Beware of Goodyear gator back belts

[MMMAN]

Recently I have encountered some belt issues. One I have made a couple of attemps to align and shim the pulleys properly to prevent the outside of the belts from fraying.

The other issue is that in both cases the Goodyear gator back belts were stretching 2 inches, which caused the belt tensioner to aim towards the passenger side of the motor instead of in the straight up position. I realize that that belt may have weakened slightly, but I really think the Goodyear belt is simply not strong enough to handle the tq from a sc motor.

Finally I installed a (Gates) belt which is much stronger. I noticed the throttle response has also improved. So far so good!

Has anyone else had trouble with a Goodyear belt?

[rvaldez1]

Gatorback has been tried and tested in panthers. I think they are great...maybe you got a bad egg

[RoyLPita]

I installed 3 of them on NAVCHAP's Vortech powered MM. It does not take long at all to have the tensioner at the end of its limit.

[hot-rauder]

I installed 3 of them on NAVCHAP's Vortech powered MM. It does not take long at all to have the tensioner at the end of its limit.

where has NAVCHAP been? havent seen him around here lately...

[RF Overlord]

where has NAVCHAP been? For most of the time, he's been deployed to a classified location...I can tell you it wasn't The Sandbox, but that's all. I will be seeing him next week and will update as I am able.

[RF Overlord]

Gatorback has been tried and tested in panthers...maybe you got a bad eggMost of those panthers don't have a hair-dryer making lots of boost, though...

[Zack]

Gates belts have been proven to be the best blower belt on sites such as modularfords.com

[Dennis Reinhart]

Gates belts have been proven to be the best blower belt on sites such as modularfords.com


I agree I run one with 18 PSI

[MMMAN]

Hair dryer..huh!
Well UNDERLORD :flamer: this one makes plenty!

[wchain]

+1 on the Gatorbacks, thats all I use when I replace belts.

[Zack]

+1 on the Gatorbacks, thats all I use when I replace belts.

This post is about Gatorbacks Sucking ass :confused:

[Cobra25]

Some People Like the GatorBack Belts and some don't. My experence with them is simple, I tryed one of them one and with in a short time the belt streached out so much I had to go with a different belt. My understanding has always been from what I've read here that they grip better when new than other belts but they streach out quicker . Every belt is a little different, it depends on what your look for.
I installed 3 of them on NAVCHAP's Vortech powered MM. It does not take long at all to have the tensioner at the end of its limit.

[RF Overlord]

Hair dryer..huh!
Well UNDERLORD :flamer: this one makes plenty!I think you misunderstood me...I was trying to say that the panthers that used Gatorback belts successfully did NOT have blowers making large amounts of boost, and that's why they could use them. The Gatorback belt is not a good choice for cars with high-boost centrifugal blowers (like yours).

[Tom Doan]

I use the Gator back with a manual tensioner that is cranked tighter than anyones spring type can ever get even by notching it. My belt "pings" when you flick it with no belt stretch after a year. What am I doing right? Tom

[sailsmen]

Compare the Gates to the Gatorback and the Gatorback because of it's tread has less material to hold it together.

I agree when new the gatorbacks do not slip but they stretch.

I had a Gatorback put on and after 2 months the tensioner was maxed. When you took it off and measured againest the gates they were the same but under tension the gatorback was like a rubber band.

The fibers had broken allowing it to stretch like a balloon.

[sailsmen]

Why do you need a manual tensioner if the gatorback is such a good belt and how many miles?

[fastblackmerc]

Have a Gatorback on my NA MM for over 20k miles.... no problems with it stretching...

[MMMAN]

Sorry Overlord.. :beer:I was reffering to supercharged motors in my post and I guess you could say the Procharger :lol:does look a little like a hair dryer.

[Marauderjack]

I'm on my second GatorBack belt and it has about 8K miles on it with no evidence of stretching??:cool:

The first one was fine when I took it off after about 25K miles but since the blower had just been rebuilt and I was putting on a new idler, I decided that it just makes sense to change the belt especially since it's only about $30.00!!:beer:

Actually I'm happier with the GatorBack than the Gates I had......it was slipping pretty bad!! :argue: Might have been a bad one though??:confused:

Marauderjack:burnout:

[jimlam56]

I use the Gator back with a manual tensioner that is cranked tighter than anyones spring type can ever get even by notching it. My belt "pings" when you flick it with no belt stretch after a year. What am I doing right? Tom

I'd like to know more about your manual tensioner. I have to replace the tensioners on both MMs due to whatI believe to be bearing failure.

[superford3]

I run both belts on my car and neither last very long on my cobra and most people know about the belt slip problems we have, i have found this new belt that is the most durable long lasting belt ive see so far. Il post a picture up, is a gates commercial grade green stripe belt. oh and the belt is made with kevlar http://i11.tinypic.com/871zrer.jpg

[superford3]

http://i11.tinypic.com/871zrer.jpghttp://i11.tinypic.com/871zrer.jpg here ya go

[superford3]

not sure why my picture isnt showing up, anyways the belt is actually green

[magindat]

I put on a Gatorback thinking it was the best i could get when I did my Procharger. It did stretch and fray in short order. Unknown to me, I drove it on three ribs and all stretched out on a 250 mile trip. Gatorback was GREAT NA, but sux on SC.

A Napa belt is on there now and performing well and doesn't seem to slip. Napa claims it's made by gates.

I'm very interested in the commercial grade green belt for strength, but also for COLOR!!!!

Where do I get one?

[MMMAN]

Come to think of it, I haven't had luck with Goodyear tires either.

[Tom Doan]

Why do I have a manual belt tensioner? Because I have a Cobra motor in my Marauder and at 14 pounds of boost they are notorious for belt slip. Tom