Belt Quality

So, how many times have you heard "You get what you pay for" which I usually agree with. Anywho, I cant count the times my professional mechanic has preached to me "Dont buy those cheap Auto Zone or Advance Auto belts, get one at NAPA or Car Quest (preferably Gates). He absolutely refues to use Dayco belts. Soooooooo I acquired a dern Dodge Dakota and wanted to replace the old serpentine belt as it as severely cracked and aged BUT WAS NOT SQUEAKING OR CHIRPING WHATSOEVER.

I go to Advance Auto and get their best grade belt for $28, put it on and it was squeak n chirp, squeak n chirp something terrible grrrrrrr Soooooooooo I go to Car Quest and get the belt, a Gates for $45, AND YOU GUESSED IT ABSOULTELY PERFECT QUIET.

Like Fox News, I report you decide lol

PS I had this same thing happen on a Saturn Serpentine belt, the cheaper Dayco squeaked n chirped, the NAPA did NOT.

As the old song goes " .... When will they ever learn, when will they ever learn...."

John T

You will not get any argument about this issue from me, a former GM design engineer, John.

Dean

I have a Kubota tractor with a belly mower on it. I bought it new in 89. The deck has a double belt between the blades. Something cut the belt half way through, after 15 years. I went to the Kubota dealer and bought a new belt. It wasn't a Kubota brand. IT ran one week and came apart. I put the one that was cut back on and finished. I went back to the dealer and told him that I wanted a Kubota belt. They had to order it, cost $75, the first one he sold me cost $17. The new Kubota belt has been on for 5 years, looks like new. You judge which is cheaper.

Yup. Found that out with snowmobiles, particularly today's sleds that put out 100+ hp. Just because a belt is cheap doesn't mean it's a bargain, particularly after it breaks when you''re in the middle of nowhere!

for sure. the cheaper belt is designed to only run in a circle and not bend backwards as in an S direction. that just destroys them. the expensive one is designed to run in an S direction.

I use a Gates Green Stripe belt on my Troy Bilt tiller as they will take it when declutching and engaging the clutch. They may cost a few dollars more, but I get good service from them. The belt on there now has been on 5 years. Cost was around $12.00 when I bought it.

I put a new timing belt on a Pinto, it may have been a Gates since our local auto parts store has always sold Gates and they have been in business over 75 years. One of our local garage's had a shop manual as how to install it. The belt broke when we about 2 miles from home. I was lucky I had towing and had the car towed home. Hal

I tryed the CHEAP route on my Nesson truck. Would squell some times thought it was the belts. but had changes alternator about same time. after a while started checking out turned out to be bearings in alternator would only make noise when under a load. just about drove me up the wall untill I found out what was causing noise. I took it to the person that overhauls my had him check the bearings they looked and felt good when you turned them by hand but had him change them anyway, stoped noise. By the way bI got rebulit Alternator at Advance. I don't think the had changed Bearings. Just fixed The problem and shiped as rebuldit. Sounds like the Service tech I used to work with when someone sent something for rebuild. He would just fix the problem and send it back. I always rebuilt with New Bearings, seals and parts that had wear. None of my rebuilds came back but a lot of his did And I ended up having to redoing his also.

I have had the same experience with spark plug wires. NAPA carry two grades (at least my store does). When the parts counter man asked which one I wanted I did not even ask the price of the cheap one. Just said give me the good one.
The parts man said he has to ask due to low cost competition.
For whatever part I always ask "is that your premium brand."

I a Kubota 6" deck with a double V velt driving the three blades. I bought the deck and tractor new in 1993.

Last year when I replaced one of the spindle bearings I replaced the original belt at the same time since I had removed it to service the spindel. There was no evidence that it needed to be replaced.

Of course, I replaced the belt with a genuine Kubota (around $90) belt, and I saved the original belt as as spare.

Dean

Did you grease that tension idler bearing while you where under the hood. They like to get dry and turn hard.

I lost my supplier of JD belts for my 14hp garden tractor mower, both deck belts and engine to deck belts. Went through a series of belts from several manufacturers/dealers. None held up worth a darn. Drove a distance to a JD dealer, bought the JD belts, and they have held up well - cheaper than some of the competition too, Was I suprised.

Many times with those chirping or squeking belts, If you dribble some liquid rubbing compound on the belt grooves as it runs, you can eliminate the noise.

I fell out with gates along time ago,,, I have been using dayco but lately have had quality issues,,, a gates product did not repair the issue either,,, Goodyear belts hoses have always been good to me when available,,, Chrysler, Hyundai, and Most of all my biggest headache Nissan get OEM hoses and belts...

As hard as it is to bite I have went to OEM hoses and belts when I can talk the customer into it,,, its hard to beat a zack fit for dummies hose... This always delays the job a day are to so we both suffer for quality... I state before I start the job,,, no guarantee on leakage when a old hose is used... No matter how well you tie a old hose down one comes back and bites ya time to time...

Guys that deal with this issue daily will tell ya theirs some ill fit'n hoses on aftermarket shelf's... I have seen 10 year old OEM hoses that are better than new aftermarket hoses,,, theirs a reason the aftermarket says to replace them every four years,,, that's the life span of their junk....

I have been at this long enuff to see allot of brands come and go,,, Sometime the the 80's the market got flooded with cheap belts,,, Those belts were great for a year are so till they got belts covering the walls in every mom and pop shop around,,, then they did a switch to a lower quality line,,, you were stuck with'em...

Why the aftermarket can not copy the OEM's engineers spec I dunno... Close is not always close enuff...

I went out and bought a 3/4 belt for my case LA it did not fit, measured it, you got it even though it said 3/4 on the belt it measured 11/16 went to a different place an got the correct size.
Walt

I agree. The JD belts seem to be significantly better quality. Not sure why, I"m sure they don"t make them themselves.

I took the old worn out manure spreader belt in to get a replacement...counter guy found two belts that were "close". One was a notched belt and just looked "tougher" so I said that one looked like it should work. He said that belt had been laying around there forever...and after trying to find a price he said I could just have it. Best belt I have ever "bought"...and has been working great. Now when it eventually wears out I'm sure it will be an obsolete number.

Everyone has their own experiance to relate too.
Mine is the "Gates" belts are made from cardboard
and that the ends blow off of "Gates" hydraulic
hoses.
My own experiance is that NAPA may cost slightly
more that some others, but for me it's money
well spent!