Litens Aftermarket North America announced its new Easy Button latch combined with its Technician Assist Pin (TAP) technology, which enables a single technician to perform tensioner replacement alone and safely.
The most difficult part of replacing a tensioner is routing the belt with the tensioner in the fully retracted position, explains the company. As the new tensioner is installed and rotated, the TAP technology fits into its designated hole and locks the tensioner in the retracted position. Once the belt is routed, the user simply has to release the tension to disengage the Easy Button latch and allow the tension to set and activate the new tensioner.
"This is truly a game-changer for technicians, improving both time, effort, and efficiency of replacing belts,” said Ana Marie Lopez, product application manager at Litens Aftermarket N.A. "Litens is proud to set the standard through our engineering-first approach to the aftermarket, and we are dedicated to creating innovative solutions that empower technicians and enhance their capabilities."
According to Litens, the latch will be included on new tensioners for multiple 2015-2022 Ford models, including the Edge, Fusion, Taurus, and the Lincoln MKZ and Nautilus. It's currently limited to select Ford vehicles, but the company says that it plans to expand coverage to more aftermarket tensioners in the future.
