Outdoor Power Equipment (Lawn Mowers, Snow Blowers, Chain Saws and more) Discussions

Is there a rhyme or reason to the size of the belt in the part number? I need a one inch bigger than the one I have for a custom application. Can I use a heavy duty automotive belt?

Well for my application, I am not going to be able to use an original ariens belt. I just cant get the right size. Would anyone please offer another brand that would fare well in this application and work well with the slip clutch...

Thanks.

Here is a place that sells kevlar belts. They should work fine.

http://www.rustrepair.com/LAWN_MOWER_PARTS/onlinecat.htm?r=fr&p=MP-BELTS-BE.12KEV

Hey thanks for that link. I placed an order for a 41". I am pretty sure that will work as I have tried a 39.5" (tec factory belt # 72086) and an aftermarket 43". I've only got 41" and 42" left to go. I cant wait to throw snow. 12 horse motor and 24" auger I am hoping for 50 feet.

My understanding is that automotive belts will wear out extremely quickly and aren't worth the effort. Belts designed for snowblowers are made with a layer of kevlar and don't stretch. The only reason you have to adjust the belt tension is because the inner rubber wears and the inside diameter of the belt increases.

I thought v-belts NEVER rested on the inside diameter (bottom) track if they fit properly, else they would tend to slip.

I also believe besides the belt length and type of material (kevlar) the profile is critical in order to fit the pulley properly. 

The "v" angle differs in the type of application.

I bought an aftermarket "True Blue" kevlar belt  that seemed to fit the application I needed. When I compared it to the original Ariens belt,  the height (thickness) of the belt was about 1/8 inch less. It will work, but it is not as strong and may not last as long. The belt was $6.95 as opposed to $21.00. BUT.....if you have sooner "downtime" and consider labor, the cheapie may not be worth it. 

I did run across a quality belt made by Rotary Corp. Rotary Corp's dealer "finder" at their site is not working properly but I hope to buy some belts from them in the future.

I would like noting more than to use a factory ariens belt, but nobody can give me a listing of the lengths that are availible. Th ariens belts have a 17/32 top and a 7/32 bottom where as replacement belts are listed as 1/2 inch...which means 16/32 at top and 9/32 at the bottom. so overall they differ by 1/8 in width. Length is another story. Ariens only offers a few lenghts that are listed. Some are listed with part numbers but no length.Replacement belts list belts in one inch increments. I have found a few replacement 1/2 inch belts that list oddball lengths. Scag offers a 1/2" x 40 1/2" and then greenshoes offers a snapper belt that is 1/2" x 41 3/4".. once I get the length right, then I can hassle ariens to try and find me a belt that is close enough to work. Hell, I'll even change the size of the idler pulley if I have to. But you never know, the aftermarket belt might work just as well when I get it on there. I'll keep the board posted as soon as I get some more info.

just an FYI..I almost found out the hard way. Some manufacures measure the diameter of a v-belt on the inside and some do it on the outside. Ariens uses the OD. 

Most v belts measure the OD

70chevrolet wrote:

I'm not sure where the "OD" information is coming from; belt sizes are always spec'd by effective length which is a theoretical length at the pitch line. The measurment is calculated from equipment that uses standardized inspection pulleys and a specified weight for tension.

70chev, let me know what length your looking for and I'll let you know the closest 2 or 3 Ariens belts. Be sure to include your application and other requirements (cogged, raw edge, wrapped, cord construction, application, etc.).

Most off-the-shelf aftermarket belts are typically of very good construction, almost always Aramid cord, usually wrapped, and available in 1/2" effective legnth increments. They are general purpose and intended to work in as many applications as possible, hence they are versatile and strong. My guess is the thickness is spec'd thinner than a normal belt again due to versatility. A belt with a thick section will crack and fail quickly on a pulley that has a very small diameter.

Please do note that when using these types of belts that the clutch cover stock likely will reduce performance on a attachment/impeller drive application. Units with very high capacity and throwing distance will slip a clutch cover belt. Raw edge Aramid cord belts are best for attachment/impeller drives (you will hear a chirp when the clutch is engaged). Also, length is particularly critical for attachment/impeller drives to maintain full adjustment and also ensure the safety mechanisms work properly (brake, belt fingers, etc.). I would not advise using aftermarket belts on attachment/impeller drives for these reasons. Ariens' tolerance on these belts is typically .180" to .240" total tolerance on effective length.

PK

If you have a fixed idler pulley (non adjustable type) then a factory belt must be used. If you have an adjustable idler with ample adjustability, then an aftermarket belt should be ok. I use Gates OPE Green belts & Napa's - both of which I have had very good results with. They hold up well & provide excellent performance. Just my 2 pennies...

Marty