Dont buy a gatorback belt as your first belt. I had my pulley changed at about 21k miles to a Cravenspeed 15% pulley and used a new gatorback belt. Everything seemed fine until when I went to a dyno run w about 25k on my car and they noticed the belt was stretched. The dyno also showed the belt stretching. I had the belt replaced (the belt was starting to shred and had teeth missing) Installed a new Napa 535 and my car developed a squeel. Took it to Mini...diagnosis-Misaligned pulley. The Gatorback masked this issue since installation. So my recommendation is for anyone thinking of getting a pulley done is to use a Napa or JCW belt.
Happy Motoring!

 

Haven't had any issues with mine... I've had one on my car for well over 20k miles.

 

I understand you havent had any issues and most won't. Thats not what I am implying. What I am sayiing is that as an INITIAL belt a Gatorback is not good to use IMHO because it will mask a misaligned pulley.

 

I don't know that much about belts but I'm not sure how any other belts would be less likely to do so...

 

to follow up a little more I am not stating a Gatorback is a bad belt. I am sure if my pulleys were aligned properly it would have lasted many miles. But since the pulley was not aligned properly the belt had a short life and could have broken at any time. If I had installed a Napa belt I would have known at the time of pulley installation that there was an issue.

 

I put a new Gatorback on, squeak went away. Put Napa on...squeak is back...put JCW on squeak is still there. I have an appointment to get the pulley problem fixed in June before MTTS.

 

I see, so then the belt wasn't squealing, that was why you couldn't tell. I was going to say, what difference does the belt make in pulley alignment...

 

I thought the gater back had ribs that run perpendicular to the direction of the V-groves. I could see where that could flex and grab because of the "Tred" like areas on the belt.

 

Exactly I am stating the Gatorback could potentially mask an alignment issue.

 

I've never had squealing issues with my stock Gates 1388mm(with and without 15% reduction pulley) or my last 2 Gates 1374mm JCW belts(with the 15%).

The shop manager of MINI Yaletown Parts and Service has heard squealing complaints from that Gates 1374mm JCW belt though.

Jeremy

 

We are talking about the Goodyear Gatorback belt masking potential problems.

 

Oh sorry SPDinNY,

I saw you guys yapping about squealing belts up there.....

Sounds like the DAYCO belts are similar in style to the Gatorbacks(with perpendicular grooves every inch or so. When I saw the DAYCO I opted for the JCW belt again.

Jeremy

 

Ok well I'm going to hijack this thread (for what seems to be about the 10th time already). Isn't the Cravenspeed pulley the same design as the the ALTA v1 pulley, where it self aligns so as long as everything is fully evenly and properly tq'ed down and locktited that it would be forced into proper alignment?

 

well if it is I am going to be putting a brand new Alta up for sale.

 

The problem here is the pulley install not the belt. To think that one belt would have foretold of the problem sooner is bunk. I've run several different brand belts and over time they have all stretched and worn out.

Lets get to the heart of the matter - who installed the pulley?

 

My god...please READ my friggin post before you respond. THE PULLEY WAS MISALIGNED. THE GATORBACK BELT MASKED THE PROBLEM DUE TO ITS DESIGN. I AM ONLY RECOMMENDING PEOPLE DO NOT USE A GATORBACK AS AN INITIAL BELT. HAD I USED A NAPA OR OTHER BRAND IT WOULD HAVE SQUEAKED AT THE TIME OF INSTALL AND THE PROBLEM WOULD HAVE BEEN RECTIFIED THEN.

The Gatorback belts are great, just not for an initial belt to see if you have any alignment issues.

 

I can READ

1) ANY of the belts could have "masked" your misaligned pulley.
2) there is NO guarantee that NAPA or other brands squeak when installed on a misaligned belt.
3) A squeaky belt is not the end all in pulley misalignment identification, a poorly wearing belt is.

The advice your sharing is to start off with a "NAPA or other brand" after a pulley install because it will help you identify a misaligned pulley?

And thats bunk.

How about this advice - "upon replacing the pulley, I suggest you monitor the belt for the first couple 100 miles looking for bad belt wear signs. If the belt has bad or funny wear indications go back to the installer."

 

You're wrong. I proved the fact that a Gatorback MASKS my misaligned pulley while others do not. Say what you want but you are..in fact.. "bunk" yourself.

 

Thats a great idea! Especially for the people driving 500 miles to a pulley party to get it done! Give it a few days then drive all the way back if there is a problem! Orrrrrrrr you can just use a non-gatorback belt as your first belt.

 

Sounds like the problem is the pulley not being aligned not the belt . Dont see how the belt is the one at fault here.
Ohh and as far as the belt "masking the issue", wasent it starting to break down, this is a pretty good indication that something is wrong.

And I have the stock belt, its worked great with my 15%.

 

LOL, c'mon guys he's not blaming anything on the belt. He's just suggesting something from his own experience. Agree or not, it's just a well intentioned suggestion.

 

Delete this thread. You had an F'd up pulley. Nothing wrong with the belt.
Change you first post to read correctly. You never did any real testing. You can't prove that it was the belt masking your issue.

If your installer did the job correctly, we wouldn't even be here discussing this.

 

What is your installer going to do about the pulley mis-alignment? I think I may be in a similar situation. Also with a Craven 15%. I had a belt squeal begin after about 300 miles with NAPA 539 belt. I went back and had it changed to the NAPA 535 last week (and a new tensioner with a DT tensioner stop on my 70,000 miles car). No squeak yet, but only about 150 miles with the new belt. It looks to me like the belt is a bit off to the passenger side of the idler pulley. The idler pulley has a shiney track from the previous belt(s) and this belt isn't quite in the same shiney area. I'm worried that this is going to be a problem. Input would be appreciated!

 

My god some people are really thick in the head. I DID do real testing.

JCW belt.. squeaks
NAPA 535 belt.. squeaks
NEW Goodyear Gatorback.. no squeak

I feel like a friggin broken record. The Gatorback design masks a misaligned pulley. Bottom line.

 

He is going to try to realign it. I also have a different pulley to try. If neither one fixes it we may have to grind down the end of the SC shaft the pulley mounts on as per a different thread on this. I hope it doesnt come to that though.