16V power steering belt 10x950 too small. Yours too?

[gtgt__bangbang]

ran into this way back, now facing it again.

the 10 x 950 power steering belt in the parts books simply does not go on the pulleys without at least a shoe horn. Looks a lot like a 950 would fit in the pulley track but NOT go over the sheaves, even with the pump swinging free (butted into the timing belt cover).

Stock eng pulley, stock PS pulley.


There is not that much room to grow before getting the PS pulley too close to the oil cooler lines so its a little hard to estimate the best belt.

q1?) any one else have this issue with PS belts ? 950 belt not fitting without extraordinary measures ?

q2?) what did you come up with ? foggy recollection seems like it was simple as installing a 10x960 or even slightly larger , but I want to flock-think with a herd of pelicans before I plague the parts store with a request.

Does any S2 owners recall the PS belt they used ? Carry on

[guru944]

Is your replacement belt OEM? What brand and part # is it?
Gates seem to fit best...
Later...

[gtgt__bangbang]

have a contitech that I was installing.
Its not a matter of a little bit, its that a 950 wont go on without extraordinary measures , but "looks" like it might fit were it not for the front sheave of the pulley. Looks can be deceiving.

I remember having this problem before, forget the size I ended with, car has been down awhile sans belts so appreciate the wisdom flowing ot the thread.

Its a simple matter to find a larger belt but I am one part curious if I'm alone in having such a bad fit, pulleys look stock and anyway if someone found an under-drive crank pulley it would be smaller, not larger. I dunno maybe some one found a 'girlfriend assist" pulley that INCREASES the power steering kick, but frankly I'd rather find tricks to keep them away from the driver side.

[v2rocket_aka944]

its a tight fit, but that's the right belt.
put it on the pump pulley first and then roll it over the crank pulley with many four-letter words.

[Jfrahm]

Yeah I have had to take the adjuster all the way off to get the belt on.

[gtgt__bangbang]

"stupid belt tricks.

Damfino why but even no adjuster connected, the PS pulley touching the plastic belt cover, 950 aint going on the easy way and I wont bother breaking cords to rage it on, unbolting the PS pulley, other tricks, too easy to rectify...

For you following from home, knowing a 950 wont fit mine, the next size up stocked at local preferred partshop (a 10x975) allows PS pulley to almost touch the oil hoses before tensioning, way too close for comfort, so thats the range to work in.

960 on, was OK but I prefer extra room between oil lines, putting a 955 to the test in a day or two.

( conti & others? go in 5 intervals, 950 955 960 etc, I believe those are mm of circumference OD)

Hope this saves someone a trip across town. The lesson; if a 950 no way, 960 OK and 955 on the way.
Its a belt for dogsakes, use what works.

[guru944]

gtgt:

Did you measure your belt length and compare it to a stock oem belt yet?
I double checked the 968 PET & it lists the same spec belt Part# 99919223650 9.5 x 950mm 37.4" V-belt. When i did my service a few years ago i used a Autozone 15380 (965.2mm) belt from Duralast from Autozone as I could not find Gates locally (Prefer Gates). Try the Duralast 15380 v-belt.

Later...

[gtgt__bangbang]

no, I bot a 10 x 950 Conti which didnt go on over the pulleys. Got the wacky idea somewhere that was the list size. Recalled this was an issue before and I dont see the old old belt around. No big.

A 10 rides flush w/top in both pulleys. Imagine a 9,5 would ride just a bit lower, and think the 9,5 x 950 would be fine except getting it on, which might still be a trick. Last time I cared enough, measuring belts was a black art, I dont have a belt caliper and have only seen one once.

I'll spend another ~$5 for a 955 ( dont want to screw the parts guys any more on a piddly part, and yes the 960 would work but PS
a 955 goes on easy and keeps PS pulley a good distance from the oil lines.

PS- The 955 goes on without a hiccup and keeps the PS pulley happily far from the oil lines.
The moral; if you have a problem with a list belt fitting on or allowing interference w/other structures, know there is no issue ( and there is availability) going up or down in dia and sometimes in width to remedy.