulleys (again may still). Also, pulling the PS pulley will make the spark plug wire/water pump/opti job hopefully a little easier, so I have that "it'll make the rest of the job easier" false logic giving me a little push.
Team Owner
Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 25,348
Likes: 2,728
For an actual 'driver' that could see several thousand miles a year and NOT all local I believe you spend the $$$ and do the conversion so that for any potential issue 'on the road' a replacement should be very easy to put a hands on!
Thread Starter
Drifting
Joined: Jun 2020
Posts: 1,355
Likes: 396
From: Northwest Ohio
Alright...I got over it. Just did my big parts order. All new hoses (going to bypass throttle body too), new water pump, new thermostat, new CTS, idler/tensioner pulleys, serpentine belt (ribbed only on one side for LT1 pleasure), intake gasket set/right stuff, timing cover seals (for WP and Opti drives), spark plugs/wires... still waiting to evaluate the opti to see if I want to just do the cap/rotor + venting retro or do the whole shebang with a petris (would still hang on to the mitsu sensor for sure if OEM).
And giving up on my WTB in the for sale section by this evening and will be ordering the after dark power steering pulley (ouch, but hey, BILLET!)...I'll leave it up until it ships in case someone hits me up with a cheap used one. Was hoping to find something for $80 or less on the pulley but not happening it seems.
https://afterdarkspeed.com/product/9...eering-pulley/
And giving up on my WTB in the for sale section by this evening and will be ordering the after dark power steering pulley (ouch, but hey, BILLET!)...I'll leave it up until it ships in case someone hits me up with a cheap used one. Was hoping to find something for $80 or less on the pulley but not happening it seems.
https://afterdarkspeed.com/product/9...eering-pulley/
Advanced
Joined: Mar 2022
Posts: 73
Likes: 6
Buy them in mms instead of inches.
I had the same problem. I figured out that they were sold in inches and in mm's.
The inches belt was way more expensive than the mm belt. They are exactly the same.
I think it was the 6PK2253 instead of the K060888
If you want to, I can have a look
I had the same problem. I figured out that they were sold in inches and in mm's.
The inches belt was way more expensive than the mm belt. They are exactly the same.
I think it was the 6PK2253 instead of the K060888
If you want to, I can have a look
Last edited by Kuupertie; Feb 10, 2023 at 02:41 PM.
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Thread Starter
Drifting
Joined: Jun 2020
Posts: 1,355
Likes: 396
From: Northwest Ohio
Buy them in mms instead of inches.
I had the same problem. I figured out that they were sold in inches and in mm's.
The inches belt was way more expensive than the mm belt. They are exactly the same.
I think it was the 6PK2253 instead of the K060888
If you want to, I can have a look
I had the same problem. I figured out that they were sold in inches and in mm's.
The inches belt was way more expensive than the mm belt. They are exactly the same.
I think it was the 6PK2253 instead of the K060888
If you want to, I can have a look
Advanced
Joined: Mar 2022
Posts: 73
Likes: 6
Cant remember, but I think you are right. But is that necessary ?
https://www.corvettemagazine.com/cor...rpentine-belt/
I only know the belt is the same as the belt I had and I use it over a year without any problems
https://www.corvettemagazine.com/cor...rpentine-belt/
I only know the belt is the same as the belt I had and I use it over a year without any problems