Link belt capacities & source?

It also occured to me that I am using link belts on my lathe and table saw with great results. If I could use one on the engine it would be a simple matter th thread it around the pulleys, link it together and tension. The 3 "L" size belts on my Powermatic 66 handles 5 HP at an arbor speed of 4,000 RPM with no trouble. The stock alternator and pumps will pull maybe 2.5 HP max so an "A" belt should work but what worries me is that the alternator pully speed maxes out at about 7,000 RPM. That and the fact that I have never seen a link belt on an engine before.

Can link belts be used that way?

-- Glenn Ashmore

I'm building a 45' cutter in strip/composite. Watch my progress (or lack there of) at:

Commercial Division:

The manufacturer

not recommend them for automotive use except in emergencies. Apparently too much variation in power transmitted because of large rpm variations, temperature variations and dirty environment.

John.

Thanks for the link. I will have to call their tech support. Marine diesels are nothing like automotive systems. They run for long times at constant speeds that seldom get above 3200 RPM and stay a lot cleaner than automobile engines.

If you can change the pulleys to A-grove it should work... I use tons of L-belt but I never seen Link-belt for V-grove pullies... Automotive belts are v-grove....

Hey Glenn,

You're a much smarter guy than me so I'm sure you've thought this all out, but have you considered something other than a CV joint. Is your engine inclined and you want the additional equipment to sit horizontal so you need a U-joint? If not, how about a splined male shaft on each about 1" apart and a slidable female to couple? Or a standard rubber coupling, maybe by Lovejoy?

Take care.

Brian Laws>