Shorter Belt Misery

[Saltysteele]

Originally Posted by DOOmsman

If you have your reciept dayco has a warrantee.

I agree with Doom. if there are no visible burrs or other defects in your clutches and their surfaces, i see no reason why it should have shredded, especially when everything matches your exisiting belt, except it's a tad shorter.

this is not an issue of newer carts can use them, but older carts cannot. if you've matched your original belt up with this one (except it's an inch shorter), it should work.

return it for a new one

[islandguy]

I have the same problem.84 marathon. 244 robin. The belt is getting chewed up on the edges. going to try shimming the spring in the driven clutch and see if that helps.

[Dave Box]

I know I am a late entrant on this thread but the situation has been reported before on this forum. What happens is that the spring on the driven clutch has weakened and cannot handle the load imposed by the shorter belt. As the driven clutch opens up the belt forces it too wide and the belt then falls into the center shaft. This increases the gearing hugely causing the engine to bog down rapidly. The belt then hits the rivets in the center and gets chewed to shreds. The answer is to either replace the spring, replace the clutch (not such a shabby idea if you have some miles on it) or revert to the regular belt.
My experience of the HP3004 has been excellent but I did fit a new driven clutch.

Dave

[racin161]

I have a Goodyear number for the belt I can post later if that helps.

[racin161]

Goodyear belt number 71148 same as the dayton 3004 for snowmobile atv. Have it on mine with success works great

[islandguy]

Does anybody know where to get a new spring for the oem marathon driven clutch?

[nomo]

After my belt came apart, I switched back to the stock belt. Then just by chance, I was talking with a friend who's father (semi-retired) works on carts for a living. I noted that when starting the cart (forward or reverse), it would lunge with every crank of the starter. Since it has always done this, I didn't know it was not normal. He said that the DRIVE clutch (comet) has some springs and cams in it, that if over rev'ed will slip out of place. He said this happens when someone runs the engine at high speed without the drive belt installed. Long story, but anyway, he took the drive clutch apart, fixed the problem, and reinstalled it. Now, you can start the cart, and actually keep it running with the gas pedal, and it not chug forward or reverse when starting. So, my thought is that the drive clutch sheaves were too close together to begin with, therefore forcing the belt deeper into the Driven clutch, causing the rivets to chew it up. I haven't tested my theory, on the short belt since then. I have just learned to like the way it is.

[csall1]

I installed a HP3003 on my 88 Marathon and it kept sucking the belt down inthe clutch and chewing up the sides. I finally figured out that my Driven Clutch was stuck open, I pulled it off, oiled it up, and slapped it back on. I also figured out that the reason it was chewing on my belt was because the belt was not running straight due to worn out motor mounts. Got her all back together and what a difference with the HP3003 over the Stock Belt. Wow she has some major torque and jump. Very Happy......

[nomo]

That's some good info csall1! Thanks!
Can anyone tell me the thread type of the screw i have have shown with the arrow on csall1's photo? I have the same cover, but need to find the right screws to put it on. Thanks - nomo

[csall1]

nomo that is your drive clutch the clutch that I was speaking of is the driven which is attached to your differential.