FAQ

Frequently Asked Questions

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Can I purchase Timken belts from this website?

Timken belts are sold exclusively to original equipment manufacturers and through distributors. Timken belts cannot be purchased from our website. Please  our Distributor Locator to find a distributor near you. If you are a Timken belts distributor and would like to set up an e-commerce account, please call Customer Service at 877-484-6536.

Where can I obtain industrial belt drive design information?

Timken drive design and analysis software, Drive Engineer, is a mobile-friendly web application that can be accessed via our website or at www.driveengineer.com. PowerMiser, an energy savings calculator is available within Drive Engineer or as a stand-alone application at powermiser.driveengineer.com.

What is the normal shelf life for a belt?

With proper storage, normal shelf life is ten years. The quality of a Timken belt is not considered to change significantly within ten years when stored properly under normal conditions. Normal conditions can be defined as temperature below 85°F and relative humidity of 70% or less with no exposure to direct sunlight. Beyond ten years, assuming normal storage, a decrease in service life of approximately 10% per year can be expected. For belts not stored under “normal” conditions, the actual reduction in shelf life is difficult to measure due to lack of precise data and number of variables involved. When belts are stored under abnormal conditions, conservatism is recommended in estimating shelf life.

 

How do I know when my Timken belt was made?

All Timken belts have a 4 digit number to identify when they were manufactured. The first 2 numbers indicate the week the belt was produced and the last 2 numbers identify the year. For example, 2719 means the belt was manufactured during the 27th week of 2019. 

What is the difference between anti-static and static dissipating?

These terms have the same meaning. Anti-static means that a static charge will not build up on the belts. Static Dissipating means that when static starts to build up on the belt, it is able to carry it away. Under certain conditions of temperature and humidity, a belt drive may generate static electricity. Belts intended for operation in a potentially dangerous atmosphere can be constructed with a relatively low electrical resistance characteristic. It has become common practice to specify and refer to such belts as “static conductive,” “static dissipating,” or “anti-static.” Most Timken v-belts are static dissipating.

What is the horsepower rating of a belt?

It depends on the pulley sizes, rpm, and overall drive parameters. You can calculate the HP rating of specific Timken belts using Drive Engineer, available at www.driveengineer.com.

Are you ISO certified?

Yes. Timken belt manufacturing plants and the Technical Center are certified as compliant with the International Standard ISO 9001:2015.

Is there a recommended maximum speed for pulleys?

6,500 feet per minute is the maximum recommended rim speed for standard pulleys on an industrial belt drive. Anything over that requires ductile iron or steel (special order) and needs to be balanced accordingly.

What is the difference between Panther and Panther XT belts?

Panther belts are designed for high torque applications and superior performance in HTS, PowerGrip GT 2 and RPP sprockets. Panther belts are available in 8M, 14M and 20M pitch from 19″ to 195″.

Panther XT belts are a powerful alternative to chain or a drop-in replacement for super high torque polyurethane belts. Panther XT belts are engineered to run quietly and efficiently in the harshest environments using Martin MPC sprockets or Poly Chain GT 2 sprockets. Panther XT is available in pitch lengths from 640-4480 (8M) and 994-4410 (14M) in standard widths.

NOTE: HTS is a registered trademark of Martin Sprocket & Gear, Inc. PowerGrip, Poly Chain and GT are registered trademarks of Gates Corporation

Please explain the part number for Panther and Panther XT belts.

The Panther part number is the length, followed by the pitch and top width. For example, 3600-8MPT-30 has a 3600mm pitch length, 8mm pitch, PT stands for Panther and 30 is the top width in mm.

The Panther XT part number is the tooth pitch followed by pitch length and width. For example, 14MXT-994-20 has a 14mm tooth pitch, XT = Panther XT construction, a pitch length of 994 millimeters and a width of 20 millimeters.

What is the temperature rating for a Panther XT belt?

The temperature range for Panther XT is -40º to +248ºF.