A lot of guys swear by the OEM Simplicity belts, and I have to say, I'm still running a LOT of them that were on equipment when I bought it and still keep going. I grab what I can, in a pinch which usually means blue or sometimes even kevlar at TSC, since they are close.

I've only smoked one, and that was on my Weedcutter when I stuffed it into a hillside.

back when I used front pto on 7010 I smoked a few gates green belts. Now I have had good luck with the TSC kevlars or 4belts4less.com kevlar but they seem thinner than the simplicity version. I took burntimes advice and went to napa A144 for the blowers and love them they are deep and look near identical to the simplicity one.

I'll have to look at those...I'm blower belt shopping as we speak. Gave my only one away last year in a blower-sale, now I got nuthin. :dunno:

hotrodtractor said:

I took burntimes advice and went to napa A144 for the blowers and love them they are deep and look near identical to the simplicity one.

Click to expand...

Hey Hotrod;

Yep, that 16 HP Briggs was really digging the work till the belt let go. Went way out back and found the beltthis morning , got cracks on it in about a 12 inch area. So, belts let go, specially when the front PTO clutch rod come out, locked up the front clutch drive , smoking the belt till it bubbled! I was out ther throwing snow on it watch the hub bubble from the heat, so jsut grateful not to have had a fire. A good policy to follow is to stop the tractor when you happen to see black smoke! LOL

I got a coupla Kevlars on order, and prolee gonna try what you say from Burntime on the Napa belt.

Ever hear of that belt "flipping" during operation? I got a mild theory going that somehow the belt got sideways and ssent it out. Alignments is good, so is the spring tension.

all the best

hotrodtractor said:

back when I used front pto on 7010 I smoked a few gates green belts. Now I have had good luck with the TSC kevlars or 4belts4less.com kevlar but they seem thinner than the simplicity version. I took burntimes advice and went to napa A144 for the blowers and love them they are deep and look near identical to the simplicity one.

Click to expand...

I have used that napa A144 also on my AC 916H with a 42" blower using the mid pto. It worked great all last winter, no trying this year as of yet in KC area it is 53 deg. as I write this. Not complaining would like some seat time though. Having withdrawl from mowing. Great forum and answers for all.

Tom Oliver Hotwire

yup have seen belts flip. It happens more with shallow belts that are not as deep, hence why I like OEM or napas. All around the front pto setup is harder on belts as tehy twist so much.... why for 7100 they went to rear pto.

Best way I know to prevent belt flip is add belt guards. They are cheap and if you end stopping by I got a couple you can have for free. Basically a L bracket that almost rubs tight in the pulley and keeps belt from turning.

I think single stage blowers are harder on belt as you have to ram the snow to keep auger full and that "shocks" the blower and belt.