OEM Dodge Ram 1500 Van Drive Belt

Dodge Ram 1500 Van Drive Belt Parts and Q&A

• Serpentine Belt
  53010305AC
  Q: How are the accessory drive components operated and what is the process for removing and installing the serpentine drive belt on Dodge Ram 1500 Van?

  A:

  All of the accessory drive components are powered by a single, crankshaft driven serpentine belt and are kept at the right tension by an automatic tensioner. To take off the belt, connect your socket/wrench to the pulley bolt surrounded by the automatic tensioner, then turn the tensioner assembly clockwise until no pressure is left on the belt. Take the belt off from the idler pulley first and next remove it from the vehicle. Connect the serpentine accessory drive belt correctly when installing to keep the water pump pumping water the right way. Slide the drive belt around all the pulleys besides the idler pulley which sits between the generator and A/C compressor. Join a socket/wrench to the bolt of the tensioner pulley, rotate clockwise, lay the belt over the idler pulley and then rotate the tensioner into place. See that the belt is in contact with all of the pulleys. Examine the tensioner marks; the index arrow on the back should be located about 3 mm (1/8 inch) from the index mark on the housing if a new belt is fitted. A belt is new if it has only been used for no more than 15 minutes. Should the specification not be satisfied, check for the wrong belt, worn bearings on accessories, loose pulleys, issues in alignment or problems with belt routing. Replace a used belt if where the tensioner indexing arrow points to is outside the range indicated in the guide.
• Serpentine Belt
  53010306AC
  Q: How to service and repair the drive belt on Dodge Ram 1500 Van?

  A:

  Keep in mind that the belt routing diagrams are always the most current ones; in case there is a difference between them and the Belt Routing Label found in the engine, use the label as your reference. A belt tension gauge should not be used on cars equipped with an automatic tensioner, as every belt type in these engines, with or without power steering or air conditioning, is tensioned automatically by a spring. First, put a socket/wrench on the bolt of the automatic tensioner and keep rotating the assembly clockwise until you no longer hear or feel resistance from the belt. With the idler pulley free of the belt, next take the belt off the rest of the vehicle. Make sure the accessory belt is put on in the correct way to keep the water pump from turning the wrong way and causing engine overheating; correct belt length is important. Trim the drive belt, but do not put it on the idler pulley which stands between the generator and A/C compressor. Connect the socket or wrench to the automatic tensioner's pulley bolt and turn it clockwise. Pass the belt over the idler pulley, allow the tensioner to move back to its position and then take out the wrench to ensure every pulley has the belt on it. After that, make sure the belt indexing marks line up.