Front End Accessory Drives

On a vehicle, the tensioner provides tension to the Front End Accessory Drive belt (FEAD), which in turn drives the alternator, power steering pump, water pump and other "accessories" on the car. The tensioner has two aluminum halves with a spring in tension between the two halves. One half is mounted and the other half has a pulley that is in contact with the belt, which moves to keep tension on the belt.

When the engine is running, the arm oscillates and the Stanyl® components sandwiched between the aluminum housings provide the necessary wear resistance. If there is too much wear, the arm could become misaligned, causing belt wear and/or noise. In addition, Stanyl provides excellent chemical and heat resistance for the tensioner in an area where it is exposed to dirt, rain, under-the-hood grease and oil, and engine heat.

Material Solutions

• In FEADs the multi V-belt automatic tensioners, bushings, and damping elements demand high performance and reduction of noise, vibration and harshness over the life of the part.
• Stanyl  TW371, TW363, TS272A1, TW241B3 deliver tailored wear and friction properties for all tensioner situations while offering lower systems costs via easy processing and increased design freedom for function integration.