Gilmer belt drive, is it any good?

Rwillia4 · #1 (**permalink**) 09-29-2009, 06:44 PM

Ok I need some advise. I'm looking for a belt drive. I had purchased one from Jegs but the movers lost my whole chest of parts in the move. In any case I found this on ebay: http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/289-3...=p4506.c0.m245

anyone have any luck with gilmer products?

cobrakiwi · #2 (**permalink**) 09-29-2009, 07:09 PM

I have used them with no problems.

dlampe · #3 (**permalink**) 09-29-2009, 07:35 PM

I have used them on my GT40. The only problem I had was when it was a little too tight. The pulley ate the teeth off of the belt.

Lex · #4 (**permalink**) 09-30-2009, 06:32 PM

I've used them. Make sure theres an inch of play back and forth or as dlampe says it will eat the belt. Also make sure the crank bolt is in good and tight with Blue Loctite. Wanna see how I know?

cobra cowboy · #5 (**permalink**) 09-30-2009, 08:02 PM

Millerspeed in CA makes a real nice setup. I just put it on mine
http://millerspeed.com talk to Allister
He makes them OEM for Backdraft and will sell to you

Double Venom · #6 (**permalink**) 10-01-2009, 08:54 AM

All-righty then,

Does this system replace the use of a traditional timing chain OR just replace the old single belt or serpentine system? Looks to just replace the normal belt system?

If this is the case, what is the benefit besides no slippage and really being cool?
DV

Excaliber · #7 (**permalink**) 10-01-2009, 08:59 AM

I'm with DV on this issue, I don't get it?

Lex · #8 (**permalink**) 10-01-2009, 09:21 AM

It just replaces the serpentine or V belt system. Mainly for looks. It also gives a whine like a roots type blower.

RICK LAKE · #9 (**permalink**) 10-01-2009, 10:38 AM

Rwillia4 Good things first , they look cool, sound like a blower running, no slipping of any things hooked to crank for rotation.
bad things, hard on bearings, hard on the motor because of the no slip issue. Chewwing of the teeth off the belt under hard decelleration of the motor. hard on water pump bearings. You motor like a little slipage for the drive belts. Timing belt are a whole different thing. If clog belts where that great, every car would be running them instead of V belts or surp belts. Need to have the correct tension on them when the motor is hot and have them a little tighter when the motor is cold. If you strip teeth in the belt you may loose all acc, like alt, water pump, p/s pump when this happens. If a unit siezes, belts cost alot more than surp belts or V belts. You also need the pulleys to spin very true. JMO Rick L.

Jac Mac · #10 (**permalink**) 10-01-2009, 12:40 PM

Vee Belts for me, it only takes the slightest bit of runout/misalignment on any one pulley of a gilmer setup to create a problem looking for sometime to happen.

vector1 · #11 (**permalink**) 10-02-2009, 01:56 AM

considering harley uses something similiar to the cog belts on their drive wheel says something of the toughness of the belts. like others say, tension is critical. i had one belt adjusted too tight and it snapped, what happened is i adjusted it cold, when things heat up the distance is greater between parts and the belt snapped or seperated. i have adjusted them too loose also, like on the oil pump. sounded like a loose tappet and would go away when things warmed up, actually the tooth was skipping. belts are 15-20 plus shipping, and i'm not talking about the wide ones pictured above. my preference would be v belts or the ribbed belts used in serpentine applications. i believe the ribbed belts are supposed to use less hp.

RedBarchetta · #12 (**permalink**) 10-02-2009, 08:18 AM

To me it's one more spare to keep in the trunk, whereas a V belt can be picked up most anywhere. Definitely not your typical "in stock" item at the local Autozone/Pep Boys/Napa. Cool factor is high, but not worth the other hassles, IMHO.

-Dean