More tension means greater safety.

More tension means greater safety. At first glance, that sounds logical. After all, a tighter timing belt isn’t as likely to skip. So should you plan for a little more tension?

It’s not that simple.

Insufficient tension can cause the belt to lose sufficient tooth engagement under load. However, incorrect or excessive tension can also cause problems, such as unusual noises or increased wear.

The technically correct pretension must therefore be tailored to the specific drive system:

▪ transmissible torque

▪ dynamic tension forces

▪ timing belt profile and belt width

▪ pulley geometry

▪ center distance

▪ timing belt system used

In calculation programs for timing belt drives, for example, separate frequency ranges are specified for new and worn belts, as well as the dynamic tension forces.

This shows that pretension is not a one-size-fits-all installation value. It is part of the technical design. However, a calculated pretension is only effective if it is correctly adjusted and verified during installation.

Sound complicated? It really isn't. First, use the Belt Drive Navigator 2.0 to calculate the optimal timing belt drive for your application. Refer to the detailed drive documentation for the correct belt tension values, and then adjust the tension correctly during installation using our WF-TC 1.0 belt tensionmeter. After that, nothing can really go wrong.