Timkin/Ultimax belts sold to Gates Industrial Corp.

KnappAttack

KnappAttack

24X ISR World Drag Racing Champion
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2023 Sidewinder LTX-LE
2017 Sidewinder LTX-LE
Happened on May 1st. Curious to see if anything changes with the belt so many use for the Winders. Not sure its good to have less belt mfgrs as prices could climb more than they already have. I hope thats not the case and they actually reverse this trend of higher pricing.

Curious to see what Gates does with the Ultimax line of pelts and pricing moving forward.

news.timken.com

Timken to Sell Belts Business to Gates

Action consistent with company's portfolio 80/20 approach Expected to improve adjusted EBITDA margins of Industrial Motion segment NORTH CANTON, Ohio, May 1, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- The Timken...
news.timken.com news.timken.com
 
Probably just run it as is for a few years.
 
KnappAttack said:
Happened on May 1st. Curious to see if anything changes with the belt so many use for the Winders. Not sure its good to have less belt mfgrs as prices could climb more than they already have. I hope thats not the case and they actually reverse this trend of higher pricing.

Curious to see what Gates does with the Ultimax line of pelts and pricing moving forward.

news.timken.com

Timken to Sell Belts Business to Gates

Action consistent with company's portfolio 80/20 approach Expected to improve adjusted EBITDA margins of Industrial Motion segment NORTH CANTON, Ohio, May 1, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- The Timken...
news.timken.com news.timken.com
Click to expand...
Hopefully they don't mess with a good thing.
 
Definitely interesting development. IMO prices won't go down with a merger like this. I use the Gates Red Line on my tuned SW and picked up a new one today as I anticipate the price on them will rise.
 
sideshowBob said:
Definitely interesting development. IMO prices won't go down with a merger like this. I use the Gates Red Line on my tuned SW and picked up a new one today as I anticipate the price on them will rise.
Click to expand...
Do these belts take longer to break in? Do you find they slip at all?
 
KnappAttack said:
Happened on May 1st. Curious to see if anything changes with the belt so many use for the Winders. Not sure its good to have less belt mfgrs as prices could climb more than they already have. I hope thats not the case and they actually reverse this trend of higher pricing.

Curious to see what Gates does with the Ultimax line of pelts and pricing moving forward.

news.timken.com

Timken to Sell Belts Business to Gates

Action consistent with company's portfolio 80/20 approach Expected to improve adjusted EBITDA margins of Industrial Motion segment NORTH CANTON, Ohio, May 1, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- The Timken...
news.timken.com news.timken.com
Click to expand...
i allways ran ultimax.. going back to apex years.... last season i shredded a xs, put a new xs on it and finished the season (mabe 90-100 miles on it)... before this season i totally replaced all my clutching and moved away from dalton.. i inspected the belt with 90 mi on it and it had a 1 inch piece of thred missing out of the sidewall.... timkin warrenty it for me n sent me a new one but i didnt use it i switched to a gates red line... after this season it still looks new , mind u i dont put a ton of miles on , but id say its just as good as ultimax at half the price...,order off rock auto and delivered in a day,i hope this merger dosent raise the price of the redline lol.. i allso ran this red line on a 01 srx that is pounded pretty good on grass and snow with aggressive clutching and gears and it is holding up extremely well
 
sideshowBob said:
Definitely interesting development. IMO prices won't go down with a merger like this. I use the Gates Red Line on my tuned SW and picked up a new one today as I anticipate the price on them will rise.
Click to expand...
i was thinking the exact thing... i allso switched to red line on a tuned sw
 
HABS 1 said:
i allways ran ultimax.. going back to apex years.... last season i shredded a xs, put a new xs on it and finished the season (mabe 90-100 miles on it)... before this season i totally replaced all my clutching and moved away from dalton.. i inspected the belt with 90 mi on it and it had a 1 inch piece of thred missing out of the sidewall.... timkin warrenty it for me n sent me a new one but i didnt use it i switched to a gates red line... after this season it still looks new , mind u i dont put a ton of miles on , but id say its just as good as ultimax at half the price...,order off rock auto and delivered in a day,i hope this merger dosent raise the price of the redline lol.. i allso ran this red line on a 01 srx that is pounded pretty good on grass and snow with aggressive clutching and gears and it is holding up extremely well
Click to expand...
Do you have the part number for the red line belt at rock auto that fits the sidewinders
 
74Nitro said:
Do these belts take longer to break in? Do you find they slip at all?
Click to expand...
I just broke the Red Line belt in like a normal belt. I have 2 seasons and close to 5000 miles on the current one. I am only on my second one and had needlessly changed the first one.

The 8DN, being a little longer then stock, was a couple mph slower on top end so I decided to switch to the proper length Rec Line a few seasons ago.

I went from running an 8DN, from when my sled was new, to the Red Line and find them very similar and don't find a belt slippage issue with my setup.

I have a Razor belt temp gage and the temps are always safe even when doing multi mile high speed running on rail beds ect.

I only ever used an 8JP on my sled to load and unload my sled when it was brand new then immediately removed it and the stock clutching and installed a 8DN with my clutch setup.

As a sidenote: These Red Line belts run super clean with virtually no belt dust just like the 8DN belts.
 
Last edited:
sideshowBob said:
I just broke the Red Line belt in like a normal belt. I have 2 seasons and close to 5000 miles on the current one. I am only on my second one and had needlessly changed the first one.

The 8DN, being a little longer then stock, was a couple mph slower on top end so I decided to switch to the proper length Rec Line a few seasons ago.

I went from running an 8DN, from when my sled was new, to the Red Line and find them very similar and don't find a belt slippage issue with my setup.

I have a Razor belt temp gage and the temps are always safe even when doing multi mile high speed running on rail beds ect.

I only ever used an 8JP on my sled to load and unload my sled when it was brand new then immediately removed it and the stock clutching and installed a 8DN with my clutch setup.

As a sidenote: These Red Line belts run super clean with virtually no belt dust just like the 8DN belts.
Click to expand...
Ok, thanks. I was just asking because I put this belt on a couple of 1100 non turbos I had here end of season, and they didn't want to move.....!
Put Cat belt back on and all was fine...?
 
sideshowBob said:
I just broke the Red Line belt in like a normal belt. I have 2 seasons and close to 5000 miles on the current one. I am only on my second one and had needlessly changed the first one.

The 8DN, being a little longer then stock, was a couple mph slower on top end so I decided to switch to the proper length Rec Line a few seasons ago.

I went from running an 8DN, from when my sled was new, to the Red Line and find them very similar and don't find a belt slippage issue with my setup.

I have a Razor belt temp gage and the temps are always safe even when doing multi mile high speed running on rail beds ect.

I only ever used an 8JP on my sled to load and unload my sled when it was brand new then immediately removed it and the stock clutching and installed a 8DN with my clutch setup.

As a sidenote: These Red Line belts run super clean with virtually no belt dust just like the 8DN belts.
Click to expand...
Do you have the part number?
 
ALL new belts need break-in. Each manufacturer has their own recommended process but they're all similar. At least 2 complete heat cycles at no more than 3/4 throttle.
Ride sled long enough to get belt to normal operating temp (20 minutes min). Shut sled off and allow belt to completely cool to ambient temp (depending on ambient temp, probably at least 30 minutes - it helps to remove side panel). Repeat this process at least once more. I do it 3 times.
 
Turboflash said:
ALL new belts need break-in. Each manufacturer has their own recommended process but they're all similar. At least 2 complete heat cycles at no more than 3/4 throttle.
Ride sled long enough to get belt to normal operating temp (20 minutes min). Shut sled off and allow belt to completely cool to ambient temp (depending on ambient temp, probably at least 30 minutes - it helps to remove side panel). Repeat this process at least once more. I do it 3 times.
Click to expand...
But if I put the ultimax on it or the oem it works fine right from the start.
The guy actually texted me when he went to drive his sled off the trailer and said "it won't move".
As soon as stock was put back on, away it went.
 
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