My car has a belt eating problem.

[BradN01]

HELP!! I have put 2 belts on my car since I added the lower pulley. I went with a Gatorback belt first and this one was a Gates. It threw the belt when I downshifted and went WOT. I called LFP and they said my Reichard Racing upper was too aggresive for a Gatorback so I tried a Gates. The car has had this belt on for about 2 weeks. My pulley setup is a RR 2.75" non-slip upper, Billetflow 4 piece idler set, stock alt. pulley, and a LFP 3# lower with the idler in the lower posistion. Has anyone had this problem? I don't mind buying a belt every now and then but 2 in 3 weeks is getting costly at $45 a pop.

 

[blackvenom77]

How tight is the belt and are you sure about the correct size? Might want to invest in a belt tensioner? :shrug:

 

[Chonger]

The allignment may be off. Are the belts starting to shread on the edges? I have had 2 different pulley sizes from RR and never had a problem with belts getting chewed up.

 

[BradN01]

No, no signs of belt wear that I could see.... And I never had a problem till I added the lower.

 

[WDW MKR]

Sounds like lower pulley alignment. There is absolutely no reason not to use a Gatorback with a RR upper pulley. In fact, I've had much better results with them over the Gates.

 

[HISSMAN]

It wouldn't be the first time the belt was not aligned properly after a lower install.

 

[mosconiac]

Take a look at the idler on your idler plate. See if you see something like this...

If you do, add a M16 hardened flat washer (available at any hardware store) behind the idler and it should look like this...

Note: the washer fits so well that you can barely see it in this pic.

Note: the wear marks on the idler from the OEM setup now match up with the Metco setup.

 

[BradN01]

This is what my belt looks like on the idler. Sorry for the dirty engine, went and snapped the pic just now with my phone.

 

[HISSMAN]

Your belt looks like a red X ?

 

[BlackSabbath]

This is what my belt looks like on the idler. Sorry for the dirty engine, went and snapped the pic just now with my phone.

This is exactly what mine looks like at idle. When I rev the engine it begins to walk forward a bit towards the outer edge of the idler. I was thinking about adding the washer behind it, but was wondering if it was needed since it seems ok at idle.

 

[postban]

...snip... When I rev the engine it begins to walk forward a bit towards the outer edge of the idler. ...snip....

Classic signs of the weak stock tensioiner flexing under load. Chowed 4 belts on my car before I fixed it.

RR Manual Tensioner with spring assist.

 

[BlackSabbath]

Classic signs of the weak stock tensioiner flexing under load. Chowed 4 belts on my car before I fixed it.

RR Manual Tensioner with spring assist.

I'm looking into getting one. Thanks for the tip.

In the short term, I think I am going to add the washer to the lower idler to give it more surface area when it moves towards the outer edge under load.

 

[AMB]

BradN01

Your problem is: You are, using the LOWER mounting, for the idler, on the Metco lower bracket. Use the UPPER or MIDDLE mounting ONLY. Metco also makes a FLANGED pulley for the lower idler bracket, to HELP on this PROBLEM!!!

AMB

 

[Machinator]

The RR pulley is the problem, they are junk, get SFPHQ or Billetflow pulleys.

 

[BuffDigits]

its an alignment issue. I had belts snap with all sorts of different pulleys, steeda, RR, billetflow no fault of any of those pulleys(uppers), its was an alignment issue.

I would snap a belt in one to two tanks of gas until I got i fixed.

now I have a metco lower, RR upper, and thousands of miles on the same belt.
all it great shape still.

if the alignment isnt spot on the belt will ride up or down on the pulley and cause abnormal wear.

also a belt that is way too tight can snap pretty easily as well.

 

[mosconiac]

BradN01 & BlackSabbath: Add the washer! Its a trivial job and will help (if not solve) your problems.

 

[WDW MKR]

The RR pulley is the problem, they are junk, get SFPHQ or Billetflow pulleys.

Those idlers are Billetflow. The upper pulley design (RR) has nothing to do with his issue, nor does the idler pulley design. It is an alignment issue, which is probably made worse by the stock tensioner flexing. I'm not sure what your statement is based from, but RR is one of the best pullies made.

 

[BlackSabbath]

BradN01 & BlackSabbath: Add the washer! Its a trivial job and will help (if not solve) your problems.

I'll throw in on this weekend and post before and after pics to show the difference.

 

[blackvenom77]

The RR pulley is the problem, they are junk, get SFPHQ or Billetflow pulleys.

OMG...
Tell us your kidding.
If Reichard Racing pulleys are such junk that why do the two companys you mention base their designs off them?

 

[Got Boost?]

wow, im surprised you had problems with the gatorback, my dad has a term with idlers and a 2.8 upper and his gatorback doesnt even get any belt slip when he puts his foot in it, havnt noticed it running to the front of the idler either. no problems with that belt at all