long belt drive?

mudkat · Post by **mudkat** » Sun Aug 20, 2006 10:40 pm

I'm new to the forum and ,I'm starting to get parts together for a new boat.
I'm thinking about using the long belt drive to get more useable room in the boat has anybody heard any positive or negitive things about them.

Olf Art · Post by **Olf Art** » Sun Aug 20, 2006 10:47 pm

They're heavy. I run a short belt (CH 3) and I wish there was some way to be able to put it on a diet

.

Being able to mount the engine lower in the boat is neat, but you pay a big weight penalty for it with all of the extra hardware that
the long belt requires. JMO

basketcase0302 · Post by **basketcase0302** » Tue Aug 22, 2006 6:06 pm

Mudcat,

Welcome. My long belt is heavy as olf stated, does lower your center of gravity though. Kinda rob peter to pay paul type decision.

Basketcase

Red Dwarf · Post by **Red Dwarf** » Tue Aug 22, 2006 9:36 pm

When I first started thinking about airboats, I had the idea of a long belt drive. I didn't even know that they made belt drives at the time, and it seemed like too good to be true.

Then I found out what they weigh and what they cost.

Long belt is probably not the best for a first airboat, even though it might seem safer. I think your first boat should scare you just enough to keep you from doing things that you shouldn't be doing, and it should be cheap enough for you to decide if you really like airboating or not without sinking too much in it

Airboatcapt2 · Post by **Airboatcapt2** » Tue Aug 22, 2006 10:03 pm

I gotta admit, I'm not crazy about them but I have built a few.
The weight is an issue but so is changing the oil.
I just dont know if it is worth the additional cost.
Just my 2 cents

Red Dwarf · Post by **Red Dwarf** » Tue Aug 22, 2006 10:06 pm

Have to take it to jiffy lube and let them suck the old oil out LOL

Airboatcapt2 · Post by **Airboatcapt2** » Tue Aug 22, 2006 10:10 pm

I can see them now, sitting in the pit looking at the poly through the trailer trying to figure out where the oil drain plug is. *some of those guys scare me.

Olf Art · Post by **Olf Art** » Tue Aug 22, 2006 10:13 pm

Faron, one of the scariest things I've ever done was go to a Jiffy Lube ........ :lol:

. Where do they get those guys !!

olf

Airboatcapt2 · Post by **Airboatcapt2** » Tue Aug 22, 2006 10:16 pm

I watched them tell a lady to drive off and they still had the safety chain hooked to the car.

Another time my mom went to Jiffy Lube ang they didnt put the oil cap back on. Blew out at least a quart on the motor.

Olf Art · Post by **Olf Art** » Tue Aug 22, 2006 10:25 pm

This story is probably killing the purpose of this thread, but .....

An old retired widow lady that I kinda look after called me one morning.
She was at a Jiffy nearby, and she said, "Ken, I'm sorry to bother you but I've got my little car over here for an oil change, and they're telling me that it's going to be $62.00. Does that sound right?"

I got the "manager" on the phone, and by the time we were done the bill for Ms. Shirley had worked it's way down to $16.00 and change.
I hate those places.

olf

Waterthunder · Post by **Waterthunder** » Wed Aug 23, 2006 8:21 am

I hate long belt drives. I can't beleive people are still able to sell them and the funny thing is they only go on big boats where CG is less of a problem then a 12ft boat oh well. I prefer gearbox's never had a problem with one yet.

Glenn Hutchinson · Post by **Glenn Hutchinson** » Wed Aug 23, 2006 10:22 pm

Jiffy lube employees have graduated from Wal Mart tire and lube express

Although I'm trying to decide what kind of drive to put on my boat, v-belts, poly chain or gears, I'm lost as usual!

Airboatcapt2 · Post by **Airboatcapt2** » Wed Aug 23, 2006 10:30 pm

I think the Belt Drive is the best my to go on a big boat.

I did drive a long belt drive on an 18ft boat that drove really smooth but I did worry about changing the oil, and worst case scenario *swamping if water splashed over it would hit directly on the motor.
Added cost/added benifits just didn't equal out to me.

jim · Post by **jim** » Wed Aug 23, 2006 10:37 pm

The inboard ski boat builders screw a fitting into the pan drain with a long hose. The end is fastened up high and when they drain they just stick the hose out the hull drain and remove the plug from the hose. The dangers of this are obvious.

jim

mudkat · Post by **mudkat** » Thu Aug 24, 2006 12:34 am

my concern more than anything is how much the belt would whip being that long.
I thinking now about the 514 ford crate motor and one of the 2.68 ratio gear box.

basketcase0302 · Post by **basketcase0302** » Thu Aug 24, 2006 6:13 pm

mudcat,

The belt doesn't really "whip". Procedure for checking tension is simply grabbing the end of the prop and check "slack" or play. About 100 hours and doin' good here,(knock on wood) :wink:

I don't believe Franklin makes the long belt drive unit for the big block Ford yet, (guaranteed I'll be the first to have one when they do)

I think they do make the CH-3 short belt for it though.

Basketcase

COLD · Post by **COLD** » Wed Aug 30, 2006 10:23 pm

I saw this long belt on Whirlwind's new site. A shot of one of your boats is the first one you see Faron. Anyways this is kind of what I pictured when I tought of a home made long belt. I thought this one was a bit overbuilt but I see it's aluminum. http://www.whirlwindpropellers.com/images/gallery_images/ab200_bayly_15_lg.jpg

Airboating Community & Resource

Airboats For Sale

Airboat Parts

Other Boats

Automotive

Other

More Links

Southern Airboat Forum

Regional Airboating Forum

Other Interesting Stuff

Archives

Member Links

Public Links

Member Links

Public Links

Member Links

long belt drive?

long belt drive?