Belt Squealing after Rain/Dusty Areas - Ripatuned 13k miles

Update: I swapped my black belt for a green belt and the squealing went away for about 1,000 miles. Just started up again.
Based on this thread, this squeal seems to be more common on Rippatuned trucks though. Honestly I’m just not convinced that it’s a ‘faulty’ oem idler pulley.
 
Update: I swapped my black belt for a green belt and the squealing went away for about 1,000 miles. Just started up again.
Based on this thread, this squeal seems to be more common on Rippatuned trucks though. Honestly I’m just not convinced that it’s a ‘faulty’ oem idler pulley.
I agree, and trying to talk to them is like trying to get a firm ETA on delivery date of your TRX. This isn't a run of the mill accessory, and this forum has given them a lot of business/etc. On my inbound truck (who knows when) I'm hoping someone else comes out with one and I'll sell the Ripatuned one.

I had it happen on a very wet trip, then with dust. Something isn't right with their setup if you aren't on dry pavement.

Basically carry belt dressing/conditioner and deal with it until something better comes out.

It's the Ripasqueal setup.
 
I agree, and trying to talk to them is like trying to get a firm ETA on delivery date of your TRX. This isn't a run of the mill accessory, and this forum has given them a lot of business/etc. On my inbound truck (who knows when) I'm hoping someone else comes out with one and I'll sell the Ripatuned one.

I had it happen on a very wet trip, then with dust. Something isn't right with their setup if you aren't on dry pavement.

Basically carry belt dressing/conditioner and deal with it until something better comes out.

It's the Ripasqueal setup.
Up until now, I've only see the issue arise in dusty conditions. I haven't experienced any issue in 3000+ miles but then again, I am in the wet Pacific Northwest. Obviously it isn't always wet here and I sure hope I don't develop the issue in the spring/summer when its dry and especially when I do make it off road where I will definitely see dusty conditions.
 
Up until now, I've only see the issue arise in dusty conditions. I haven't experienced any issue in 3000+ miles but then again, I am in the wet Pacific Northwest. Obviously it isn't always wet here and I sure hope I don't develop the issue in the spring/summer when its dry and especially when I do make it off road where I will definitely see dusty conditions.
I hope you don't either, because it is beyond fn annoying. It is embarrassing and makes you want to rip it out.
 
I’m starting to think it’s the Ripatuned crank pulley that is the one slipping. I remember that the groves were slick before I installed it, which means there is no grip like the stock pulleys on the rest of the loop. I will be adding an adjustable idler that adds about an inch more contact to the blower pulley any day now. This will tell the story for sure in my opinion.

Is there someone out there that can add a grip coating on a pulley? If so, that may be the route to go for this issue.

Thanks in advance for any input on this.
 
Mine does it. Figured out last summer just a shot of Napa belt dress does trick for 1500 miles or so. We could bead blast pulley for traction I guess.
 
I think it needs a better tensioner or that idler to increase belt wrap. It's slipped on the upper, I can see belt dust.
 
I think it needs a better tensioner or that idler to increase belt wrap. It's slipped on the upper, I can see belt dust.
So it’s not the incognito pulley that’s slipping…. Now that adds a twist to it.
 
Anyone else running into this? I have a ripatuned incognito setup (not pinned) and this is the second time. The first time I thought it was me hammering it in the desert, so I changed the SC belt and problem solved.

It appears to be dust related, as I was following a horse trailer on the back roads for about 10 miles on a dusty road. Fired it up and it sounded like a pulley bearing was going. Stopped and hosed the pulleys down with water to try and stop the squealing, made it much better.

Then last week I was driving in the snow and rain here in CO and the squeal came back after a wet belt. Won't go away days later.

So WTF - this thing can't be that dust/rain sensitive. Wondering if it is the Gates belts they use. I ordered their pulley kit and tensioner and it finally came in (don't expect updates) It says a tougher belt on the upgrade, but same part number as the incognito setup on the new belt. No clue if this is a mistake or not, and trying to communicate with them without Facebook (don't have/want) is pretty much impossible. Yes I'm saying I'm not impressed with their customer service (there isn't any) .

So any stock or ripatumed setups having the same problem? I can't keep changing belts after dust or rain. You think the hemi tick/chirping sucks, this is fucking 100x worse.

I'm going to put the new pulley kit and tensioner on, but if this thing does it after the install I'll lose my mind, as that'll have me $2200 deep into ripatuned and I'll have to yank the setup if they are the cause vs stock. I'll look for a belt alternative as well.
SAME...I'm here in MA. Had my Riptatuned Incognito done back a few months ago. Then the Squealing started...got so bad it would do it under a Downshift if I was passing someone...so brought it back to shop that did the work...They took off the Accessories Belt...Squeal gone...So they upgraded my belt to the same Green Belt the Redeye and Demons have...Squeal Gone...1 month later...it's back...just a little upon startup, but I hear it, and know it's there and I'm F**king annoyed and Pi$$ed.

I had DM'd Steve Ripa the first time...he blamed it on the Tensioners or Bearings. He ignored a FB Post completely...then said it was easy as hell to do all this myself...it's not...I don't do that stuff....and the Shop is almost an hr away one way...it's a royal PITA and if it DOES get worse...I will give it one more time b/c it was $300+ of time and Green Belt so I feel your pain on the COGS too.

His customer service before the sale = A++++...After the Sale it's Customer NOService.
 
SAME...I'm here in MA. Had my Riptatuned Incognito done back a few months ago. Then the Squealing started...got so bad it would do it under a Downshift if I was passing someone...so brought it back to shop that did the work...They took off the Accessories Belt...Squeal gone...So they upgraded my belt to the same Green Belt the Redeye and Demons have...Squeal Gone...1 month later...it's back...just a little upon startup, but I hear it, and know it's there and I'm F**king annoyed and Pi$$ed.

I had DM'd Steve Ripa the first time...he blamed it on the Tensioners or Bearings. He ignored a FB Post completely...then said it was easy as hell to do all this myself...it's not...I don't do that stuff....and the Shop is almost an hr away one way...it's a royal PITA and if it DOES get worse...I will give it one more time b/c it was $300+ of time and Green Belt so I feel your pain on the COGS too.

His customer service before the sale = A++++...After the Sale it's Customer NOService.
If you need to swap the main tensioner it is a very easy job. Breaker bar with a 15mm socket and an 8mm hex to remove the tensioner completely and swap it. The aftermarket tensioners are fairly expensive ~$750. The factory replacement ones are on national backorder. Just an FYI if you need / want to swap it out.
 
I don't know. As a follow-up to my comment about using it as an off-road truck I got the answer below. Maybe it is the tensioners. Who knows, I hope. It is like pulling teeth and I'm bothering them. I will install their pulley kit this weekend and report back over the next month. It would be nice to have a proper CS conversation, their shit is not cheap and is running on expensive motors, so a thorough and helpful answer would be nice. Is what it is. if their tensioner works, great, if not they suck.

"You have something going on with your pulley alignments or possibly a bad tensioner. We have seen vehicles with 1000 miles on them have failing tensioner"
This Response from Ripa is Pure arrogance and ignorance. He's seen $hit on a stick for TRX Miles b/c the Truck is still brand new. To act as if it's going to be the same as on a car thousands of pounds lighter is just stupid IMHO.

My response would have been much more tempered to you about the unknown with the weight of the TRX, etc.

And as I read through this whole Post/thread I'm replying as I go...but more on my truck...I have not taken it off road, and while yes on dirt/fire roads, nothing like sand dunes, etc.
 
If you need to swap the main tensioner it is a very easy job. Breaker bar with a 15mm socket and an 8mm hex to remove the tensioner completely and swap it. The aftermarket tensioners are fairly expensive ~$750. The factory replacement ones are on national backorder. Just an FYI if you need / want to swap it out.
I would still have the shop do it to be safe...but only if I knew 100% it worked to FIX it 100%, thank you.
 
Update: I swapped my black belt for a green belt and the squealing went away for about 1,000 miles. Just started up again.
Based on this thread, this squeal seems to be more common on Rippatuned trucks though. Honestly I’m just not convinced that it’s a ‘faulty’ oem idler pulley.
If it went away with the Green Belt, which mine did too, but then came back, I agree that it's not the tensioner...b/c the Tensioners were not swapped and the squealing stopped for a few of us on this thread alone...but then came back...Losing Patience.
 
Mine does it. Figured out last summer just a shot of Napa belt dress does trick for 1500 miles or so. We could bead blast pulley for traction I guess.
Is NAPA Belt Dressing the CRC brand?
 
So to summarize so far: There are now several people here who have EXACTLY the same issue. That of course is only members who are actually posting here, but I've also read about a couple others in one the Facebook groups.

The EXACT cause and SPECIFIC fix has not been determined. Upgrading to the green belt is not a fix and spraying belt dressing is only a temporary fix. Rippa is suggesting a bad tensioner or idler (i.e. defective factory part) but being there are several with this squeal, customers are less inclined to throw more money at parts that may or may not "fix the problem."

Personally, IF I keep the incognito I may consider trying the Metco 3 piece idler pulley kit to reduce some rotational weight and have potentially better bearings. I may also just pull off the incognito and enjoy the truck the way it was meant to be without the embarrassing squeal.
 
So to summarize so far: There are now several people here who have EXACTLY the same issue. That of course is only members who are actually posting here, but I've also read about a couple others in one the Facebook groups.

The EXACT cause and SPECIFIC fix has not been determined. Upgrading to the green belt is not a fix and spraying belt dressing is only a temporary fix. Rippa is suggesting a bad tensioner or idler (i.e. defective factory part) but being there are several with this squeal, customers are less inclined to throw more money at parts that may or may not "fix the problem."

Personally, IF I keep the incognito I may consider trying the Metco 3 piece idler pulley kit to reduce some rotational weight and have potentially better bearings. I may also just pull off the incognito and enjoy the truck the way it was meant to be without the embarrassing squeal.
100% Yes...and that was ME who posted on the FB forum earlier this week...and someone was nice enough to link me to this thread...and if it wasn't me...I did...but yet more people are having the issue. I JUST talked to my installing shop, and he thinks it's the Ripa Pulley Sleeve all the way.

The Problem with going with ANYTHING ELSE on the Truck means...NO MORE INCOGNITO which defeats the sole purpose any of us went this route vs. being obviously modded to a Dealer and Chrylser Dealers are AWFUL for that stuff.

Whether it be the Pulley Sleeve being too smooth to allow the black or green belt to stay adhered and gripping enough or the TRX simply weighing too much for this to work...it's a RIPA issue, and he should refund 100% any TRX customer b/c the R&D was NOT done, and it's NOT dust, or idlers or tensioners...
 
Is NAPA Belt Dressing the CRC brand?

Yes. I'm applying it weekly now. Ripatuned customer service is pretty much non existent. Sucks.

I will NOT buy their tensioner. I shouldn't have to spend more $$$ to get their original product to work as advertised. I'll take it off before I give them more $$$ with them.
 
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