Belt tension that is too low or too high wears out belts, splices and bearings early. Catching it early saves a belt change. Watch for these signs.
Too little tension
- Slipping on the drive pulley. The motor runs but the belt lags or stalls under load. You may smell hot rubber.
- Sagging between idlers. Excess sag lets material spill and makes the belt bounce.
- Glazed or shiny drive pulley lagging. A sign of repeated slipping.
Too much tension
- Splices pulling apart or fasteners tearing out. Over-tension loads the joint beyond what it was built for.
- Belt stretching and needing frequent take-up adjustment.
- Hot or noisy bearings and pulleys. Extra tension means extra load on every bearing.
Either way
- Mistracking. Uneven tension across the belt width pulls it to one side. Often the real cause is a crooked splice, so check that the belt ends were cut square.
How to fix it
- Check the manufacturer's tension or elongation spec for your belt.
- Adjust the take-up evenly on both sides.
- If the splice is crooked or worn, re-make it. A belt clamp holds the ends square and under even tension while you do.
- Re-check tension after the first few hours of running a new belt, since new belts often stretch a little at first.
More on belt changes: How to replace a conveyor belt with one person.
Find the right GrabUnity tool
Belts from 2" to 32" wide. Ships from Panama City Beach, Florida.