# Aftermarket parts



## micah68kj (Oct 8, 2011)

Has anyone used after market belts on their blowers and how do they seem to work? Am considering getting replacement belts for my 521, just to have in stock if nothing else.also, want to get the drive rubber. Can that be purchased separately or do I need the complete wheel?
TIA!


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## Hkellogg (Jan 22, 2014)

micah68kj said:


> Has anyone used after market belts on their blowers and how do they seem to work? Am considering getting replacement belts for my 521, just to have in stock if nothing else.also, want to get the drive rubber. Can that be purchased separately or do I need the complete wheel?
> TIA!


I use gates power rated belts in all my power equipment that requires them.
Been using them for ages. The friction drive rubber might or might not be available most of the time its not available separately.


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## micah68kj (Oct 8, 2011)

Hkellogg said:


> I use gates power rated belts in all my power equipment that requires them.
> Been using them for ages. The friction drive rubber might or might not be available most of the time its not available separately.


Gates does indeed make great belts.
Thanks


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## UNDERTAKER (Dec 30, 2013)

micah68kj said:


> Has anyone used after market belts on their blowers and how do they seem to work? Am considering getting replacement belts for my 521, just to have in stock if nothing else.also, want to get the drive rubber. Can that be purchased separately or do I need the complete wheel?
> TIA!


 depends on if gates makes a belt for that machine. it is always best to use toro belts. that way you have the right size and never have to worry about modifcations. do not try and use car belts. they are not fractional horsepower. I hope this rambling helps you out. if not let me know.


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## 94EG8 (Feb 13, 2014)

If you go to a small engine shop and get proper aftermarket belts for your machine they work fine. If you go to an automotive shop or industrial supplier and get something like a Gates belt expect problems, sometimes they work, more often they don't or wont last long, or you'll have release issues. This is especially true for lawn tractors, but it does happen with snowblowers sometimes too.


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## hankster1 (Sep 10, 2013)

Goodyear has a line of Lawn and Garden Belts. They are Kevlar wrapped and are directly interchangeable with the OEM belts. I also have a TSC (Tractor Supply Store) near me. They have Blue Kevlar wrapped belts under the PIX brand that seem to work. I just installed one on my Father In Laws Craftsman Machine.
Hank


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## Mr Fixit (Nov 19, 2013)

Contrary to what you'd think is sensible, some of these S. blower companies make shorter belts with fractional lengths. Few of us measure our perfect belts off the new machine. Trying to guess the true length of a worn out or even broken belt is a guesstimate. I've heard a few surprises with people having trouble replacing short belts. I've read requests for help here that hinted of wrong belt. So buy the first replacement correct belt from your dealer and record the length. Then you are free to experiment. I always save my old worn belt with a label on it.


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## Kiss4aFrog (Nov 3, 2013)

94EG8 said:


> If you go to a small engine shop and get proper aftermarket belts for your machine they work fine. If you go to an automotive shop or industrial supplier and get something like a Gates belt expect problems, sometimes they work, more often they don't or wont last long, or you'll have release issues. This is especially true for lawn tractors, but it does happen with snowblowers sometimes too.


Auto parts stores sell both "automotive" belts and "power rated" belts. You need to tell them what you need it for or look up the number yourself on the Gates or Goodyear or Primeline sites. It's true the automotive V belts are not designed to slip and if used on a snow blower, tiller, tractor or some other drive system that allows the belt to slip it will burn it up. I usually use Gates belts and I get them at Oreillys.

As for the belts length I usually look up the exact part number and then search it on a couple different sites and cross it over. I'll use searspartsdirect, Jackssmallengines, MTD site, JD site, repair clinic, ebay and amazon and try to get a consensus on the length before making a purchase so I only have to do it once.

The primeline catalog lists OEM belts Prime®Line Power Equipment | Parts that works as hard as you do
Orielly auto parts carries prime line so if you look up the part you can punch it into the Oreilly web site and find out if, when and how much PLUS what warranty !!!


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## enigma-2 (Feb 11, 2014)

I've used top quality aftermarket belts on the past and had mixed results, so personally I stick to OEM parts like belts. 

On your 521, you can get the 37-9090 traction belt for $14.60 & the 37-9080 auger belt for $17.43 at one on-line site (probably cheaper if you looked around). Good quality aftermarket belts will cost nearly that and you still don't know for certain that your getting an "exact" replacement. Personally I don't want to have to worry about things like this, only replace belts, etc. every so many years and I don't want to have to worry about getting a part that is "nearly" right. Been there, done that.

As for the friction wheel, I looked your parts diagram and it's one whole assembly; p/n 37-6570. Same site I checked belts on sells it for $22.16. 

If you need 521 manuals you can d/l the operators, parts & service manual for here (free): Toro |

The service manual will walk you through the entire process of disassembly & repair.


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## detdrbuzzard (Jan 20, 2012)

i just got a friction wheel for my 521E, the rubber is bonded to the wheel


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## Sid (Jan 31, 2014)

I thought that it used to be the angle of the "v" that was important, not that I followed that rule. I thought that the angles were 38, and or 40 degrees, but I forgot which was which. Does that still hold true?
Sid


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## micah68kj (Oct 8, 2011)

Thanks for all the fine input to my questions. After reading and listening I figger I'll go with the Toro OEM parts. Hard to go wrong with them. I don't believe my blower actually needs anything but I have always had a backup supply of wear items just in case.. Never knkw when a belt may'decide it doesn't want to do any more work. I'll check everything out probably in early fall and get it prepped for our next season. Probably won't be around here much till next season.


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