The belt mounted on the gas distribution mechanism, in other words, just the timing belt, is a rather important part, on which the correct and stable functioning of the valve group and engine elements will directly depend. In the event that it ruptures, pistons and connecting rods may fail, and repairing these parts can cost quite a decent amount. Belt replacement itself is not too expensive.
In specialized stores of spare parts for such belts you can find quite a lot, but not all of them are of high quality. Novice motorists who are not yet aware of how to choose this part, and this article is intended. In it, we will tell you about what timing belts are, what you should pay attention to when buying them, we will also give a rating of the best timing belts in 2019 so that you can decide which products will be most suitable for your vehicle.
Summary of the rating:
How to choose a timing belt?
In modern cars, only three main types of gas distribution are installed. Gear drive is found in fairly old cars, this design has long been recognized as obsolete. It was replaced by chain and belt drives. In the first case, a special chain is installed that excellently resists wear, but it is quite noisy, so machine manufacturers do not use it very often in engines. Much more often, a belt drive is used, which functions quite quietly. The belt itself is inexpensive, it weighs a little, and if necessary it is easy to replace, but due to the lack of tension, the entire engine power is not fully realized.
The timing belt can fail for a number of reasons. First of all, during installation it was over-tensioned, as a result of which excessive pressure occurs on the rollers. The whole system functions quite stably, but the resource is exhausted much faster, as a result, the belt can simply break. When operating a car in hot climates, the belt begins to dry out, which ultimately will also lead to its rupture. Another reason for failure is dirt or dust that has fallen into the gas distribution mechanism.
The most suitable products can be found in several ways - by VIN-code of the machine. This is the simplest operation, since you can be completely sure that the product will definitely fit this car. They also look for a belt according to the data of the car - make, model, year of manufacture and other related parameters. When purchasing a belt, they must look at its packaging, where the marking should be indicated regarding the time of its manufacture. The newer the products, the longer it will last, on old belts that have been lying in the warehouse for a long time, you can even visually detect signs of delamination. Most car masters recommend installing on the vehicle not an original belt, but analogues from well-known manufacturers.
A motorist should take into account several points - at least one spare belt should be carried with him in the car. Change it with a frequency of 50-80 thousand kilometers.Together with it, the belt tension roller must be replaced. So, to summarize some intermediate results: problems with this part arise only for motorists who are condescending to the state of their vehicle and do not undergo regular maintenance. If the part’s resource has been fully developed or close to this, it is necessary to replace it as soon as possible, because in the future this problem can lead to more serious breakdowns.
Most of the products are made of neoprene or saturated vinyl. The first is a fairly popular material, however, at peak loads of the motor, when its temperature reaches 120 degrees, they begin to lose their elasticity and wear out faster. Saturated nitrile is not sensitive to moisture, temperature, fuel or engine oil, which positively affects the life of the part. It is not surprising that they will cost significantly more than neoprene products.
When compiling our rating of the best timing belts, we took into account the fame of the manufacturer, the ratio of price and quality of products, as well as the feedback from users and car repair workers. We tried to choose the best products in terms of cost, so that it would be affordable for most of our readers. Now let's analyze in detail the operational characteristics of each model.
Budget and mid-range products
5. AMD belts
Quite an interesting product is the South Korean company of the same name, which directly cooperates with such car brands as GM, SsangYoung, KIA, Hyundai, and a significant part of the finished belts and related components is delivered directly to the factories. Experienced motorists recommend not buying the belt itself separately, but a whole timing kit, which includes a bypass roller and a tension roller. All these elements are made from high-quality materials, characterized by versatility - suitable for many brands and models of domestic and imported cars.
Separately, users talk about the rollers and their high quality, in particular, they do not provide backlash and other defects that can be detected during operation. As users note, this belt functions quite quietly throughout its entire service life, does not emit extraneous drums or noises. Products are characterized by a high level of strength, which greatly reduces the likelihood of a sudden rupture.
Benefits:
- Easy to install;
- High quality materials;
- Universality;
- After installation, the engine runs very quietly, without extraneous noise and beating;
- Sold complete with all necessary clips.
Disadvantages:
- It is undesirable to use in a climate with a rather low temperature.
4. Hutchinson
It is a product of French manufacture, which is characterized by high quality indicators and a long service life - even more than 100 thousand km can pass between replacements. The company engaged in the manufacture of these belts is one of the leading companies in the world in the production of rubber-metal products. At the same time, products have been on the domestic market for quite some time and are deservedly popular with motorists. Timing belts manufactured by this company are installed in new cars of the brands Ford, BMW, Toyota, Nissan, Citroen and many others. This already speaks of the excellent quality of the goods. It should be noted that all belts have certificates confirming compliance with all European and international standards.
By their characteristics, they are in no way inferior to more expensive products. Timing belts are versatile, they can be installed on domestic brands, including cars manufactured by the VAZ concern.The elasticity indicators are average, which significantly reduces the load on the tension roller, respectively, during operation, the belt will not stretch. The material from which the belt is made responds quite calmly to the ingress of oil or fuel - it does not begin to delaminate or deform. No slippage on the pulleys was noticed by users, even after prolonged use it does not begin to squeak or whistle.
Benefits:
- Reasonable cost;
- Long period of operation;
- Reliability;
- It resists wear and other physical stress.
Disadvantages:
- Fake products are often found on sale.
3. Lemforder
Belts of this brand are made by a German company, part of the rather well-known concern ZF. Firms that are its constituent parts produce a wide range of components for automobiles, it is only natural that the company produces gas distribution belts. Customers are Korean, Japanese and American car brands. Belts are optimally suitable for Russian cars. In the assortment you can find both fairly cheap and very expensive products. At the same time, even cheap products are of excellent German quality, which ensures a long service life of belts.
They are made of a material that can withstand significant loads, it has a moderate tensile index. This allows you to be in a tense state all the time, but at the same time not to create additional loads on other engine elements. The belt wears out for a long time - for this a car must travel about 90-100 thousand km.
Benefits:
- Wide price range;
- Large selection of belts for a variety of criteria;
- All products available in stores are new.
Disadvantages:
- Often, when under the logo of this manufacturer comes across the products of another company.
2. Balakovo
Despite the rather controversial reviews regarding the belts of this domestic manufacturer, he deservedly took second place in our rating. The fact is that the products of this company are quite often faked, but the quality of the fakes is poor. The main distinguishing feature associated with this company is that it does not belong to any concern of automakers, but specializes exclusively in the production of rubber technical products.
The quality of the original belts is in no way inferior to foreign counterparts. Although the declared service life is about 75-80 thousand km, in fact it is much longer. Like most products that fell into our review of the best timing belts, they are universal - suitable for Renault brands, the entire range of VAZ, UAZ and other domestic manufacturers. There are products designed for trucks. During operation, the belts behave well, do not create additional noise, have an average tension, providing a high efficiency of the engine and without leading to abrasion of the rollers.
Benefits:
- Original products of fairly high quality;
- Suitable for many cars;
- Experts give positive conclusions;
- Reasonable cost.
Disadvantages:
- Finding a belt actually released by this company is not too easy.
1. Bosch
Timing belts from another German company are also of rather high quality, although the company’s specialization is quite wide and includes the manufacture of a huge assortment of household appliances, tools and so on. The material from which these parts are made does not cause the slightest complaints. When installing the belt even on domestic cars, there is not the slightest criticism - no extraneous noise, squeaks, squeaking or tapping.The belt itself does not heat up during operation due to friction against the pulleys, as is the case with cheaper products. When working, it stretches, but not too much - this does not at all affect the quality of work of both the engine itself and the gas distribution mechanism.
Almost all users respond equally to these products: at a reasonable cost, the quality of the belts is simply excellent. For cars that have a low or medium load, this will be the best option.
Benefits:
- It can be installed on almost all relatively modern machines;
- It is almost impossible to find fake products;
- At moderate loads, long life;
- Reasonable cost.
Disadvantages:
- After installation, some grinding to the pulleys should pass.
5. INA
The company producing these belts acts as a supplier of many conveyors where the motor group is manufactured, and not only these parts are installed, but also hydraulic compensators, phase shifter couplings and other similar spare parts. There is not a single claim to the quality of the belt, since it is made in compliance with all available international technical standards, and is also further enhanced by reinforcement. The rollers supplied with the belt also have a long service life and a good safety margin - during operation they will not begin to loosen or crumble regardless of the applied loads.
In the manufacturing process, all processes are under the strictest control, so even the slightest chance that a defective part is caught is completely excluded. In the manufacture of belts uses a special, most modern technology that does not allow them to tear. In case of wear, their teeth will simply be erased, which will enable the motorist to get to at least the nearest service station and install a new spare part.
Benefits:
- Reliable protection against impulses;
- Long service life;
- All additional elements also have decent quality.
Disadvantages:
- A little expensive.
4. Contitech
Like other manufacturers included in this section of our review of the best timing belts, this company has a wide product range. It can be used not only in automobiles, but also in some areas of industrial production. These belts are sold in many countries of the world. According to consumer reviews, not only Russian but also foreign, the products of this company are the best among European manufacturers. According to the developers, the belts are able to provide high adhesion to the elements, which ensures a high efficiency of the car engine, which increases to 98%. Another important point is that the motor starts to work almost silently, even the slightest vibration leaves. The products are manufactured in compliance with all necessary technical requirements, so it is designed for any climatic conditions - both for extremely low and for high enough temperatures.
On sale there are also universal belts that can be installed on cars of many brands, including cars produced by domestic factories. You can run into a fake, however, if you know how to distinguish the original belt, this will not happen to you. First of all, the product is dominated by the yellow color of the packaging, if any other - in your hands you hold a fake. It also does not provide information on what brands of machines it is allowed to install these products.
Benefits:
- The engine stops vibrating during operation;
- Long period of operation;
- Good wear resistance;
- The motor does not make noise, does not make any extraneous sounds.
Disadvantages:
- High price.
3. Dayco
The American company engaged in the manufacture of these products is a world leader in the research, development and manufacture of a wide variety of belts for cars, motorcycles and other vehicles, including equipment intended for agriculture and industry. The company itself has been on the market for over 100 years. During this time, many products have been created that are significantly superior in quality to analogues from other companies. Belts fully comply with international quality standards, and they also meet environmental standards. The company produces more than 200 variants of timing belts, which are optimally suited for cars manufactured in European countries. Their stretching during operation is minimal, which ensures the quietest operation of the car engine. They are made of materials that can excellently resist friction.
The top layer of the belt is a polychloroprene mixture that can withstand very high temperatures. The basis here is fiberglass cord, resistant to tensile loads. The fabric layer does not allow tearing, and another textile layer located deep in the belt prevents damage to the product from various abrasive materials.
Benefits:
- Strength, resistance to loads of any kind;
- The teeth not only adhere well to the pulleys, but also have excellent elasticity;
- A car on one such belt can drive up to 110 thousand km.
Disadvantages:
- Do not bend or twist the belt, since fiberglass is quite fragile.
2. Optibelt
These belts are made of high-quality chloroprene with the addition of a certain amount of polyurethane. They are durable and robust, making engine maintenance costs significantly lower. Products are able to withstand significant physical exertion. Products come from various European countries to our auto parts stores, as the production facilities of this German company are located in many countries. Belts have a universal length, which makes them optimal for all standard engines. They are narrow and have several streams in their structure, which can significantly extend the life of this product. This provides a significant reduction in the cost of timely maintenance of the motor. In the manufacturing process, modern materials are used, thanks to which it is possible to obtain sufficiently solid and flexible products.
Largely due to this approach, it is possible to increase the transmission of power. On sale you can find round belts, the diameter of which is in the range from 3 to 15 mm. They are equipped with a cord of polyester, excellent resistance to abrasive materials, insensitive to solvents, gasoline and oils.
Benefits:
- A large assortment;
- By production modern materials and technologies are used;
- Long service life;
- The coefficient of friction is minimal;
- There are practically no counterfeit products on sale.
Disadvantages:
- Not very easy to find in stores, often have to order.
1. Gates
Belts of this American company have been recognized by experts as the best in the world for more than a decade, especially since the company has been on the market for over a hundred years. It has its own research center, where new models are being developed that are designed to provide the highest efficiency of the car engine. The products are subject to very stringent requirements from the quality control department, they are even tougher compared to the existing world requirements.The composition includes nitrile, which is a modern polymer material with a high level of wear resistance, it is not sensitive to oil, gasoline or diesel fuel, it feels excellent even in fairly aggressive environments. Also, fiberglass is used in the manufacture, which is twisted into a spiral inside the belt.
Toothed profiles are precisely aligned with gears, which ensures maximum tight grip with them, which reduces noise during engine operation and significantly increases efficiency. The products are perfectly protected from fakes, so only original belts can be found on sale. There are a lot of varieties of products - ordinary, reinforced, with rollers included. On sale are also found extended kits equipped with various kinds of sealing elements.
Benefits:
- An excellent system of protection against fakes, one can distinguish counterfeit very quickly even to an inexperienced person in these matters;
- It produces the entire declared service life even in fairly aggressive environments and with sharp temperature drops;
- Ideally resists wear and other physical stress;
- Provides almost one hundred percent efficiency;
- The engine starts to run completely silently.
Disadvantages:
- Not found.
Finally, a useful video
So we are finishing our review of the best timing belts in 2019. In conclusion, I would like to express the hope that now you have a fairly complete idea of the products available on the market and will be able to purchase the product that is optimal for your vehicle. If not all the points seemed clear to you - ask us a question in the comments, we will try to give you an exhaustive answer as soon as possible.
(1 ratings, average: 5,00 out of 5)
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