drive belts use vs abuse

You are getting ready for a weekend of snowmobiling and giving your sledthe once over, when you notice that you don't have a spare belt. Which beltare you going to take with you this time? Regardless of what belt you puton your sled, some simple preventative maintenance will go a long way.

There are several manufacturers of snowmobile drive belts and each strives to make a product that will provide maximum performance and enjoyment each and every ride you take. At Dayco, we work throughout the year testing a variety of components, in different combinations, so you will have that unforgettable ride you've been looking for. Every year we log hundreds ofthousands of miles on our belts to achieve the ultimate belt. These field tests cover the full range of the sleds on the market, as well as the powersleds which put out 300-plus horsepower. We try to maintain dimensional stability in our belts so that you, the consumer, can enjoy your ride, insteadof having to fine tune your clutch every time you need to replace your belt.

Before installing a new belt, always make a point of inspecting your sled for any irregularities. If everything checks out, then you are readyto install your belt. Dayco belts are not uni-directional, but once you have installed the belt, we recommend that if, for any reason, you takethe belt off, that you reinstall it the same way it was put on the firsttime. This is important because seating the belt to your clutches will helpoptimize the transfer of horsepower in the drive train. An easy way to remember this is to always place the belt so you can read the printing on the outsideduring installation.

Breaking in a new belt is an important factor in maximizing the life of the belt. To accomplish this, operate your sled at no more than halfthrottle for the first twenty miles or so. This simple procedure will extendthe life of your belt and provide you with more hours of enjoyable riding.

Performing some simple preventative maintenance steps listed below, will help keep you on the trail and out of the shop.

1. Uneven belt wear on one side only. Check for pulley misalignment. If the pulleys are not aligned, check your manual for alignment procedures and follow the OEM recommendations. If your pulleys are aligned, check for loose engine mounts- you may need to replace or tighten your engine mounts.Another cause might be from gouged or scratched pulley surfaces. If thisis the case, have your pulleys ground or polished to remove any deformities.

2. Belt glazed excessively or has baked appearance. There can be several reasons for this.

1) Insufficient pressure is being applied to the sides of the belt. If so, check your driver pulley for smooth actuation. 2) You may have excessive oil on the surface of your pulleys. Check the bearing seals and wipe yourpulley surfaces down with a degreasing agent. 3) Another possible causemay be insufficient pre-load on the driven spring. You will need to consultthe Operator's Manual for this remedy. 4) You could also be experiencingexcessive operation in low gear position. Inspect your converter for correctoperation.

3. Excessive top-width wear on belt. If your driver pulley is not actuating smoothly, it could cause excessive belt slippage. This will result in your belt wearing out prematurely. Another cause might be your pulleys. Check the pulleys for any scratches or deformities and repair if needed. Your belt could possibly have the wrong angle. If this appears tobe the problem, consult your dealer. It could be you have just worn the belt out and all you have to do is replace your belt with a new one.

4. Belt worn narrow in one section. This symptom is usually caused by excessive slippage in the driver pulley as a result of several different situations. You could have a locked track. If so, try rotating the trackby hand until it is free. If that does not seem to be the problem, checkyour converter for proper operation. It may need to be repaired or replaced.If your engine idle speed is too high, it will result in a narrow spot onyour belt. Simply reducing the idle speed will eliminate this problem.

5. Belt too tight during engine idle. The first thing you may want to check whether you have the correct belt on your machine. Make surethe belt you are using is the recommended belt for your sled. If the beltis right, check the center distance between the Primary and the Secondary.Make sure the dimension is correct, according to what the manufacturer says.If everything seems to be in order, check the idler bearing, it may have seized. If it has, replace it with a new one.

6. Belt disintegration. Occasionally a belt seems to fly apart.This is usually the result of excessive heat buildup on the belt causedby running the belt at high speeds for extended periods of time. You canavoid this by reducing your engine rpm's at high speeds. Another sourceof heat buildup is operating in a low gear position for long periods oftime- this causes excessive slippage. Check your converter to make sureit is operating properly. Misaligned pulleys can cause the belt to flipover and it will eventually disintegrate. Aligning the pulleys according to the Operators' Manual will prevent this from happening.

7. Belt edge cord broken. Forcing the belt to track in mis-aligned pulleys will have an adverse effect on the cords. This will result in broken cords and cord pop-out. To reduce the chances of this happening, be sure the driver and driven pulleys are aligned. If your engagement speed is toohigh, it has a tendency to place an extreme shock load on the cords. Reducingyour engagement speed will eliminate this problem.

8. Flex cracks between cogs. Flex cracks become predominate when: the belt is worn out; the sled is operated excessively in low gear position;the temperatures are extremely low; or there is a bent pulley flange causingbelt flutter. If the belt is worn out, simply replace it. Excessive operationin the low gear position may be caused by a faulty converter. Check theconverter to be sure it is operating properly. If it is so cold that youreyelids freeze shut, then your belt is probably too cold. Try warming itup slowly. If the belt is flapping around, check the pulleys for any kindof damage and, if need be, repair or replace them.

9. Broken belt. Shock loading on the belt can sometimes causethe belt to break. Shock loading can be caused by: the engagement rpms beingtoo high; the belt hanging up on the bottom of the driven pulley; or maybe the track is locked up. You can remedy these situations by either reducingthe engagement rpms, replacing the belt (because it is too short), or rotating the track by hand until it is free.

A little preventative maintenance on your part can give you a lot of enjoyable riding.

Dayco was founded in Dayton, Ohio in 1905 as the Dayton Rubber ManufacturingCompany. It currently has more than 30 manufacturing facilities worldwide.It's a supplier of high-performance drive belts, power transmission systemsand related components. Dayco Products, Inc., 1 Prestige Place, PO Box 1004,Dayton, OH 45401-1004 · 800/283-2926 · www.dayco.com ·webmaster@dayco.com