OEM all the way... Most people will tell you the same thing no matter the brand or model. For some reason oem belts on average do last longer than a lot of aftermarket belts. Your belt shredding could have been a rare fault in the belt but more than likely from over heating from using high gear when it should have been in low range. Heat kills belts.I had a chart on the wall that showed several ways that belts could fail.All but one were caused by operator error. Make sure when you install the new one that you check belt slack. Place a straight edge over the top of the clutches and pull the top section of the belt down.Distance from the top of the belt to the straight edge should be less than 1.5 inches.If it's more than that you may have to tear into the driven clutch,replace ramp buttons,etc.

 

 

Clean non ebs clutch. Check the six guide buttons for wear and also the guide towers that they slide on for any deep grooving. Turn the clutch side to side. Should be a little play but not anything excessive. When guide buttons wear down a lot is when you hear clutches making a clacking noise.

 

I put the new belt on and now it is cracking again but is not consistent. Wonder if the belt came apart again or it the clutch is messed, or if I missed some other belt pieces

 

Check the drive clutch inner and outer sheaths for any cracks/rough spots that could damage a belt. 600/800 grit paper can help on surface blemishes.If the drive clutch appears ok then the driven clutch may need to be taken apart to check/replace the ramp buttons along with removing any trapped pieces of belt and dust that may be in there. Plus alignment may need to be made if the drive belt wasn't tracking center of the drive clutch. If a belt is tracking toward the inner sheath,you may have to add shims behind the driven clutch also.

 

Happy turkey day opt, I won't have time to get the wheeler in the tree until Saturday or Sunday. But the parts to rebuild the clutch don't look expensive so I would like to order them today. What all should i order besides the buttons?

 

The three ramp buttons in the driven clutch are fairly easy to replace,no special tools needed, but the 6 guide buttons (if needed) in the drive clutch is a different story. You have to have the clutch puller and the spider tool to separate the clutch halves. Counter weights are usually ok,but if there is a lot of play in the clutch,the cover bushing and the sheath bushing may need to be replaced. Easier on this to let a dealer replace worn parts than to buy the tools for possibly a one time use.