Link-belt substitution

A lot of people use those on small lathes and mills . Never heard of one that busted from overload ... if they say it'll transmit that much power , it'll prolly do twice that . Called "CYOA" .

Ignoramus2551 fired this volley in news:d_GdnfPvobfrsMTSnZ2dnUVZ snipped-for-privacy@giganews.com:

Ig, I've not installed them myself, but have had them on equipment I bought, where they'd already been installed as replacements. They seem completely reliable. I don't know about their life vs. a standard continuous belt.

I think if you get one rated for the same load and form-factor, they'd not be smart to advertise it as working in that service unless it did. They've been around for a LONG time.

LLoyd

Iggy, I can't remember what you got for a forklift. Does this drive shaft drive the hydraulic pump? If it does and you plan on keeping this machine then it would be worth the effort on your part to break down the drive shaft. Most of them are splined on both ends and sometime don't have a grease fitting or if they do they haven't been greased in a while. The u-joints should also be checked. It can get epensive if that shaft lets go.

That's good to know. I will install one tomorrow, hopefully.

i

It is a Hyster 5,000 lbs forklift.

I think so, however, the belt in question does not drive anything heavy.

You are suggesting to do it as another maintenance item, right?

i

Your right. The belt is drive off the crankshaft and feeds the fan, water pump and alternator. That link belt will work.

Yes. reach down to that shaft and see if you have much play, If so you may want to have a closer look at it. I can replace that belt in under 1/2 hour but I have done a few. If it has been maintained, removal of four bolt on the flange nearest the u-joint, push the shaft away from the crankshaft towards the pump, replace the belt and reassemble. If the splines haven't been greased then its another ballgame as the shaft won't slide to get the belt out. If the u-joints are worn they will vibrate and there is a possibility of taking out the hydo pump. Now ya get to pull the counterweight of the unit to access the pump.

whats the first four digits of your serial # possibly C138 I will look up to see what your what your working on.

Jeff, I will get that info tomorrow. This is a Hyster 5K forklift with

8000 hours and a weird pedal with forward/reverse on the pedal itself. I do not like this approach to choosing forward or reverse.

The good news is that it starts and runs and can even drive itself onto my tilt trailer.

i

SNIP

I have two friends who swear by these belts. Only "bad" comment is that shortly after intallation and running they "stretch" quite a bit and need to have to have a link or two removed, but then they are good "forever".

Brian Lawson.

Ignoramus2551 wrote in news:d_GdnfPvobfrsMTSnZ2dnUVZ snipped-for-privacy@giganews.com:

I have used them on a couple of light machines. The industry standard is Power Twist from Fenner:

I suspect that is what McMaster sells, although sometimes it's hard to tell. I've had three pretty minor issues:

1) They settle in, and you may need to remove a link after a bit. 2) They make a zipping noise when new, which can be annoying on an otherwise quiet machine (I took them off my small mill for that reason). 3) While they wear in, they leave red dust behind.

Advantages:

1) Easier to install in some cases (like yours)

2) More flexible. My biggest success was with a horizontal band saw. It would buck every time a stiff spot on a conventional belt came around. Even a new belt ran uneven. The Fenner belt fixed it fast.

3) They will never get stiff.

The wear out will phase be a bit different, in that the links probably saw themselves in two over time, as opposed to rotting & breaking. I haven't run mine enough to come anywhere close to that.

I bought my 1/2" belting at the local Rockler Woodworking store. The last time, they had a very nice sale on the stuff ($4/ft?). When I went in, the amount I wanted (4 feet) left only 3 feet in the box, so they gave me the whole thing for the price of 4 feet.

Doug White

I was at HF earlier today and I was surprised to see they had these hanging on the wall:

Vibration Free Link Belt Item # 43771 Manufacturer: Accu-Link Size: 1/2" W x 5 ft. L $24.99

I didn't look at it too close, but noticed it was made in Italy.

Thats called a monotrol pedal designed by Hyster..... they are popular but take a while to get used to. I never got used to them

jeff fired this volley in news: snipped-for-privacy@4ax.com:

John Deere hydrostatic "Estate Mowers" all have that sort of control, too.

Really... it takes about an hour of actual maneuvering (as opposed to just going in a straight line) to get used to.

LLoyd

I do not like it because I feel that it is unsafe.

i

SNIP

I have two friends who swear by these belts. Only "bad" comment is that shortly after intallation and running they "stretch" quite a bit and need to have to have a link or two removed, but then they are good "forever".

Brian Lawson. ___________________________________________

Exactly!

Ignoramus7130 fired this volley in news:N-mdnbu_q8-XNcfSnZ2dnUVZ snipped-for-privacy@giganews.com:

It really isn't, Ig. The pedal is spring-centered. It's just another trained muscle skill.

Some folks consider the "crash bar" controls in BobCat brand loaders to be unsafe -- and they can be, because of their tendency to allow "PIO" (pilot-induced oscillations). But a skilled operator can make a BobCat sing.

I prefer the ASV joystick control, myself. To me, it's like a second set of arms.

But I've spent a good many hours with the Deere pedal control, and can tell you that it quickly becomes natural and safe to use.

Lloyd

The key I've found to the Bobcat pedals is to push your foot against the pedal and rock it. When folks try to just press the top or bottom of the pedal they get the oscillations and almost no control. I expect the forklift is similar and I expect it's a lot more efficient than having to take a hand of the lift controls to switch gears.

Thanks to everyone. I put one in, it was a bit more difficult than I would have liked, but it seems to work fine now. I should have made it a little tighter, maybe I will retighten it after a while.

i