Sprockets and Sheaves/Pulleys
Matching sprockets to your synchronous belt or sheaves (pulleys) to your V-belt is critical to achieving desired system performance. Gates offers standard pulleys, sheaves and sprockets for all Gates V-belt and synchronous belt profiles and pitches.
Bushings serve as a hub system allowing the adaptation of sheaves, pulleys and sprockets to varying shaft sizes. Gates offers common bushing systems, such as QD® and Taper-Lock®, made to precise tolerances in popular bore sizes.
Idlers 
Idlers (sometimes referred to as “tensioners”) take up extra belt length and provide adjustment for tensioning belt drives. They are especially useful for belt installation and tensioning on drives with fixed or very limited center distance adjustment. An idler system can consist of an idler bracket and idler sprocket, or a standard sheave or sprocket used with an idler bushing.
In addition to idlers compatible with V-belts and synchronous belts, Gates manufactures Flat Idlers that can be used in either application. These idlers are specifically designed for drives with limited take-up or a fixed center distance.
If you need customized hardware for a unique application design, our Made-to-Order Metals will develop prototypes or production runs in any bore, style, material or finish you need.
NOTE: For more product information and further design considerations, see the PA Notes.
Automatic Tensioners Tensioners are designed into a belt drive system to ensure proper performance and prolong the life of other drive components. Other reasons to include automatic belt tensioners in your design include:
- Maintain proper tension throughout belt life
- Reduce noise and vibration
- Reduce maintenance by eliminating need to re-tension belts on a periodic basis
- Provide consistent and correct belt tension, thereby increasing bearing life of accessories
- Increase belt life because belt is not over or under tensioned
- Prevent belt slip, which is not only noisy but can also cause accessories to function improperly
Gates asymmetrically dampening tensioners provide more energy absorption than conventional symmetric damped tensioners.
Crankshaft Dampers
Crankshaft dampers absorb (damp) the torsional vibration of the crankshaft to lessen bearing wear and prevent fatigue failure of the crankshaft. They also improve the noise, vibration, and harshness (NVH) characteristics of the equipment.
Gates can provide you with single, bi-modal and dual mode dampers. Our patented spun steel manufacturing process provides optimal design flexibility to produce hubs from a single piece of steel. The result is weight savings up to 40% over competitive designs. The Integral hub design provides lower weight, a stronger part, and lower cost, while our self-stick rubber compounds provide much stronger bonding at a lower cost.
