Serpentine belt

With a rear radiator, really easier to have someone above AND someone below to get the belt onto the correct grooves of the pulleys.

And, let us know if you do have a separate V belt for the water pump, or like some late model C7's the serpentine belt drives it as well. Remember, the C7 is the evolutionary successor to the Caterpillar 3116 and 3126, both with separate V belts for the water pump.

Thank you, the belt is installed via under the bed where the engine is visible?
2001 Freightliner Fleetwood Bounder

sailor_lou wrote:
My C7 has a single serpentine belt that also spins the water pump. Even with my rear radiator setup I can change it myself in about 15-20 minutes and the only tool needed is a 1/2" drive ratchet to move the tensioner. Actually the most difficult part is removing all the "stuff" (my wife's clothes, shoes and the cat's bed) out of the rear closet to open the hatch in the floor.

Lou
05 Travel Supreme Envoy

My C7 has a single serpentine belt that also spins the water pump. Even with my rear radiator setup I can change it myself in about 15-20 minutes and the only tool needed is a 1/2" drive ratchet to move the tensioner. Actually the most difficult part is removing all the "stuff" (my wife's clothes, shoes and the cat's bed) out of the rear closet to open the hatch in the floor.

Lou
05 Travel Supreme Envoy

bigred1cav wrote:
Where do ou have it installed and at what labor costs?

FIRE UP wrote:

wolfe10 wrote:
Because of the higher heat where the belts are located in a diesel pusher, I would strongly suggest 10 years is twice what I would run.

And very likely on the Caterpillar C7 you have a separate V belt that drives only the water pump. It is NOT on an automatic tensioner, so tension needs to be checked and adjusted occasionally. And, replace this belt when you replace the serpentine belt.

EXACTLY!!!!!!!!!!
We've owned our '04 Itasca Horizon 36GD with the CAT C-7 330HP now for 8 years and have put 42,000 on it since we purchased it. And I've changed that Serpentine belt and the water pump belt TWICE in that time frame. Those belts are waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay too cheap to try and stretch a life span on them especially since we often are on looooooong stretches of baron roads and freeways. So, knowing I've done at least that to help preserve our nice travels, is a great piece of mind.
Scott

If you're asking me about cost and where or who installed the belts? It was ME. I yanked the radiator and CAC and did all the work myself. It was a bit of work but, it's paid off, twice. On our coach, while it's time consuming, it's not all that hard to pull both the radiator and the CAC. Once those are out of the way, the rest is cake.
Scott

I replaced both belts on my 2003 Gulf Stream DP with a CAT 330HP with rear radiator.
Takes a 1/2 ratchet to pull down to pull off the serpentine belt. It takes if I remember right a 1/2 socket to loosen the water pump vbelt. It took me probably 2 hours which included running down to the freightliner dealer for the belts. I suspect a repair shop would charge 1.5 - 2 hrs.

Where do ou have it installed and at what labor costs?

FIRE UP wrote:

wolfe10 wrote:
Because of the higher heat where the belts are located in a diesel pusher, I would strongly suggest 10 years is twice what I would run.

And very likely on the Caterpillar C7 you have a separate V belt that drives only the water pump. It is NOT on an automatic tensioner, so tension needs to be checked and adjusted occasionally. And, replace this belt when you replace the serpentine belt.

EXACTLY!!!!!!!!!!
We've owned our '04 Itasca Horizon 36GD with the CAT C-7 330HP now for 8 years and have put 42,000 on it since we purchased it. And I've changed that Serpentine belt and the water pump belt TWICE in that time frame. Those belts are waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay too cheap to try and stretch a life span on them especially since we often are on looooooong stretches of baron roads and freeways. So, knowing I've done at least that to help preserve our nice travels, is a great piece of mind.
Scott

wolfe10 wrote:
Because of the higher heat where the belts are located in a diesel pusher, I would strongly suggest 10 years is twice what I would run.

And very likely on the Caterpillar C7 you have a separate V belt that drives only the water pump. It is NOT on an automatic tensioner, so tension needs to be checked and adjusted occasionally. And, replace this belt when you replace the serpentine belt.

EXACTLY!!!!!!!!!!
We've owned our '04 Itasca Horizon 36GD with the CAT C-7 330HP now for 8 years and have put 42,000 on it since we purchased it. And I've changed that Serpentine belt and the water pump belt TWICE in that time frame. Those belts are waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay too cheap to try and stretch a life span on them especially since we often are on looooooong stretches of baron roads and freeways. So, knowing I've done at least that to help preserve our nice travels, is a great piece of mind.
Scott

My belts and hoses have been in since 2010 look as new (kevlar)

Because of the higher heat where the belts are located in a diesel pusher, I would strongly suggest 10 years is twice what I would run.

And very likely on the Caterpillar C7 you have a separate V belt that drives only the water pump. It is NOT on an automatic tensioner, so tension needs to be checked and adjusted occasionally. And, replace this belt when you replace the serpentine belt.

Yes I believe the primary cost was to replace the compressor and the belt fell victim to the lock up.
+1 for 10 years or 100,000 miles is the expected minimum life of the belt.