Release tension on drive belt when "parked"?

[Greg Ketell]

So the discussions on drive belts and them getting "set" and causing vibration got me to thinking. Should I be releasing the tension on my belt when I quit for the day (or week as it often seems to be)?

GK

[Mike Minto]

Greg, I asked this question some time ago, and got some incredulous looks from people :o. The consensus was no; but, wait and see what shows up here.

[Kyle Iwamoto]

I do, but then I got to thinking, I DON'T do it for the belt in my car, so leaving tension has no effect on "set". I take the tension off for the bearings. But then, it must affect that either........ I must be taking the tension off for no reason.

[Mike Lipke]

I don't take the tension off my furnace either, and that fan belt sits all summer. Come fall, that baby starts up and there is no vibration.

[Ryan Baker]

Short answer -- no.

[Denis Puland]

I do, but then I got to thinking, I DON'T do it for the belt in my car, so leaving tension has no effect on "set". I take the tension off for the bearings. But then, it must affect that either........ I must be taking the tension off for no reason.

In coldish weather it is possible to have a belt set to the curvature of a pulley to some extent .
But almost as soon as you start that machine it will disappear.

When you start a piece of farm equipment that has sat for six months you some times can hear the belts make a bit of noise but as soon as they warm up it is gone.

As to bearings it does not matter how much belt tension is on them when the machine is stopped.
Bearings only wear when you are operating the machine or when you are perhaps hammering on some thing like setting the drive spur in a bowl or some other unusual jarring force. not from belt tension!!

Denis , Bachelor Degree in BSAOS