TLDR version: does it make any real difference running a belt with a 28º side angle in a Pro (or anything else) that specs a 26º belt? If not, or if so, what about the reverse?
I've been running a Gates 47C4572 belt in my Pro, and it worked great until I jammed the track with snow after digging out of a stuck and burnt a spot on it (I know, I should have realized sooner, but had never had that happen on my old sled). It still held up fine the rest of the weekend, but I could feel some vibration. The clutch was shimmed for that belt, I only had narrower spares (a 45C4553 and a Poo 115), and of course no one in town had one. Anyway, I was just going to order another one, but was looking through the belt specs and noticed that belt has a 28º side angle. I'm guessing it's probably not a big deal since lots of guys run the 44C4553 belt on the Pro (also 28º; the 45C is 26º), but then, I want to run the most correct belt possible. Just my semi-educated guess, but I'd think running a 26º belt in a 28º clutch setup is less of an issue than the opposite. It seems that the wider clutch angle would engage the inside cogs of the belt and quickly wear them to match the angle without hurting anything, while the narrow clutch with the wider belt would eat on the top of the belt, near the cords. But it might be the kind of thing that only creates problems with hard use.
Another belt I'm wondering if anyone's run is the 48C4553. It's a 26º belt, same circumference as the 45C4553, but matches the width of the 47C4572. I'd have to re-shim my primary on either sled to run the narrower belts; that's why I'm thinking I'll run one of those two. So, my choices are between running the 4572 on both or running the 48C4553 on the Pro; I figure the 4572 is the best fit possible on the EDGE given that it's shimmed for it. Would love to hear any thoughts on those belts on a Pro, but I'm most curious about what the consequences of mixing and matching side angles is.
I've been running a Gates 47C4572 belt in my Pro, and it worked great until I jammed the track with snow after digging out of a stuck and burnt a spot on it (I know, I should have realized sooner, but had never had that happen on my old sled). It still held up fine the rest of the weekend, but I could feel some vibration. The clutch was shimmed for that belt, I only had narrower spares (a 45C4553 and a Poo 115), and of course no one in town had one. Anyway, I was just going to order another one, but was looking through the belt specs and noticed that belt has a 28º side angle. I'm guessing it's probably not a big deal since lots of guys run the 44C4553 belt on the Pro (also 28º; the 45C is 26º), but then, I want to run the most correct belt possible. Just my semi-educated guess, but I'd think running a 26º belt in a 28º clutch setup is less of an issue than the opposite. It seems that the wider clutch angle would engage the inside cogs of the belt and quickly wear them to match the angle without hurting anything, while the narrow clutch with the wider belt would eat on the top of the belt, near the cords. But it might be the kind of thing that only creates problems with hard use.
Another belt I'm wondering if anyone's run is the 48C4553. It's a 26º belt, same circumference as the 45C4553, but matches the width of the 47C4572. I'd have to re-shim my primary on either sled to run the narrower belts; that's why I'm thinking I'll run one of those two. So, my choices are between running the 4572 on both or running the 48C4553 on the Pro; I figure the 4572 is the best fit possible on the EDGE given that it's shimmed for it. Would love to hear any thoughts on those belts on a Pro, but I'm most curious about what the consequences of mixing and matching side angles is.
