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Sounds like something wives everywhere would buy.
One consideration in belt tightening is glazing. If belts have been slipping for a while, the surface of the pulleys can be polished like a mirror, reducing friction. In doing that, the sides of the V-belt also become glazed and burned on the surface, making the rubber hard and, again, reducing friction.
Further tightening to get rid of the squeal can put stress on the bearings; water pump, AC compressor, PS pump in particular, shortening the unit's life.
The way I deal with glazing requires me to sand, or scuff up, the pulley V's, then either sand or replace the V-belts. When I try to do it without removing the belts from the car, I'm usually disappointed with the results.
You'll read in the manuals how maybe 1/2" deflection of the belt, between the pulleys, is normal tension. But in practice, you have to know what "normal" pressure is to place on the belt, to do this test-- not easy to describe. You'll push on it and see the accessories bending inward on their soft rubber mounts, figuring that's hard enough. But that, too could depend on the bushing condition.
There is a tool, though I've only seen it in pictures, for measuring belt tension-- probably only used in training or on the assembly line I'd guess. Much better is five minutes with an old-timer in the business. My daughter has the advantage of having the old guy close at hand.
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Art Benstein near Baltimore
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