The cheap plastic tensioner pulley on my Avalanche just broke on the highway, in the middle of nowhere last night...

So I decided to go metal this time but surprised not to be able to find one: seems to me Innovators West is the only company makes an aluminum tensioner pulley. But they only make 8 or 10 grooves and mine is 6. Anybody here knows where I can buy a metal pulley? Thanks!

 

I found one: DAYCO 89051, all steel, only $17. Now even when it breaks, it won't fall to pieces and drop the belt!

 

Plastic isn't always bad. Cheap potmetal can be even worse. The bearings are the part of the testioner that tend to go bad.

 

Bearings' No. 1 killer is heat: plastics are good thermal insulators and keep all the heat inside the bearings to kill them faster. Aluminum should be a better material but I can't find one.