Gates belt problems

[John *.?-!.* cub owner]

For years I have used Gates belts on all my equipment, but lately I have been having premature failures. A belt on my Mott flail normally lasts 3 to 4 years, but I have gone through 2 this summer (one broken, and one that wouldn't stay on pulleys). Likewise, the deck drive belt on my White rider (One worn prematurely, and one broken). The dealer has replaced them with no problems, though. Maybe I have just been unlucky, but I was wondering if anyone else has run into trouble with new Gates belts lately.

[Bigdog]

John - Most likely those belts which used to be made in the USA are probably outsourced now.

[John *.?-!.* cub owner]

Still marked "Made in USA".

[Gary Dotson]

Yes john, I used to believe that Gates belts were the best you could buy, but I learned the hard way, just like you. I put a new Gates belt on my neighbors Yanmar (Woods) belly mower & it lasted about 3 hours. I thought it was just a fluke, so I put another new one on it, same thing. I finally found a Woods dealer and ordered a belt from them. It's run all season without a hitch so far. I've also found that I can't run Gates belts on the deck of my Kubota, only lasted an hour on that.

[technova]

That may explain the increase in belt eating from my mowers this year.
I put new on and am getting terrible wear. been racking my brain trying to figure it out. They were Gates, will try another brand next time.

[John *.?-!.* cub owner]

Wouldn't be the first tiem I've seen a company change a manufactuiring process or a service to increase pofit.

[Bigdog]

2 of my wife's brothers worked for Gates in Elizabethtown KY. I know they made hoses there but I'm not sure about belts. Anyway, I think they are closed down now or if not, they have cut back. (both brothers have retired) Like most manufacturing units, very little is still done here in the states. Most is south of the border or overseas. What is still made here is not made as well as it was due to costs. As John stated, quality is sacraficed to save the profit margin.

[BigBill]

I have used gates belts, timing belts and hoses since i started driving and repairing cars. This is sad news that the quality is dropping off now. Everything is going this route too the manufacturing is all moving away out of the country. Its a combination of cheaper labor and no enviromental restrictions in the other countries thats attracting them.

Maybe the big corporations in this country would stop trying to show there stock holders big profits and just focus on survival and keep us americans working should be whats important not going overseas to survive. Before i retired i worked very closely with the japanese division of my company. The japanese culture is to buy the lastest and greatest product but it has to be the best quality and the price isn't a factor. They don't believe in putting out a bad product too. They test there products before they sell them. Here in the US my company has one of the most modern engineering test labs in the US. We did electronic and mechanical life testing, product developement and failure analysis, its actually finding out why things break and how to prevent it. The bottomline is a better product means less call backs and that means more profits. The last time i heard my old company was making .75 cents profit on every dollar they take in. But the bottomline is we did the development/engineering here and everything is manufactured out of the US but we still tested what they manufactured here before it gets sold. In selling our new products we hardley made any profits, were they make money is in maintenance contracts so having an excellent quality product that can't fail is were you make $$$. Its just too bad it has to be manufactured somewhere else. Where I live we were the manufacturing industrial might of this great country we manufactured everything here from steel to brass to machines like Bridgeport millers to Bullard Vtl's its all gone now its a ghost town here in all the cities that once were busy. Its going on across our country too and its been happening since around '83 when the first recession hit with 21% interest. The american worker is doomed because of greed.

[moe1942]

Make sure you tell the dealer what you are using the belt on, especially if it is going around an idler wheel. Some belts will fail prematurely if they are run on the flat or back side.

Found that info when looking for a belt for my wood chipper. At one time all belts were made to the same high quality specs. Now they are made to specific uses.

Hope this makes sense. If I can find the info I will post it..

[John *.?-!.* cub owner]

I used to work in a aprts house, and you are correct Moe. \The betls I ma using are the same number I have used for years, and were crossed form the manufacturers number by the Gates dealer.

[technova]

What causes belts to roll over?
I had one on for 8-9 years (maybe more before me) and just replaced it
as a preventative measure.
The new one rolled over in less than 3 hrs.
I've also heard once they roll they are junk and will keep doing it.
Is this true?

[John *.?-!.* cub owner]

It is usually when one side starts to break down. In the cas of mine you oculd hold it up and see a sidewyas bow in it . It may roll over a tiem or two and be ok, but if ti keeps on doing it, it is junk. Teh one on my Mott would roolover and actually run for a while with the back of the belt on the rim of the pulley before it would finally jump off.

[George Willer]

The combination of running too loose and a partial break down of the belt. I had a $100+ belt break down on an L-306-F Woods in the first few minutes from running too loose. I bought another right away, but thought afterward about the possibility of running it the other direction. I think it might have worked, since the jockey pulleys would then bend it the other way. It's worth a try! Woods belts have to be run VERY tight.

[Jim Becker]

Always loosen the tensioner when installing a belt. Doing it the lazy way by running it over the edge of a pulley can do internal damage, after which it will jump off.