I have a spare final drive belt that has been sitting in the (long thin) box it came in for a year or so.

I'm just wondering whether there is any risk that the belt will "take a set" where it is a fairly narrow radius curve at each end of the box.

Is it worth taking it out of the box every so often and moving it around a bit, just so that the same part of the belt is not always held in the narrow radius curve?

As it has probably sat in the box for several years in the HD warehouse already, I'm probably either worrying unnecessarilly or worrying too late, but any thoughts would be welcome.

Thanks,

Dave

Are you at a loose end Dave?

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08 Specialized Langster

Its probably best to have two together so that they keep each other company

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08 Specialized Langster

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Feros Ferio

When l bought a spare Goodyear belt for my 06 SX9, l used to take it out of the box and rotate it's position periodically (for about 2 years) to prevent it 'setting' in the box as you put it.....only to discover when my old one finally broke that the dealer had sold me a Uly belt by mistake.

Swapped it with pash for the correct XB Lightning item as he wanted a Uly one. Fair swap as he stores his belts as well if not better than me.

I keep mine hung in the wardrobe where all good quality belts should be kept

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2001 X1 2009 1125CR 2006 Uly X3 2010 Uly a fully Maz'd S1 and a 1991 RS1200 Westwind.

Is there a use by date/shelf life for belts?
Some car manufactures specify that timing belts be changed at 80k or 10 years whichever comes first.

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Buell Ulysses XB12X 06/08

I can't see any sort of "best before" date on the box.

Cambelts every 10 years? I wish!

For my car its supposed to be every 5 years, but they get changed after 4 just to be on the safe side.

Eyewateringly expensive to have done, but not as painful as it would be if the cambelt ever let go.


So, it seems that "moving it around a bit" might be a wise precaution - it could be overkill, but I don't see that it could od any harm.

Thanks,

Dave

The bend radius of a belt installed on a bike that's not used is much tighter.

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I'm a Hornithologist, I get excited by exotic birds.........

Quite a difference between a timing belt (that could destroy the engine if it lets go), and a drive belt (that might destroy your underpants)

Both subject to temperature and sunlight to a lesser or greater degree and both primarily made of rubber

https://ww2.gates.com/europe/brochure.c ... n_id=19798


http://www.honestjohn.co.uk/forum/post/ ... tm?t=50797

Do tyres have a maximum life - colinh
"in June 2005, Ford and GM admitted that tyres older than 6 years posed a hazard (whether used or not) and from their 2006 model year onwards, started printing warnings to this effect in their drivers handbooks for all their vehicles."

US has a D.O.T. number on tyres giving date of manufacture - don't know if there is an EU equivalent.


Do tyres have a maximum life - MokkaMan
I found this on the AA website:-

Is there an age limit on tyres?
Tyre age is a factor that must be considered independently of tread depth. Tyres do degrade naturally over time with the rate and severity of degradation depending on the weather, particularly heat/sunlight and rain, and the amount of exposure to the weather.

This is a more common problem on caravans and other occasionally used vehicles than it is on cars though you will still see UV cracking of the sidewalls on a low mileage car, particularly if parked outside all year round.

The British Rubber Manufacturer's Association advises that 10 years should be the age limit on tyres in service, though that will be if stored in ideal conditions - off the vehicle, at even temperature and out of direct sunlight. Expect to see UV cracking start to appear on tyres at four to five years if parked outside. As the cracking becomes more severe, tyres should be renewed irrespective of how much tread remains


So question still remains ,if I spend a couple of hundred quid on a spare Belt,
How long can it sit on a shelf for before it degrades and once fitted will an old new belt last ?

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Buell Ulysses XB12X 06/08

Keep it in the dark at a stable moderate temperature and humidity and it'll be fine for years. Boot stored car spare tyres stay looking (and feeling) new for 10 years at least.
Fitted to the car in even meagre British levels of sunlight and they're cracked to buggery within 5. Not a problem for people that actually use their cars properly, but if only driven say 4,000 miles pa they'll perish before they wear out.

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'98 M2 Razorback, it's a keeper.

Keep it in the dark at a stable moderate temperature and humidity and it'll be fine for years. Boot stored car spare tyres stay looking (and feeling) new for 10 years at least.
Fitted to the car in even meagre British levels of sunlight and they're cracked to buggery within 5. Not a problem for people that actually use their cars properly, but if only driven say 4,000 miles pa they'll perish before they wear out.

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'98 M2 Razorback, it's a keeper.

Echo!

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'98 M2 Razorback, it's a keeper.