Serpentine belt & Spark Plugs for my '11 (2 Viewers)

[meatloaf]

Have any of you tried the Bando belt? Rock Auto sells the 7PK2150 belt for a whopping $7.27 vs Toyota oem for ~$85. I can get the belt & DENSO 3421 {#SK20HR11} Iridium Long-Life plugs shipped to me for under $60. The link below is from the blue room...

Serpentine belt: Bando 7PK2150 = Toyota 90916-A2015 - Toyota FJ Cruiser Forum

 

[firensteel]

Have any of you tried the Bando belt? Rock Auto sells the 7PK2150 belt for a whopping $7.27 vs Toyota oem for ~$85. I can get the belt & DENSO 3421 {#SK20HR11} Iridium Long-Life plugs shipped to me for under $60. The link below is from the blue room...

Serpentine belt: Bando 7PK2150 = Toyota 90916-A2015 - Toyota FJ Cruiser Forum

Thats interesting, I would like to get feedback a few months down the road on the belt longevity. No news on $1 spark plugs though, eh?

 

[meatloaf]

Belt & plugs arrived today... Belt says made in the USA. I won't to install until next week & I will keep you posted.

 

[firensteel]

I could not find a replacement interval for the serpentine belt in the manual for my 2012. It goes out to 200K. How many miles do you have on your 2011? I am at 60k.

 

[meatloaf]

My truck is at 105K. I am just changing it as a precaution and keeping the original as a backup.

 

[bigredmachine]

the bando belts aren't to bad, may not last as long as a factory belt, but for the price worth it. the gates belts are also a good choice. there is no set service interval on the d-belt, just replace when they start to make noise, get dried out or crack.

 

[firensteel]

I understand the idea of changing something as a precaution but I have never had a serpentine belt break, dry out and crack or leave me stranded in any way in 40 years of driving, going back to v-belts too. I understand it can happen but changing one on the road seems much less feasible than a tire change. And why buy an inferior product as your replacement? Would a broken belt cause a $60 tow and a $75 repair? Im just playing devils advocate here but with reality in the back of my mind; who drives with a spare serpentine belt?? Im just saying. And wouldn't the Toyota belt be cheaper insurance than a breakage ? We have a Toyota Taco at work with 500,000 miles on the factory serpentine belt and I looked at it yesterday, it looks great, no glazing no cracks.

 

[Mtbcoach]

I would offer several reasons to carry a spare, not rationalizing pre-emptive replacement before regular service:

• 5 miles off pavement does not equal a cheap tow, those of us who delve deeper, very expensive tow
• True, belts can look fine until a water pump/alternator/tensioner pulley bearing fails, causing high heat/friction causing a failure
• Debris getting into the engine compartment causing belt to be thrown, causing failure
• Hard/heavy wheeling has been known to throw a belt
• Water crossings at speed

And, it's relatively cheap and easy to store insurance. Yet, I carried a spare CV that I never used (did on someone else's rig), oil filter, engine oil, gear oil, way more than I could have needed but I live by the credo of "if I don't have it, I'll need it". But, we all take our own relative risks, I believe in being able to self-rescue if I can.

 

[firensteel]

I would offer several reasons to carry a spare, not rationalizing pre-emptive replacement before regular service:

• 5 miles off pavement does not equal a cheap tow, those of us who delve deeper, very expensive tow
• True, belts can look fine until a water pump/alternator/tensioner pulley bearing fails, causing high heat/friction causing a failure
• Debris getting into the engine compartment causing belt to be thrown, causing failure
• Hard/heavy wheeling has been known to throw a belt
• Water crossings at speed

And, it's relatively cheap and easy to store insurance. Yet, I carried a spare CV that I never used (did on someone else's rig), oil filter, engine oil, gear oil, way more than I could have needed but I live by the credo of "if I don't have it, I'll need it". But, we all take our own relative risks, I believe in being able to self-rescue if I can.

I understand completely what you are saying. I believe "95% of the time you get what you pay for". So I was saying why trust something a tenth the cost of the original with the cost of towing and replacement so high? Why not trust the oem belt and not risk the failure?

 

[meatloaf]

the bando belts aren't to bad, may not last as long as a factory belt, but for the price worth it. the gates belts are also a good choice. there is no set service interval on the d-belt, just replace when they start to make noise, get dried out or crack.

I understand the idea of changing something as a precaution but I have never had a serpentine belt break, dry out and crack or leave me stranded in any way in 40 years of driving, going back to v-belts too. I understand it can happen but changing one on the road seems much less feasible than a tire change. And why buy an inferior product as your replacement? Would a broken belt cause a $60 tow and a $75 repair? Im just playing devils advocate here but with reality in the back of my mind; who drives with a spare serpentine belt?? Im just saying. And wouldn't the Toyota belt be cheaper insurance than a breakage ? We have a Toyota Taco at work with 500,000 miles on the factory serpentine belt and I looked at it yesterday, it looks great, no glazing no cracks.

I was basing the purchase of the Bando belt on the post in the Blue Room where the op says that Toyota belt on his fj is made by/and labeled Bando. Why would Bando sell an inferior grade than that of one of their rebranded belt? Would it not be the same belt?

 

[bigredmachine]

I was basing the purchase of the Bando belt on the post in the Blue Room where the op says that Toyota belt on his fj is made by/and labeled Bando. Why would Bando sell an inferior grade than that of one of their rebranded belt? Would it not be the same belt?

Toyota belts are made by mitsuboshi, ive never seen a bando as a Toyota oe belt

 

[meatloaf]

I dont see a label on my '11 fjc. the picture below is from the link above from the blue room.

 

[bigredmachine]

never noticed that before. than I correct my above statement, most belts are made by mitsuboshi.

 

[firensteel]

Well now thats interesting.
Still, I have never changed a serpentine belt in 40 years of driving and Toyota do not have a replacement mileage in the manual for the FJ so when do we do it?
The manual only suggests "inspect" at 25K mile intervals.
Heck at $8 I might just buy one anyway.

 

[meatloaf]

Well now thats interesting. Toyota do not have a replacement mileage in the manual for the FJ so when do we do it?
The manual only suggests "inspect" at 25K mile intervals.

I'm just going to leave my oem in place and will keep the Bando beld as a spare...

 

[firensteel]

I'm just going to leave my oem in place and will keep the Bando beld as a spare...

I would agree with that, seems like a bear of a replacement. However , when we do we should get sealed support bearings to replace the Toyota open-back bearings.Available from Rock Auto. More Information for DAYCO 89158, try these.
If you get a squeak under the hood it could be a faulty Toyota open -back support bearing for your drive belt. I am re-posting this from another source, I have not experienced this problem yet but will do this when the time comes.

 

[Estancio]

Just replaced the belt in my 2008 FJ with 100,000 miles. Original belt had minor cracks and was stiffening with age. Sseemed like a good time to replace. Used the Gates K070834 serpentine costing about $25. Took 15 minutes to change - only because I had never done it before. Next time it will take under 5 minutes. Easy job! I always run with a spare belt in my vehicles and will keep my OEM as the backup spare for the FJ.

 

[BMThiker]

... seems like a bear of a replacement.

Changing the belt takes about 3 minutes with a socket drive and a deep 14mm socket. I use a 4mm Allen wrench to insert into the "lock open" hole on the tensioner pulley armature. My pulleys have only been changed a few times and it was mud and water that ruined the first set that was on the truck. I don't do muddy water crossings as much now so they seem to last longer.

 

[bjowett]

FWIW, Bando is a high quality belt manufacturer that is based in Japan. I consider them a respectable competitor to Mitsuboshi.