# Are all belts pretty much the same? Anyone heard of PIX belts?



## unknown1 (Dec 13, 2015)

I need an auger belt. Was thinking of buying two.
When I search on eBay I find a big price range.

Pix cost $13 for 2
MTD OEM cost $23 for 2
Stens cost $24 for 2

Does anyone have any experience using the cheaper "Pix" brand?


954-0430B two | eBay


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## nwcove (Mar 2, 2015)

i would be a bit leary of two for $13, they could be an equivalent automotive type belt that a snow blower would eat for lunch.


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## unknown1 (Dec 13, 2015)

nwcove said:


> i would be a bit leary of two for $13, they could be an equivalent automotive type belt that a snow blower would eat for lunch.


Hmm.. if you follow the eBay link he's sold 117 of them and has 99.9% positive feedback on 92168 transactions.
They are labelled as MTD and Cub Cadet replacements.. but a label is easy to print.
When I google for "Pix" it looks like a bona fide outfit in Ontario with glossy marketing.
I guess I will post a question with the seller and see what they have to say.

I was just hoping someone would actually have hands-on experience with PIX belts. Paying more does not necessarily guarantee a better product.

Presumably folks in the Great White North may know??


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## skutflut (Oct 16, 2015)

stuart80112 said:


> Hmm.. if you follow the eBay link he's sold 117 of them and has 99.9% positive feedback on 92168 transactions.
> They are labelled as MTD and Cub Cadet replacements.. but a label is easy to print.
> When I google for "Pix" it looks like a bona fide outfit in Ontario with glossy marketing.
> I guess I will post a question with the seller and see what they have to say.
> ...


I believe Pix belts are made in India


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## micah68kj (Oct 8, 2011)

Yep. Probably offshore.... What isn't anymore? I have no personal experience with them but I do know they've been around for a while now. Is there any guarantee w/them?


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## Golfergordy (Oct 29, 2014)

I just replaced the belt on my Honda HS621 SS snowblower with a Honda belt. Many people on this forum advised me (and others) to only use a Honda OEM replacement belt. One guy even told me that he had tried using a few aftermarket belts on the same Honda SB, and they had very short lives. After reading about others' experiences with replacing auger rubber on Honda SB's, the same applies (only use OEM rubber for the longest life).


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## Kiss4aFrog (Nov 3, 2013)

Looks like the Company is in Ontario, Canada but their products come from all over. http://www.pixhose.com/contact_us.php
This was the "Specifications" for one of their belts.

_Specifications
Shipping Weight (in pounds): 0.53
Assembled in Country of Origin: USA and/or Imported
Origin of Components: USA and/or Imported _


Like that's helpful :facepalm_zpsdj194qh I did see on one belt it said "Made in India". Unfortunately I've never come across this brand before.
I usually use Gates as I can get them locally. Haven't had any issues with them over the years.

.


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## Shryp (Jan 1, 2011)

They say Kevlar so I would take a chance on them.

If you have a Tractor Supply Company or some kind of farm store nearby you might be able to buy some locally at a good price. The ebay link says those ones are 35.1", but I bet 35" and non cogged could work on your blower too.


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## CarlB (Jan 2, 2011)

check out vbelts4less.com. I have used there kevlar belts without any problems. Buy some extra and save on the shipping.


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## MuncieM22 (Jul 28, 2012)

I've used Pix belts because they were cheap and they did say made in India. Packaged as Kevlar they seemed not to last very long and shredded leaving only the cords often. I hate to say it but I do find the O.E.M. belts last longer and ARE much more costly. I no longer use Pix or other no name belts, as your fingers get numb fast during the untimely belt change. Where the heck is the snow?????????:blowerhug:


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## unknown1 (Dec 13, 2015)

MuncieM22 said:


> I've used Pix belts because they were cheap and they did say made in India. Packaged as Kevlar they seemed not to last very long and shredded leaving only the cords often. I hate to say it but I do find the O.E.M. belts last longer and ARE much more costly. I no longer use Pix or other no name belts, as your fingers get numb fast during the untimely belt change. Where the heck is the snow?????????:blowerhug:


Thanks for the reply... that's what I was worried about. 
Sounds like PIX are to be avoided.

OK I've ordered the higher cost OEM belts...
I guess in this case, you get what you pay for.

MTD Auger Drive Belts Set of Two 954 0430B | eBay


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## unknown1 (Dec 13, 2015)

Shryp said:


> The ebay link says those ones are 35.1", but I bet 35" and non cogged could work on your blower too.


Was the non-cogged comment an FYI or do you prefer them for some reason?
Do they last longer for example? I suppose if there is less stuff cut away then they might be stronger? Then again.. they might slip too... the teeth are presumably there for a reason. Yes?


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## Coby7 (Nov 6, 2014)

If you can get your hands on a Mitsuboshi lawn and garden belt the size you need, they are the best and may be the last belt you'll ever buy.


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## Bob Cat (Jul 15, 2014)

I installed a PIX B belt on my neighbour's garden tractor's single stage snowblower 4 years ago and it still looks good . It was the blue Kevlar type.


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## Golfergordy (Oct 29, 2014)

The guy (Coby7) who mentioned getting a Mitsuboshi belt had a good suggestion. See the pic of the new Honda OEM belt I just installed. Look closely at the pic to see the mfgr's name. If you can find a 3rd-party seller who carries Mitsuboshi belts and you know the length, you can probably get a very long lasting belt at less than the OEM's price. I would imagine that mfgrs make more than one quality belt, however, so pay attention to the model name too.


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## Bolens 1000 (Dec 23, 2015)

I guess I'll throw my .02 into the thread as well since I have experience with just about every belt manufacture.
As with anything you really need to do your research and see who offers the best/correct parts for your machine, and do not make cheap price trump your decision as you'll get burned more times than not, many of the chinese online wholesalers will sell anything to make $$ and often select $5 china belts which are just rounded to the nearest size of the OEM, many times they are not even made of the correct materials which really drives me crazy, I dont know how those guys can sleep at night selling crap they know dosent work on a blower (Vbeltsforless) is a great example of this where all parts are rounded to what they should be size wise.

We are a Pix dealer and pix makes a decent belt, I have not found many errors in the belts they sell and they also offer some OEM spec belts which match original factory specs. They are manufactured in India 

The other aftermarkets such as Oregon ect are often sourced by USA manufactures and offer the best quality and in my opinion some exceed the quality of the OEM.

Gates belts rated the worst when we had a rep come in and let us cut belts in half, their "Power rated" belts which supposedly were best they had cut right in half with minimal effort, they only had 2 cords in them while the other American brand ones we cut had 5 kevlar cords and took 2 hands to cut with the snips. 

For the belts in question here the 954-0430B is sold in a matched pair, if we were to sell them they would be $ 27.95 for an OEM spec USA made aftermarket, the Genuine ones would be $ 32.75

I still try and sell USA made products if at all possible, it seems like the customers I have appreciate quality parts and will often pay the extra couple bucks for a good product they know is correct.
hope this sheds some light on belts:wavetowel2:
*
*


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## Coby7 (Nov 6, 2014)

Any of you tried amazon.com as oppose to ebay?

http://www.amazon.com/MTD-LAWN-MOWER-954-0430B-BELT-V/dp/B0017OSUIM/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1452561114&sr=8-1&keywords=954-0430B


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## unknown1 (Dec 13, 2015)

Bolens 1000 said:


> .....
> Gates belts rated the worst when we had a rep come in and let us cut belts in half, their "Power rated" belts which supposedly were best they had cut right in half with minimal effort, they only had 2 cords in them while the other American brand ones we cut had 5 kevlar cords and took 2 hands to cut with the snips.


 Thanks for the reply and especially for the* data *related to the number of cords in different belts. So clearly.. not all Kevlar belts are created equal. The word "Kevlar" by itself may be necessary.. but not sufficient.. to give a warm fuzzy. That's good to know.

So the answer to the title of my thread "Are all belts pretty much the same?" is a resounding... *NO!*

FWIW: I include the question I asked to the seller and their response.

Question:
Slightly confused by the low price. Can you confirm if these belts are truly for snowblowers and made to MTD OEM specs or better? I am concerned that they may be an automotive equivalent and would not be strong enough for the harsh conditions on a snowblower.

Answer:
Thank you for your email! We buy in bulk and pass the savings on! These are Kevlar® corded belts, also called Aramid or extra-heavy duty belts are constructed of organic polyaramide fibers that are manufactured using complex chemical processes. Kevlar® is used in PIX belts as a tension member because of its inherent stability and high tensile strength Cord. Our Service Manager uses and believes in these belts as well, if that helps.
Thank you again,
AG

This is more or less a cut-n-paste from their ad. So my question about being OEM spec or better was left unanswered. No explicit *data *in the answer. Also, the fact that Kevlar is used, could mean 1,2,3,4,5 or more cords (and presumably could be different thicknesses) so I'm not really any clearer for that. Perhaps this says more about the specific knowledge and workload of the person who replied and less about the belts themselves.
Funny how someone thought that a "complex chemical process" is somehow supposed to convey the notion of quality. Gotta love marketing!


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## toroused (Mar 1, 2015)

Here is some additional information on the subject of snowblower belts as taken from "USA Bearings", a power equipment part distributor in Florida. 

You'll also want to Google the term "fractional horsepower" belts (FHP for short) and learn all about the positives and negatives of these specific type of snowblower belts as well. Many of the Gates brand belts used in snowblower applications are FHP belts.

From the USA Bearings website:

"Gilson V-Belts

Our belts offer exact OEM fit and construction, which means more value and longer life at a very completive price. Designed to meet or exceed the fit and performance of each specific application, our belts are built to withstand the rigorous start and stop operation of lawn and garden equipment. In many cases these belts utilize an aramid and or Kevlar® cord construction as reinforcement, providing longer service life and smoother operation during the engaging and disengaging of demanding lawn and garden equipment. Many of the applications on our site currently use a fractional horsepower belt as a replacement. Although these fractional horsepower belts do work on these applications, their performance is not up to the standards of our OEM equivalent belts. Don’t settle for less than the best. Use our OEM “exact fit” lawn and garden belts."

Link: Gilson


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## toroused (Mar 1, 2015)

Here's what I had tagged - this is more informative. It concerns the use of Kevlar in snowblower belts. 

For non-OEM snowblower belts, the issue is Kevlar vs. FHP - FHP being the less costly and the more prevalent of the aftermarket belts out there...

"Gilson Kevlar V-Belt 10755

(1/2" X 43" )
After Market Premium Kevlar V-Belt
Advantages of Kevlar®/Aramid V-Belts

♦ Extra strength for clutching
♦ Higher resistance to shock loads
♦ Reduces belt slippage
♦ Better durability
♦ Withstand higher temperatures,
♦Oil resistant
♦ more resistant to clutching wear and tear 

Features
Kevlar® /Aramid Fiber V-belts are made with high-strength fiber cords for heavy duty applications and severe duty cycles. These v-belts have a “drier” cover fabric that was designed to increase flexibility and withstand severe clutching action, bending or twisting, heavy loads and backside idler applications. Kevlar®/Aramid fiber v-belts are oil and heat resistant. This Kevlar®/Aramid construction is also used in military armor and bullet proof vests. As your stock v-belt wears down, it gets thinner and thinner. This, in turn, will start to decrease your top speed. A Kevlar®/Aramid v-belt will keep this from happening.

Kevlar® is a Dupont Registered Trademark"

Link: Gilson Kevlar V-Belt 10755 | 10755


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## unknown1 (Dec 13, 2015)

toroused said:


> ...
> For non-OEM snowblower belts, the issue is Kevlar vs. FHP - FHP being the less costly and the more prevalent of the aftermarket belts out there...
> ....
> Link: Gilson Kevlar V-Belt 10755 | 10755


That's a great resource.. thanks!

Strange that "fractional horsepower belts" (literally meaning 1HP or less) are being used for applications like snowblowers. Maybe it's just semantics and a poor name. I don't remember seeing any snowblowers rated 1HP or less.


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## unknown1 (Dec 13, 2015)

stuart80112 said:


> Was the non-cogged comment an FYI or do you prefer them for some reason?
> Do they last longer for example? I suppose if there is less stuff cut away then they might be stronger? Then again.. they might slip too... the teeth are presumably there for a reason. Yes?


I found an answer on a GoodYear site to my question asking what the "teeth" or "cogging" is for on some belts.... it increases surface area to improve cooling.
http://www.goodyearrubberproducts.co...-Belts-FHP.asp

EDIT quote:
COGGED FOR COOLER RUNNING

The cogged design of Goodyear FHP V-belts (standard on 4L and 5L sizes) provides a greater surface area for heat dissipation and allows increased air flow around the belt during operation. These factors help to reduce internal belt temperatures and greatly improve belt life. Of course, the cogged design also improves flexibility, an especially important consideration where minimum or substandard sheave diameters are involved.


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## Bolens 1000 (Dec 23, 2015)

Cogged belts are for tight pulleys tha give them better grip on the sheaves.

A PHP belt is fractional HP and only designed for running auto fam belts or your drill press, never to be used on Out door power equipment.

Another thing to keep in mind is even if the company offers a kevlar belt that still may not be the belt you need as besides material alot of OEMS use special angles on their belts. 

I dont mind helping when I can , if anyone ever needs belt help feel free to contact me I stock most of the common belts and ones I order in are only a day or so away
Bolens Parts & Supplies


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## unknown1 (Dec 13, 2015)

Coby7 said:


> Any of you tried amazon.com as oppose to ebay?
> 
> http://www.amazon.com/MTD-LAWN-MOWE...UTF8&qid=1452561114&sr=8-1&keywords=954-0430B


Your mileage may vary. In my experience, eBay consistently beats Amazon prices (sometimes you can tell it's coming from the same retailer) and just about anyone beats Sears prices. If I was buying bulk I might go to alibaba for the same reasons. In this case, you disproved the rule... I need to add Amazon back into my search list... I had pretty much dropped them completely. Might be nice to get them delivered by drone too.

I always go to Sears for the parts information then somewhere else to purchase. I don't see how Sears parts can stay in business if everyone does that. Presumably there's a lot of people who came to trust Sears in years gone by and stick with them. Brand loyalty. On a similar topic, I notice that some marketing department somewhere is still trying to leverage that old brand loyalty for the "Craftsman" name by selling it at lots of different retail outlets these days. But your question was about Amazon not Sears.


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## Toro-8-2-4 (Dec 28, 2013)

I find ebay in general much better than Amazon. The deliveries on Amazon are too long unless you pay up for their premium service or pay for next day delivery etc.

Amazon has got too big for their britches from my observations. They have surpassed Wal-mart and is now the largest retailer in the world.

When you shop ebay you are often supporting a small business. Hopefully in the same country you reside. 

Also, Ebay does not have a history of puting their so called "partners" out of business.


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