How to reduce V belt slippage.

[dh1]

As the tittle says how do you reduce V belt slippage?

My GE tractors are driven by 2 x 3/8 wide belts, no tensioner pulley.
Problem is belt slippage in the higher gears when under heavy load.
The pulleys are good, clean, and not bent, made of cast iron. Belts tight.
Cannot put a wider belt on as they will not fit the pulleys.

Suggestion's, advice?

 

[Texas Horses Hogs and Deeres]

2 things that you can do to help. First rough up the pulley contact area with some 60-100 grit sandpaper, those area get polished very smooth like glass over the years. Second is buy a good set of matching belts made with Kevlar and make sure that they don't get glazed over with use. If you can find area with enough room to attach an idler pulley, it would help even more. Hope that helps Doug!

 

[Texas Horses Hogs and Deeres]

And if the pulleys ate 2 groove single pulleys you can also buy a banded belt which is both belts banded together to look like a single belt.

 

[dh1]

The pulleys are shiny and the belts become Glazed rather quickly.

 

[Texas Horses Hogs and Deeres]

The pulleys are shiny and the belts become Glazed rather quickly.

Either replace them if you can with cast pulleys or rough them up. The problem is that when the pulleys get polished that much, they tent to slip the belts more and cause the glazing of the belts.

 

[poncho62]

Can you put wider pulleys on it? I suggest 5/8

 

[dh1]

Can you put wider pulleys on it? I suggest 5/8

Not sure Harry, pretty tight for space, but it's worth looking at doing.

 

[olcowhand]

Sand blasting the pulleys with rough media will do the trick. The real deal would be toothed belts and pulleys!

 

[poncho62]

Not sure Harry, pretty tight for space, but it's worth looking at doing.

I'm no engineer, but I would think that even one 5/8 belt would grip better than two 3/8.....I could be wrong

 

[dh1]

The single pulley with weld on Hub from Princes Auto might work, they take a 1/2" or 5/8" belt.

 

[olcowhand]

I'm no engineer, but I would think that even one 5/8 belt would grip better than two 3/8.....I could be wrong

Actually, one of our two milk parlor vacuum pumps ran three 3/8 belts, and the other one ran two 5/8 belts. The one running three 3/8 belts lasted longer and needed less adjustments. I'm certainly no engineer either, just an observation.

 

[olcowhand]

Cogged belts and pulleys lose less HP from friction than V-belts do. Should get longer battery life.

 

[dh1]

I think GE used the small belts to increase run time, less resistance than using wider belts.
Also limit the torque to the trany, electric motor they used makes max torque at zero rpm.

 

[Bolens 1000]

Cogged belts are a must for tight sheaves and pulleys especially where not much tension is used

 

[Dane in PA]

Rough up your pullies and use a good rubber belt.

I wouldn't personally recommend Kevlar or Woven Belts. They take more tension to grip properly than a standard rubberized belt.

 

[Lily'sDad]

Is belt dressing a good thing?

 

[ol' stonebreaker]

Pulleys, even cast iron, wear so just be sure the belts aren't bottoming out in the pulley grooves. If the bottom of the grooves are shiny that's a good indicator.
Mike

 

[Toomanytoys84]

Is belt dressing a good thing?

I personally am a believer in belt dressing. I've applied it to various belts that were slipping or squalling and I feel it helped.

 

[Cvans]

Raw rubber edged belts will help BUT they are not to be used in a clutching situation as they won't slip. Cog belts are generally rubber edged and run cooler.