Question about belts

[jlasater 285]

Do the Simplicity brand belts still hold up better than the heavy duty Gates belts as far as the mower drive belt on the 7xx series A/C's?

[yukon 331]

i think so but thats just my opinion.

[Bill725 1,177]

If the belt runs in a flat plane, I have had success using a Gates or Dayco belt. But if the belt does not run in a flat plane, meaning it twists, I have not had any success using Gates or Dayco, as they roll over on their back. I always use a Simplicity belt as they are specially constructed for these purposes.

[gcbuckley 4]

The counter guys at Grand Traverse Rubber have told me that no belt is designed to make a twist like the belt going from the mule drive to the mower deck on my 2210.

I have tried different brand belts and had no luck keeping one for very long on the mower or the blower and end up at the local simplicity store getting simplicity belts and they last much longer. I am not very good with getting the belt off the deck or the blower and in the garage out of the sun and weather when not in use and I think that is why I have to replace simplicity belts about every 16 months.

One Sunday afternoon I was mowing and the mule drive belt broke, I went to the local hardware store and got the right size Kevlar belt and thought I got a great deal, it didn't last 15 minutes. I am just a little bull headed and went back for a second Kevlar belt and got the next size smaller and it didn't last 10 minutes. On Monday after work I was at the simplicity store getting the right belt and went home and finished mowing.

For me I will only use simplicity belts where they twist, bend, or have a pulley running on the back side of the belt.

This is just my experance lol

[jlasater 285]

I don't know how many years I have on the Simplicity belt that's on my 716H currently. Its at least 8 years old...probably older.

Main reason I asked is there aren't any Simplicity dealers in the area.

[MikeES 458]

I have never purchased a Simplicity belt. I have had very good service from the belts I have bought from Fleet Farm (Dayco belts).

My experience is that the Simplicity belts are the best (I have Simplicity belts that are original to the tractor such as the double V belt to the mower deck on my 1980 HB212), but I have PTO cone clutch to mower deck Dayco belts that are well over 12 years old, and used ever year.

Keep in mind even a Simplicity belt will not last long on misaligned pulleys or under or over tensioned.

[Kenh 37]

If you can and have a dealer I've been running Thermoid belts. It's a name you probably never heard of but they are very good belts. My blower belt lasted three years under "adverse" conditions:I All induced by me. A belt bought from Napa, I believe a Gates brand lasted less than 5 minutes. It was half the price of the Thermoid.

http://www.hbdthermoid.com/

Ken