50k on an Autozone tensioner/pulley....

[a_2000_se]

I've got nearly 50k on an Autozone tensioner and pulley and Idler pulley. Is this about the time to consider replacing it with another Autozone lifetime part? I got a chirp for the first time at start-up two days ago. It was rpm dependent and went away after a couple minutes. Wasn't a belt squeal but a chirp - like a bearing maybe, or metal-to-metal.

It hasn't done it again since so I can't remove the accessory belt to see if it is a part driven from that belt. I could remove the belt anyway and see if the tensioner/idler/alternator/p.s. pump pulley's are rotating rough......

But what kind of mileage are you getting out of an Autozone tensioner pulley and the idler pulley?

[Sponsor]

[Mitch1989]

If its free, why not do it? Just my opinion anyways.

[Thugology101]

Originally Posted by Mitch1989

If its free, why not do it? Just my opinion anyways.

Lifetime warranties aren't that. That's exactly the kind of warranty abuse that makes it tough to exchange a legitimately bad part, and causes prices to continue going up all the time.. The warranties cover actual failure of the part, not eh why not. You're a great example.

[Mitch1989]

Originally Posted by Thugology101

Lifetime warranties aren't that. That's exactly the kind of warranty abuse that makes it tough to exchange a legitimately bad part, and causes prices to continue going up all the time.. The warranties cover actual failure of the part, not eh why not. You're a great example.

I see your point, but a AutoZone part with 50,000 miles that could be the culprit doesn't sem like abusing a lifetime warranty to me. If it was less likely to be the culprit I'd be on your side of the fence.

I just know my experience with AutoZone parts. At 50,000 I'd be leaning heavily towards that

[iminhell]

"Lifetime Warranty" isn't the lifetime of you or your car.
It's lifetime of the part. Every part made has a usable life expectancy. For rotating parts, it's based on rotations under normal conditions. How many or what normal conditions are, I can't tell you. What I can tell you is that nothing will last forever.
And 50,000 miles on the cheapest of the cheap parts, I would say it's faired pretty well.
Buy new ones now and go another 50K.

[Mitch1989]

Originally Posted by iminhell

"Lifetime Warranty" isn't the lifetime of you or your car.
It's lifetime of the part. Every part made has a usable life expectancy. For rotating parts, it's based on rotations under normal conditions. How many or what normal conditions are, I can't tell you. What I can tell you is that nothing will last forever.
And 50,000 miles on the cheapest of the cheap parts, I would say it's faired pretty well.
Buy new ones now and go another 50K.

This is what I'm saying. I'm not saying every oil change to go claim a replacement part. But like he said, 50,000 miles on a cheapo part is probably the life expectancy.

[whynotthinkwhynot]

Personally, I abuse them for every LW part they have if needed. Some, like alternators and starters, I prefer to have done elsewhere because the quality is so bad. The business model is like this: sell lots of parts with a LW, but only 20% actually come back for a second one, then only 5% of the original come back for a 3rd. The companies are making money off of it- don't worry about that. Autozone stock is not going to drop because you used their LW part and got a free one after it failed. Sure, they would prefer that we all fill up our cars with LW parts, and then have wrecks, but statistically it works for their benefit much more than it works out for us or they wouldn't do it.

I even cleared it on the brakes and rotors when I purchased those for the wife's van from O'Reilleys. "Lifetime warranty rotors and pads?"; "Yes"; "You do realize that I'll be replacing rotors every time I do brakes, right?"; "Yes"; "Ok then" 15k miles later and I'm still not close to needing a new set. I just purchased a full LW (by Wagner) brake set for the ZXW. My last FMC set lasted 90k miles (yay big brakes), so I'll see how long the Wagner's last. I bet half the FMC, and if the braking power is reduced, I'll go back to FMC regardless of warranty.

There's no need to worry about increasing the cost of parts around the nation by using a lifetime warranty to get a new part when the old one fails. Parts are more likely to go up in price due to shipping or labor costs first.

[Mitch1989]

Originally Posted by whynotthinkwhynot

Personally, I abuse them for every LW part they have if needed. Some, like alternators and starters, I prefer to have done elsewhere because the quality is so bad. The business model is like this: sell lots of parts with a LW, but only 20% actually come back for a second one, then only 5% of the original come back for a 3rd. The companies are making money off of it- don't worry about that. Autozone stock is not going to drop because you used their LW part and got a free one after it failed. Sure, they would prefer that we all fill up our cars with LW parts, and then have wrecks, but statistically it works for their benefit much more than it works out for us or they wouldn't do it.

I even cleared it on the brakes and rotors when I purchased those for the wife's van from O'Reilleys. "Lifetime warranty rotors and pads?"; "Yes"; "You do realize that I'll be replacing rotors every time I do brakes, right?"; "Yes"; "Ok then" 15k miles later and I'm still not close to needing a new set. I just purchased a full LW (by Wagner) brake set for the ZXW. My last FMC set lasted 90k miles (yay big brakes), so I'll see how long the Wagner's last. I bet half the FMC, and if the braking power is reduced, I'll go back to FMC regardless of warranty.

There's no need to worry about increasing the cost of parts around the nation by using a lifetime warranty to get a new part when the old one fails. Parts are more likely to go up in price due to shipping or labor costs first.

Some of the mini-truck guys around here share their LW on all their truck parts. These guys with bagged trucks running compressors all day burning their alternator out.

I'm pretty sure I'd never do that, but AutoZone has bigger things to worry about than someone claiming a LW on a 50,000 mile part.

[whynotthinkwhynot]

LOL some mini-truck guys have no sense. An external VR and beefed up alternator would solve the problem forever. Who wants to be changing out alternators regularly- regardless of how easy or free it might be?

I know, I know. A long time ago I had a brief conversation with a "lowrider" club when I was a kid. "So how do you guys lower your trucks?"; "That's easy, we just cut the springs"; "OH, so you soak the springs partially in water while using a torch to cut"; "No, we just torch them, why would we do that?(snicker)"; "Because if you don't, you alter the crystalline structure of the steel weakening it and greatly reducing the spring capacity"; "You're stupid Alex, leave us alone, we have important things to discuss here." It's no wonder that one of them nearly died when sparks from the chassis ignited a leaking fuel tank from a botched fuel pump job.

[Mitch1989]

Lol. The guys around here would probably benefit time wise by just dropping the money on a good alternator. But they do build their stuff right...at least for the most part. No spring cutting here...lol.