‘Check and change’ auxiliary belts, says Dayco
Power transmission solutions provider Dayco has emphasised the benefits of applying a ‘check and change’ principle to the replacement of auxiliary belts.
“Should an auxiliary belt fail, alongside the need to replace the affected parts, the vehicle’s time off the road must also be factored into the potential cost of ignoring the condition of the belt,” the company said.
Dayco cites figures suggesting that, depending on its load, a typical commercial vehicle working on a daily national delivery contract could cost the owner up to £500 a day while it is out of action. In addition, there is also the cost of roadside repair or recovery of the vehicle.
“Applying Dayco’s ‘check and change’ principle every time a vehicle enters the workshop only takes a moment and will mitigate these financial costs,” said the company.
This leads to business opportunities for workshops, says Dayco; and as CVs generally have more than one belt system, it estimates that there are 100,000 systems that require maintenance annually, which equates to a huge potential market.
“In order for technicians to carry out the best possible job and fleet managers to maximise the reliability of their vehicles, the auxiliary drive system should be considered as a single entity, instead of looking at the belt and drive components separately,” said the company.
“Therefore, rather than changing individual items, technicians should replace the complete system, which allows them to provide a thorough repair solution.”
Dayco says that the growing popularity of auxiliary belt kits – which alongside the belt, contain all the rigid components (tensioners and idlers) necessary to successfully complete a full system replacement – means these regularly account for the majority of its new additions.
“Although some of these kits are relatively straightforward and contain just a belt and a tensioner – for example Dayco part number KPV176HD and KPV179HD, which respectively cater for the Mercedes Econic low-entry fixed chassis range between 1998 and 2013 and the popular Volvo FH fitted with the 16-litre engine – some are far more comprehensive,” said the firm.
To demonstrate this complexity, a combination of the company’s six most popular tensioners feature in more than 30 Volvo auxiliary belt kits, so although many contain one belt and one tensioner, two have one belt and two tensioners, five have two belts and two tensioners, and eight have two belts and three tensioners – and this does not include kits that contain tensioners from outside the top six, which are used less frequently.
“As these examples make clear, rather than sourcing the components individually, it is far easier for workshops servicing heavy-duty auxiliary drive systems to simply order the appropriate Dayco kit,” the firm contends.
When it comes to the aftermarket, independents can rest assured that all of Dayco’s OE pedigree flows through to its aftermarket offering, the company says, because the company’s manufacturing facilities, engineering processes and finished products are identical for both its OE and aftermarket supply channels.
“Both therefore reflect the latest technology, so technicians can be assured of the correct installation when it comes to the components, which means the fitting time is minimised, alignment of the auxiliary system optimised and the correct function of the components in the auxiliary drive system is secured,” said Dayco.
The firm says its commitment to the independent sector also means it is constantly bringing relevant additions into its range to ensure that CV workshops have the parts they need, when they need them.
Dayco’s aftermarket expertise stems from its OE supplier partnerships, through which it manufactures belts, tensioners and idlers for heavy duty vehicle manufacturers across Europe and around the world.
As a result, in addition to its auxiliary belts, the Dayco range consists of more than 100 idlers and 140 tensioners, which caters for hundreds of individual applications.
“When it comes to belts, it is important for CV workshops to note that, despite the practices of some aftermarket suppliers, OE auxiliary belts are specifically designed to conform to very strict dimensions and so, where replacement belts of a more generic rather than vehicle specific size have been fitted, failures have occurred,” the company advised.
“However, all of the auxiliary belts in Dayco’s aftermarket programme are manufactured to vehicle manufacturer specific specifications, which means independents have access to an OE quality solution that is designed to precise standards, in terms of both its dimensions and construction, to the original article.”
More information regarding the OEM quality power transmission products in the Dayco range is available on the website.
