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Goodyear newly re - engineered drive belts?

donbrown

Well-known member
Lifetime Membership
Just read Snowest OCT and it reads to me the Polaris Goodyear Gatorback belt had less wear than a kevlar belt? Miles weren't the same on belt useage so who knows how accurate this was BUT I really aspprecite the guidelines
for the test so one knows the level of accuracy the whole scenario.


Driving characteristics were different which is expected since the compounds are diffent ... rubber type / durometer and Kevlar vs. Flexten™ Patented Aramid Cord



The only thing having me VERY concerned is the Goodyear belt on another brand sled was delaminating ... Snowest says it might be the cause of improper shimming on the primary.



http://www.goodyearep.com/snowmobile/



http://www.goodyearep.com/ProductsDetail.aspx?id=17498
 
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The article also said the Pol belt was better on the up-shift but a bit slower on the top-end speed.
They said the Goodyear belt was slower on the up-shift, but better on the topend.
 
i know that some times a better longer wearing belt is wayyyyy harder on the clutch surfaces of the primary and secondary....to me the oem seem to have a balance i like of wear vs wear..
 
Goodyear USED to be right here in the USA Lincoln Nebraska. Unions broke them and they went overseas. However, when they were here I remember them running test tracks out in Wyoming and there testers had to ride 100's of miles per day!

I have no objection to a GOOD a/m belt. It will hold the OEM cost down a bit. I am sure from there history they would not put a "non-proven" item on the market so I would buy one.........Still not happy about where they are made but hey we can thank our unions for that.
 
Goodyear USED to be right here in the USA Lincoln Nebraska. Unions broke them and they went overseas. However, when they were here I remember them running test tracks out in Wyoming and there testers had to ride 100's of miles per day!

I have no objection to a GOOD a/m belt. It will hold the OEM cost down a bit. I am sure from there history they would not put a "non-proven" item on the market so I would buy one.........Still not happy about where they are made but hey we can thank our unions for that.

Where are the belts made?
 
Goodyear USED to be right here in the USA Lincoln Nebraska. Unions broke them and they went overseas. However, when they were here I remember them running test tracks out in Wyoming and there testers had to ride 100's of miles per day!

I have no objection to a GOOD a/m belt. It will hold the OEM cost down a bit. I am sure from there history they would not put a "non-proven" item on the market so I would buy one.........Still not happy about where they are made but hey we can thank our unions for that.

you can also thank the unions for making it so the hard working blue collar guys make a decent wage and benefits. bet they weren't complaining about what they were paying thier execs. sure if goodyear had their way they'd be paying the blue collar guy minimum wage and keep the suits well supplied with ivory backscratchers. seems only fair to put the blame on the guy who actually makes the product and doesn't just push paper for a living... maybe if the execs would have taken a pay cut and gave up some of thier benefits, which i'm sure still wouldn't have put thier pay anywhere near the blue collar guys, that plant would still be open.
 
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you can also thank the unions for making it so the hard working blue collar guys make a decent wage and benefits. bet they weren't complaining about what they were paying thier execs. sure if goodyear had their way they'd be paying the blue collar guy minimum wage and keep the suits well supplied with ivory backscratchers. seems only fair to put the blame on the guy who actually makes the product and doesn't just push paper for a living... maybe if the execs would have taken a pay cut and gave up some of thier benefits, which i'm sure still wouldn't have put thier pay anywhere near the blue collar guys, that plant would still be open.


I was a suit a while back and started my life picking corn and strawberries in the fields.

Anyway when the blue collar jobs go away they fire the suits as well ... I have experience with this.
 
you can also thank the unions for making it so the hard working blue collar guys make a decent wage and benefits. bet they weren't complaining about what they were paying thier execs. sure if goodyear had their way they'd be paying the blue collar guy minimum wage and keep the suits well supplied with ivory backscratchers. seems only fair to put the blame on the guy who actually makes the product and doesn't just push paper for a living... maybe if the execs would have taken a pay cut and gave up some of thier benefits, which i'm sure still wouldn't have put thier pay anywhere near the blue collar guys, that plant would still be open.

Yea, but the bottom line is that those belts are now made over seas because of labor costs. Slice it up however you want, after awhile management gets tired of it and eventually outsources or manufacturers where there are less issues with employees.
 
Yea, but the bottom line is that those belts are now made over seas because of labor costs. Slice it up however you want, after awhile management gets tired of it and eventually outsources or manufacturers where there are less issues with employees.

You are correct the jobs are lost, the money/expertice/ and bragging rights go elsewhere.
 
Slice it up however you want, after awhile management gets tired of it and eventually outsources or manufacturers where there are less issues with employees.

Like China! Where there was a 2000 person revolt in a factory of 79000 that made Apple's Iphone and other products.
 
you can also thank the unions for making it so the hard working blue collar guys make a decent wage and benefits. bet they weren't complaining about what they were paying thier execs. sure if goodyear had their way they'd be paying the blue collar guy minimum wage and keep the suits well supplied with ivory backscratchers. seems only fair to put the blame on the guy who actually makes the product and doesn't just push paper for a living... maybe if the execs would have taken a pay cut and gave up some of thier benefits, which i'm sure still wouldn't have put thier pay anywhere near the blue collar guys, that plant would still be open.

You fail to grasp that some positions are only worth $8/hr while others command six figures.
We are far better off paying our workers $8 than closing the doors and paying these clowns to ride the couch.
Don't bring fairness into the equation. Contrary to popular belief, the world isn't fair.
 
You fail to grasp that some positions are only worth $8/hr while others command six figures.
We are far better off paying our workers $8 than closing the doors and paying these clowns to ride the couch.
Don't bring fairness into the equation. Contrary to popular belief, the world isn't fair.

Define what is fair ?

Do you think it is fair to hijack a topic on whether Goodyear belts are worth buying to why they are made overseas?

There are lots of items made outside the USA and they are better made or only made outside the USA.

Like the iphone for instance and The Samsung Galaxy. Plus one of the Facebook founders bailed to Singapore so not to pay taxes and a co-founder of Apple computer left the USA from SILICON VALLEY to Australia because our wired and wireless is 29th in the world. Our internet and wired services are not very good.

The main reason jobs go over seas are NOT the cost of labor but the regulations and the barriers to conduct business.
 
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I disagree with that statement.
Yes there are other factors, but labor cost is the prominent cause of the demise in domestic manufacturing.

Reading the entire sentence would help.

The main reason jobs go over seas are NOT the cost of labor but the regulations and the barriers to conduct business.

So who regulates labor cost business or government?

And how 'bout the quality of a Goodyear Belt?
 
So where can I order a goodyear gatorback belt from???? For a 2011 pro rmk. I havent had any luck finding a dealer who can order some.
 
So where can I order a goodyear gatorback belt from???? For a 2011 pro rmk. I havent had any luck finding a dealer who can order some.

The article in the magazine suggested Amazon but if you don't like the anti motorized recreation policy of Amazon then call Goodyear and they will provide a list of dealers

http://www.goodyearep.com/snowmobile/



http://www.goodyearep.com/ProductsDetail.aspx?id=17498


Customer Service:
USA: 800-869-0435
Canada: 888-275-4397
International: +1-800-544-6090
 
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