Tuthill M-D Pneumatics 9000 Series, Operator'S Manual, Page: 16 / 44

16
SETTING V-BELT TENSION
Proper belt tension is essential to long booster
life. The following diagrams and procedures
are provided to aid in field adjusting V-belts
(when booster is so equipped) for maximum
performance. A visual inspection of the V-belt
drive should yield the appearance shown in
Figure 6.
Factors outside the control of the belt tensioning
system used on an individual booster package
assembly may contribute to decreased belt life,
such as environmental factors, and quality of the
belts installed. This can cause wear of the belts
beyond the ability of the tensioning system to
compensate.
As such, it is recommended to check belt tension
monthly and make any manual adjustments
found necessary.
1. Turn off and lock out power.
2. Remove the fasteners from the belt guard (if
equipped)
3. Remove the belt guard.
4. Check and adjust the belt tension as necessary. It should be 1/64” deflection per inch of span (0.157
mm) deflection per centimeter of span) between sheaves, with 8-10 lbs. (3.6-4.5 kg) force applied at
center point of the top section of belt.
5. Install the belt guard, making sure that all drive components are free of contact with the guard.
6. Install belt guard fasteners removed in step 2.
7. Unlock the power and start your booster.
8. Resume normal operation.
Too Tight
Slight Bow
Too Loose
20/64” = 5/16” (8 mm)
20”
(50.8 cm)
8-10 lbs.
(3.6-4.5 kg)
Too Tight
Slight Bow Too Loose
20/64” = 5/16”
(8 mm)
20”
(50.8 cm)
8-10 lbs.
(3.6-4.5 kg)
Figure 6 - General appearance of a V-Belt drive
Figure 7 - Setting of proper tension for a V-Belt drive