Large serpentine belt wheel/ pulley

[thesamhill]

I've got a treadmill motor with a flywheel that drives a serpentine belt, multi groove type belt. The wheel is about 2 inches in diameter. Looks like the one below.



On the treadmill, the other end is the belt roller. That wheel is maybe 5 inches. Looks like this:



I'm looking for a wheel that's larger than that. Power steering belt pulleys are 6ish inches but even that's a bit small.

Recumbent bike drive wheels are bigger, and would probably work but they are kind of hard to find and sort of expensive.



Does anyone know of any other types of wheels that size, maybe 8 inches or larger, that have the multi groove serpentine belt surface?

 

[Peegoo]

Have you checked McMaster-Carr?

 

[thesamhill]

@Peegoo yeah. I don't know if I'm just not looking for the right terms or what. They have pulleys for flat belts, v belts, round belts, all kinds of belts, but not the multi groove kind. Or maybe they do but I don't know the right term for that multi groove surface.

 

[Preacher]

Try a tire, I have found that the grooves don't really do much on the belt to keep it on track, that is all about alignment.

Harbor freight has all sorts of flat tires for use on dollys, maybe one of them would work.

 

[Dan German]

I don’t really have any suggestions, but I can’t hear ”serpentine” without thinking of this:

 

[Dan German]

Although it occurs to me that there might be an automotive idler pulley that is a good size…

 

[PhoenixBill]

Although it occurs to me that there might be an automotive idler pulley that is a good size…

I think he said he’s looking for 8”, so that would rule out a typical idler pulley.

 

[stantheman]

Quickest way - call Grainger.
They've got it.

 

[Dan German]

I think he said he’s looking for 8”, so that would rule out a typical idler pulley.

Yes. I should wait until after my coffee kicks in before making suggestions.

 

[MarkieMark]

The question begs to be asked,,,
Why?

Back to answers- there are some larger automotive application pulleys, though the ones I mentally picture from memory right off are smooth, not grooved.
Then there are the issues of center shaft diameter or mounting flange details. Spacing, and so-on.
This could be far more complicated than one might expect.
In fact, I about guarantee it is...

And for the record, the belt application described isn't technically serpentine.
It is what we refer to as a multi-ribbed belt. Serpentine hasto do withrouting.
Anyway-

While the multi-ribbed belt is commonly manufactured to somewhat of a standard as far as the dimensions of the ribs/pulleys themselves, you still have some variables in for instance: number of ribs/overall width, which relates directly to load capacity, etc. And there is more...

All of which takes me back to...
The larger output pulley would provide a ratio reduction, or output speed reduction. But your suggested input motor originally incorporated a speed controller capable of starting a about 1RPM.

I don't know for certain if I can help, but I do know it would be easier if I knew a little more about the intent.

 

[cometazzi]

Recumbent bike drive wheels are bigger, and would probably work but they are kind of hard to find and sort of expensive.

I don't know about your area, but here exercise bikes are all over the place on Craigslist right now. I see them as low as 15-20 dollars. You would have to find a proper way to dispose of the rest of the bike, but you could steal the wheel out of it.

Alternatively, you could find a smaller drive pulley (though the amount of effect is limited)

 

[cometazzi]

Oh, and don't forget the ever-lasting splendour of this place.

You get a whole different set of results for various keywords like "driven pulley" and whatnot.

 

[Milspec]

Check out parts for an upright air compressor. You should be able to find what you need.

 

[Toto'sDad]

The question begs to be asked,,,
Why?

Back to answers- there are some larger automotive application pulleys, though the ones I mentally picture from memory right off are smooth, not grooved.
Then there are the issues of center shaft diameter or mounting flange details. Spacing, and so-on.
This could be far more complicated than one might expect.
In fact, I about guarantee it is...

And for the record, the belt application described isn't technically serpentine.
It is what we refer to as a multi-ribbed belt. Serpentine hasto do withrouting.
Anyway-

While the multi-ribbed belt is commonly manufactured to somewhat of a standard as far as the dimensions of the ribs/pulleys themselves, you still have some variables in for instance: number of ribs/overall width, which relates directly to load capacity, etc. And there is more...

All of which takes me back to...
The larger output pulley would provide a ratio reduction, or output speed reduction. But your suggested input motor originally incorporated a speed controller capable of starting a about 1RPM.

I don't know for certain if I can help, but I do know it would be easier if I knew a little more about the intent.

That looks like one of my projects from my early days of working on things, that I never got around to finishing.

 

[Masmus]

There are large pulleys on the front of modern large diesel engines Paccar MX13, Cummins X15, International A26. you could look for these used.

 

[watercaster]

Try these guys

Surplus Center

Warehouse distributor for many top name manufacturers. Parker Hydraulics, Hypro Pumps, Prince Hydraulics. Direct from the factory. Surplus equipment. We buy large quantities of manufacturer's surplus or excess stock.

www.surpluscenter.com

 

[Alamo]

Maybe washing machine parts?

Antriebsräder für Waschmaschinen & Trockner online kaufen | eBay

Große Auswahl neuer und gebrauchter Antriebsräder für Waschmaschinen & Trockner online entdecken bei eBay.

bit.ly

but really, what you're up to?

 

[P-Nutz]

I got nuthin’ but THIS! Sorry!

 

[thesamhill]

Thanks all-

Looks like the term is multi-ribbed, multi-grooved, micro-v, or poly-v pulleys.

Multi-Groove Pulleys Are Multiplying

Multi groove pulleys, also known as Micro V or Poly V, are common throughout many applications in countless industries. See Torque for pulleys!

www.torquetrans.com

There's no specific project.

The story is that there's a lot of exercise equipment that gets left out for the trash around here. Mostly it's because the electronics/ controllers stop working. There's a lot of reusable, fairly good quality stuff on them. Treadmill motors are beasts.

The drive mechanisms are all connected by those poly v belts. So I've got some various motors, clutches, rollers, etc with integrated poly v pulleys.

It would be nice to have some larger pulleys to attach to whatever I'm trying to drive. Auto ones are fine, they just aren't all that big relative to the motor pulleys. Plus I already know about them, lol.

I was just wondering if there was some other common application for larger poly v pulleys that I didn't know about. So far used exercise bike pulleys are the largest I've found. Most larger pulleys are regular v belts rather than poly v belts.

Fwiw, I can reduce motor RPM via PWM or SCR controllers too. But larger pulleys lets me keep the momentum up higher on the flywheels, which is nice.

 

[cometazzi]

Thanks all-

Looks like the term is multi-ribbed, multi-grooved, micro-v, or poly-v pulleys.

Multi-Groove Pulleys Are Multiplying

Multi groove pulleys, also known as Micro V or Poly V, are common throughout many applications in countless industries. See Torque for pulleys!

www.torquetrans.com

There's no specific project.

The story is that there's a lot of exercise equipment that gets left out for the trash around here. Mostly it's because the electronics/ controllers stop working. There's a lot of reusable, fairly good quality stuff on them. Treadmill motors are beasts.

The drive mechanisms are all connected by those poly v belts. So I've got some various motors, clutches, rollers, etc with integrated poly v pulleys.

It would be nice to have some larger pulleys to attach to whatever I'm trying to drive. Auto ones are fine, they just aren't all that big relative to the motor pulleys. Plus I already know about them, lol.

I was just wondering if there was some other common application for larger poly v pulleys that I didn't know about. So far used exercise bike pulleys are the largest I've found. Most larger pulleys are regular v belts rather than poly v belts.

Fwiw, I can reduce motor RPM via PWM or SCR controllers too. But larger pulleys lets me keep the momentum up higher on the flywheels, which is nice.

Well, now I'm interested in what it is you intend to drive (even if there's not specific project). Are we talking about electric go-carts, electric engine hoists, air pump for a home-made pipe organ, flinging kids off a merry-go-round?

Perspiring minds want to know!