Review on 🔧 Gates 38285 DriveAlign: Automatic Belt Drive Tensioner for Optimal Performance by Jay Maryland

I installed it on a 2012 RAM 3500 with a 6.7 liter Cummins engine. This is a stronger part than the OEM and many factory vises use metal roller vises. If you have this chirping when starting or stopping, this is probably the cause. It installs out of the box with no component or engine modifications required. If the tensioner itself hasn't had a bad accident and you know your belt is still okay, I suggest doing both at the same time. required), a very small amount of blue Loctite (recommended), a can of beer, preferably a combination wrench with a 13mm ratchet, a 13mm socket, a ratchet with at least a 3/8" drive (I have one 1/2" drive) and See the belt routing diagram for your engine configuration. You DO NOT need to remove the airbox, fan cover, or the fan itself. You can replace this from under your truck. Remove tension from the belt by knocking it out of the pulley guide, slowly loosen the tension on the tensioner, and then remove the 13mm bolt from the tensioner. The tensioner can be removed from below by simply sliding it through some gaps. IF YOU ALSO CHANGE THE BELT >>> Now for the belt, the hardest part is getting it through the narrow gap between the crankshaft and the fan pulley, WATCH WITH PATIENCE. , remove the belt from each pulley so that you only have contact with the belt and the above two pulleys OR you can just cut it off because you'll probably be replacing it anyway (I don't recommend this if you came with the wrong one Belt). Check all your pulleys for runout/play, take notes and replace them immediately if you can. Once the strap is off, take a new strap, I recommend the Gates green strap, and put it back into the slot you just fought or avoided by cutting through. You MUST do it first or you are in a world of pain. Then start threading the belt around some but not all of the pulleys as you will need some slack to reattach the tensioner. Don't want to cause a headache or need to take the tensioner off again to relocate it because it's easier. Put two or three drops of Loctite on the threads farthest from the screw head. Make sure the locating pin is facing the motor and that you have placed the pin in its pilot hole and rotated the tensioner body to align the bolt with the threads and hand tighten the bolt to hold it in place until you find the wrench. / Ratchet and tighten fully to OEM specification. Make sure the belt is not snagging on anything, especially the crankshaft sensor, and that it is in the belt tracks. Tighten the newly installed tensioner, pull the belt around the last pulley and slowly release pressure on the tensioner. Check your work one last time, it's a flawless work because if you get it wrong it will cost you money. Start the engine and make sure all your symptoms are gone. If yes, YOU ARE DONE.