V belts

[Gerbert]

The mower has had only 3 belts instead of 4 for some years now and I smoked them pretty well last cut. Still going but wisdom dictates it would be better to have them and not use them rather then the other way around.
Any experience with different brands/types? The manual says I need to use optibelt red power but they are kind of expensive. They are not fun to change though so I would like to have good quality ones.

 

[Pan mixer]

The mower has had only 3 belts instead of 4 for some years now and I smoked them pretty well last cut. Still going but wisdom dictates it would be better to have them and not use them rather then the other way around.
Any experience with different brands/types? The manual says I need to use optibelt red power but they are kind of expensive. They are not fun to change though so I would like to have good quality ones.

For some things (like my old hammer mill) you have to buy matched v belts so that they are exactly the same.

Maybe different on a mower, I just buy them on the same day from one of the bearing companies.

 

[Gerbert]

For some things (like my old hammer mill) you have to buy matched v belts so that they are exactly the same.

Maybe different on a mower, I just buy them on the same day from one of the bearing companies.

it sounds like you need a powerband type of belt on your hammermill. My woodchipper has that, it is like 4 or 5 v belts next to eachother.

 

[box]

Can you get "genuine" ones from a dealer? At least that way, whatever brand/range they supply will theoretically be right.

Failing that, every brand will have an equivalent to the red power range. Gates used to do a hi-power range which is probably similar, but you'd need to talk to a belt/bearing supplier.

 

[David1968]

I wouldn't go too cheap. Got new belts for ours last year. Just ordered on size because a belt's a belt, right?

Apparently not. Only lasted 70 acres. Got Gates ones now and they seem to be lasting ok.

Edit to say, I could tell what was going to happen by the way I had to keep tightening them before every field. Haven't had that with the Gates belts.

 

[Gerbert]

Can you get "genuine" ones from a dealer? At least that way, whatever brand/range they supply will theoretically be right.

Failing that, every brand will have an equivalent to the red power range. Gates used to do a hi-power range which is probably similar, but you'd need to talk to a belt/bearing supplier.

Red power is what the manufacturer specifies.

 

[Gerbert]

I wouldn't go too cheap. Got new belts for ours last year. Just ordered on size because a belt's a belt, right?

Apparently not. Only lasted 70 acres. Got Gates ones now and they seem to be lasting ok.

Edit to say, I could tell what was going to happen by the way I had to keep tightening them before every field. Haven't had that with the Gates belts.

Thanks that was the information I was looking for.

 

[mf7480]

We used to use Optibelt Redpower's on the JF foragers, nothing else would stick it for very long. Same for the elevator/ auger on the roller mill.

They are slightly dearer but it'll seem cheap when you've got grass to cut but the belts have burn't out

 

[Badshot]

Having used standard optibelts on my little 1.25m offset flail for a couple seasons (it's what it came with) they didn't last long. At least two sets a season. Tried some optibelt reds last season. They doen the whole of last year, and this on the one set. Sometimes the extra £££ is worth it for lack of downtime.
And I think from memory they are so well manufactured they classify as matched sets too.

 

[David.]

Are matched sets still a thing, now manufacturing processes are much better.
Obviously meaning quality brands.

 

[Zebbedee]

Redpower belts are miles ahead of others, I wouldn’t use anything else if that’s what’s on it