Gur Belt: description and working principle

In each car there are additional auxiliary devices - air conditioners, power steering, generators. All these elements are activated from the engine by means of drive belts. The GUR belt is an expendable material. From time to time, these parts require replacement. Let's see what the driving belts are, how they need to be serviced and replaced.

What is a drive belt?

When the designers came to the need to somehow transfer the rotation to auxiliary units, the belt drive was chosen for this purpose . A decisive role in this choice was played by several reasons. By means of the belt drive, the rotational energy can be silently and smoothly transferred, while the frictional losses will be negligible. Also, the torque through the belt can be transmitted to any distance between the pulley axes. Now in some premium models of cars you can find a chain drive, but in the mass automotive industry, these details have not been invented yet. Strap GUR generator or any other is made of special materials based on rubber and fabric. This combination allows it to be elastic and strong enough at the same time. The design of the element is constantly being improved and modernized - we can say that these are high-tech products that can retain strength, elasticity and flexibility in large temperature ranges. Also, the GUR strap can withstand various mechanical influences - oscillations and tugs. The principle of the belt is very simple: it is mounted on the pulleys on the motor, as well as on one of the auxiliary devices. Thus, the rotation is transmitted.

Types of drive belts

Different mechanisms have elements of different types. Now used friction belts, polyclinic and wedge. Professionals and manufacturers qualify the elements into two large groups - friction and gear.

Friction drive

Such a GUR generator belt transmits torque by means of a frictional force. Its magnitude is proportional to the force in the contact zone. This indicator depends on what pre-tension is created, as well as on the shape of the pulley or cone with which the element is held or jammed in the pulley. Often, automobile drive mechanisms have a ratio of the width of their upper surface to the height - from 0.8 for narrow models to 1.2 for classic products. In order to transmit a large force, a multi-belt is sometimes used. This solution is a few, usually 2-3 standard elements. The shape of the inner part can also be different - completely flat or with shaped teeth. A wavy belt with teeth is more common, since it allows to reduce slippage when working on pulleys of small diameters, but at the same time reduces the material capacity of the pulley. If you look at the friction belt generator GUR conditioner in a cross-section, the product is a few layers. The upper one is the tissue envelope. Next come the yarns, which are the cord - they perceive the whole main load. A basic rubber composition is also used.

Reinforced friction drive belt

On some modern models, the fabric shell can be used not only on the upper portion of the belt, but also on the sides - these are reinforced belts. They are reliably protected from dirt, various abrasives and motor oils. All this is destructive to this detail. These parts are used when it is necessary to give more power in severe or even extreme conditions. They are widely used in systems where work is carried out at high speed.

V-Ribbed Drive

These models are very small V-belts, which are assembled in a single package. This design provides high flexibility - due to this property they can be used on pulleys with a reduced diameter, from 45 mm. Also, these solutions allow you to select power not only in a straight line, but also in the reverse branch. Technical characteristics of the product allow one poly-V-belt to be used on several devices at once. It can be a GUR belt, an air conditioner, a pump, a compressor, a generator and so on. But in the event of a breakdown, you can not operate the machine. It is necessary to replace the failed part. In composition, the poly-V-belts are a rubber substrate, a frame of strong nylon threads, and a base part based on rubber compositions. The latter is in contact with the metal pulley.

V-belt

Such elements today are very rare, although they have a lot of advantages. This is a cheap product that is very easy to install on the motor or replaced in case of breakage or wear. These elements can only be installed on one of the units. Previously, car owners instead of wedges used an ordinary rope, because for the tension and installation of such a belt do not need guiding and tensioning rollers. In general, the wedge-shaped belt GUR has a high rate of wear, requires constant maintenance and tension, which is not practical for a modern driver.

Toothed group

These solutions are practically not used for the operation of various attachments on passenger cars. They are installed only on the mechanisms of gas distribution. However, they can be found on powerful diesel engines, along with a coolant deposit and a fuel pump. The composition of the toothed belt almost does not differ from the friction analogs. The difference is only in the number of layers, the mode of vulcanization and shape.

Service life of drive elements

Manufacturers put a longer service life in the belts. These products are made of strong materials. If we take the average, then the replacement of the GUR belt should be carried out after 25,000 hours of continuous operation. It is worth noting that the resource is indicated exactly in hours. The fact is that the mileage in this case has little effect on the wear of the belt. This detail works even when the car does not go anywhere (and works on idle ones). But this is only the theory and the passport data of the manufacturers. In reality, the resource and service life may differ significantly from those declared by the manufacturer. In addition, in the process of working on the belt are influenced by certain factors that can speed up the replacement time.

Factors affecting the wear of the belt

The lifetime of an element depends heavily on how correctly it was installed. It is not uncommon now that a locksmith in the SRT, due to a low level of skill or lack of experience, tries to perform the installation of the belt with a screwdriver or other similar tool. As a result, damage is obtained, which reduces the resource by 2 or more times. This method is also used to ensure that the replacement of the GUR belt is faster (without dismantling the pulley). The belt life is also important. This is an important factor that affects the wear rate. For example, in auto parts stores you can find products that have expired. For metal, this is not terrible, but for belts - this is increased wear and an early replacement. The chemical composition after the passage of time has the property of changing. If the belt was manufactured more than 5 years ago, and then in the warehouse it was also stored incorrectly, then it will serve very little. The life of the element is also influenced by weather conditions. For example, in a hot climate people often use air conditioners. And this means that the compressor needs a lot of energy. As a result, the GUR belt of the air conditioner at this time is experiencing increased loads. Also, increased wear will be observed in the cold season. In winter, electrical devices will require more power than in summer. The generator has to give out more energy - as a result, an increased load on the belt. Often in new machines these parts last longer, as they were correctly installed in the factory, and all storage rules were taken into account in the warehouse. After replacing with another belt, the service life will be lower than the manufacturer specified.

What happens if you do not change it?

If the replacement of the GUR belt was not completed within the prescribed time, various defects - cracks or scuffs - will be visible on their surface. A worn belt at work will make an unpleasant whistle. This suggests that it is time to replace it. When the drive belts are broken, the driver will hear a loud clap, and the equipment will simply stop performing its functions. For example, if the generator belt breaks, then the battery will stop charging. Also, when a breakage occurs, the hydraulic amplifier may stop working. As a result, the steering wheel will become very tight. Of course, you can drive with such a malfunction, but do not postpone the replacement. For the amplifier system, this is very harmful. However, the most basic problem is the non-working pump. In this case, the coolant circulation stops and the motor can overheat. And this is fraught with expensive repairs.

Regular check of drive belts

Every car owner should regularly inspect these items and know how to pull the GUR strap. The test can be carried out with the engine stopped. For testing, you just need to press your finger on the part - it becomes clear whether the tension is loose or not. With this inspection, the part should not be moved even 1-2 cm. Also, to the touch, other damages are checked. If you can see the damaged places on the belt, then it must be replaced. It is worth noting that when buying a new element, you can not purchase the original part. The automotive market offers non-original products, which, according to technical characteristics and quality, are not worse, or even better than the original models.

The average price for the replacement of the belt in the SRT is about 2500 r. The cost of the element itself depends on the brand and its cost price. The belt of the "Priora" RIG costs an average of 300 r. In the market you can find both cheap and rather expensive products capable of withstanding extreme loads.

But not only "Priora" today is a popular folk model. Many people buy Renault Logan. This car also needs to service and change the drive belts. Straps GUR generator ("Logan 1.5" including) are different. It depends on the level of equipment of the car. As for the manufacturers, it's Renault, Bosch, Gates and other brands. Products vary in length. Also, separately you can purchase rollers with and without the bracket. You can also buy a kit that has a tensioning and bypass roller and the Grenade Strap "Renault Logan" itself. These kits are manufactured by Renault and Quartz.

Servicing of drive elements

Beginners drivers who just got behind the wheel of their own car, often do not know how to maintain this car.

Many are faced with the need for maintenance and replacement of belts. Let's see how to tighten the GUR strap, tighten or loosen as needed. Elements whistle because they slip on the pulley due to loosening. Using the generator belt as an example, the tension can be done with special adjusting bolts or a strap.
To tighten the belt on a modern car, loosen the generator mounting bolts, then turn the adjusting bolt clockwise. In this case, the generator must be retracted from the engine - the tension level is checked. Then tighten the fixing nuts. On sale there were new poly-V-belts with an increased level of elasticity. They do not need to be pulled or pulled. Because of the design features and innovative materials, they simply do not stretch. The service life is up to 120 000 km. But in order to initially pull this belt, you will need a special tool. In most models of cars there are special tensioning rollers or automatic tensioners. This saves the wearer from constant pulling. One disadvantage is that when you install, you change the movie.

How to replace the drive belt

On the example of "Lada Priora" let's see how the belt is being replaced. At once it is necessary to tell, that for this model three types of elements are provided. So, the size of the GUR belt for a car without a hydraulic booster is 742 mm. If the car is equipped with a GUR, then the required size is 1115 mm. For a car with GUR and air conditioning, the size should be 1125 millimeters. From the tools you will need keys for 13, a key for 17, a tension wrench, end caps for 17 and 10, and a balloon wrench. The first thing is to turn the tensioner with a key on 17. Next, unscrew the engine cushion, lift the front of the machine and dismantle the front wheel. Then remove the side protection. Under the crankcase should put any emphasis. Then lower the car slightly - now the belt can be removed. Then a new one is installed in the place of the old one. After that, the machine rises again, the engine is put in place, and the cushion is twisted. From under the crankcase you need to get a stop, and also install the wheel. Replacing the belts of the generator GUR is almost finished - it remains only to tighten a little. When starting the engine, a whistle can be heard - this indicates insufficient tension. If the tension is stronger than necessary, then a buzz will be heard.

Thus, drive belts are serviced and changed in modern cars. This is useful for novice car owners.