Not sure if I'm a link belt fan

[Ole Anderson]

Original v belts still running smoothly on my 1998 G1023. Wouldn't mind swapping for a serpentine style flat belt, but when contacted, Grizzly said they do not make the required pulleys.

[Curt Harms]

Original v belts still running smoothly on my 1998 G1023. Wouldn't mind swapping for a serpentine style flat belt, but when contacted, Grizzly said they do not make the required pulleys.

You could probably find correct pulleys if you really wanted to from a supplier of such things, you'd just have to know the diameter of the shaft/bore. They wouldn't have to come from Grizzly. Worth it? That would be up to the purchaser. I have 3 link belts on my G1023. They're probably looser than recommended but I don't notice any slippage so leaving well enough alone. If I were doing it again I'd probably install 'cogged' belts.

[Andy D Jones]

The only way to replace the final drive belt on my 1939 metal lathe is to pull the shaft, unless you use a link belt.

-- Andy - Arlington TX

[Jeffrey Martel]

I use the cheap knock off link belts from harbor freight. Work great for me. Never needed adjusting.

[Bruce Wrenn]

They aren't knock offs, just from a different supplier.

[Edwin Santos]

Circling back on this thread, I installed a new v-belt on my saw and it is a significant improvement over the link belt. Less vibration, and it seems like noticeably more power transfer to me. One indication is that at similar band tension, the thrust bearing is hardly engaging where before it would spin like the tasmanian devil. Another is that the motor seems to be running cooler.

I'm not expecting the v-belt to stretch like the link belt did, but time will tell.

I realize that link belts have their fans, among knowledgeable woodworkers, so I must have had a bum one. But all is good for now.
Thanks for the input,
Edwin

[Frank Pratt]

0I realize that link belts have their fans, among knowledgeable woodworkers, so I must have had a bum one. But all is good for now.
Thanks for the input,
Edwin

I think most of us that use them would not characterize ourselves as fans. It's more a case of the link belt being a suitable cheaper/easier/more convenient, alternative in certain situations. But a quality pulley & v-belt will almost always perform better.

[Steve Rozmiarek]

Circling back on this thread, I installed a new v-belt on my saw and it is a significant improvement over the link belt. Less vibration, and it seems like noticeably more power transfer to me. One indication is that at similar band tension, the thrust bearing is hardly engaging where before it would spin like the tasmanian devil. Another is that the motor seems to be running cooler.

I'm not expecting the v-belt to stretch like the link belt did, but time will tell.

I realize that link belts have their fans, among knowledgeable woodworkers, so I must have had a bum one. But all is good for now.
Thanks for the input,
Edwin

Glad you reported back, sounds like you got similar results to what I've had.

One more thing I didn't mention before in my campaign against link belts, to achieve their purported "benefits" they have to slip or flex. It's impossible to have a slipping or deforming belt and not get extra wear on the pulleys and sheaves. I think long term use of link belts will cause damage to the machines. Probably not important on a $200 drill press, but might be on an old iron machine that uses replacement pulleys are impossible to get.

[Lee Schierer]

When I decided to replace the v-belt on my Craftsman table saw, I ordered a kit on line with new pulleys and the link belt. The instructions showed how to adjust the link belt. So in a short while, I was all ready to go. I walked to the front of the saw and flipped on the switch. As the saw got up to speed you would have thought I had installed a siren. Wow, what a noise. It turned out that link belts are directional and I had installed mine backwards. Once I turned it around it has been fine ever since.

[Paul Haus]

Just noticed this thread. I have link belts on 3 machines (jointer, moulding machine and bandsaw) and they've been fine. One came with link belt while I added the other 2. Other than upgrading the pulleys to cast iron from lesser ones to eliminate the wear issues there were no other changes made and I've not had a need to adjust any of them in over 20 years usage. One thing I did do prior to assembling the belt was to step on one end of the belt and pull it to remove any slack and it's worked out well.
I have no issues using link belts so far.

[Ole Anderson]

Seems I remember a time when changing out to a link belt was THE thing to do. Less vibration, blah, blah... I put it in the category of "a dull knife is more dangerous than a sharp knife". Not my experience, but that is what I keep hearing.