Reeves drive eats belts - help!

[Chris Colman]

I have a Grizzly lathe with a reeves belt drive tranny.

It seems to be hard on belts. I just put a new belt recently (original belt number from WW Grainger), and it is becoming worn, starting to shed black fuzz, etc.

Mayb it is because I have been roughing out some green bowl blanks lately and working it too hard?

Any ideas?

What belt to you use to replace with?

[Dennis Ford]

I don't have that lathe, so not much help on which belt but would suggest that you take an old one to an auto parts store and see if they have a good quality replacement.

Rapid wear of belts is almost always due to problems with the pulleys or belt tension. Check to see if the motor is mounted so that the pulleys line up and the pulley has not moved on its shaft. Be sure to only change speeds while the lathe is turning.

[Michelle Rich]

I don't have that lathe, so not much help on which belt but would suggest that you take an old one to an auto parts store and see if they have a good quality replacement.

Rapid wear of belts is almost always due to problems with the pulleys or belt tension. Check to see if the motor is mounted so that the pulleys line up and the pulley has not moved on its shaft. Be sure to only change speeds while the lathe is turning. I do have an older reeves drive lathe. They are notorious for being loud while running and eating belts. First, make sure your pulleys line up. Then look at your belt. Does it look like a dovetail? Does it go from wide on top and less wide at the bottom? The pulleys move apart & together to get the speed and they are sloped to do it. The belt must slope also..call grizzly and get the right belt. I've used my lathe for 20 yrs on the same belt..it can be done once the pulleys are aligned and the proper belt installed. Good luck

[Barry Elder]

Reeves drive components seem to get out of alignment when they are relatively new. Hope you have a few tools and are mechanically inclined. You should consider taking the shaft assembly completely apart and make sure there has been no slippage of the key and other parts.

[Chris Colman]

The sliding pulleys froze up on the shafts earlier this year. I took them apart, cleaned and oiled them to get them working again. I probably got something out of alignment. I will look and see that everything aligns. Thanks.

[Josh Bowman]

Chris, Grizzley has good customer service. Have you ran it by them?