G-Force™ CVT belts: enhanced stock availability and range extension

11/09/2020

The Gates G-Force CVT belts and the Gates G-Force C12 belts are reliable alternatives for, and precise fits to, the Original Equipment Continuously Variable Transmission belts powering all types of vehicles in all-terrain and extreme riding as well as powersports racing. Perhaps you haven’t met our CVT belts yet? We did not announce them to all of our customers, but are now making them more widely available to all passenger car customers thanks to a new approach toward stock. And there’s more, because our G-Force range has recently been extended with a brand-new, race-proven innovation, namely: the Gates G-Force RedLine™ belt!

 

G-Force CVT belts

The Gates G-Force CVT belts have been designed as a replacement for Original Equipment CVT belts for recreational and utility all-terrain vehicles. As a precise fit to their OE counterparts, these G-Force belts guarantee easy instalment (without clutching adjustments). But drop-in performance is not the only thing they have to offer. Our Gates G-Force CVT belts also guarantee:

  • Superior flexibility and heat dissipation (thanks to the specific belt design)
  • Increased belt life (due to the aramid tensile cords they contain)
  • Optimum durability (because of their reinforced fibre-loaded rubber component)

 

G-Force C12 belts

In addition, for even better performances in powersports racing, Gates came up with theG-Force C12 belt, the first-ever CVT belt with carbon tensile cords. Again, the aftermarket alternative is so much more than a drop-in replacement for Original Equipment CVT belts, combining maximal strength with minimal stretch while also …

  • maintaining peak power throughout the shift curve
  • ensuring optimal power transmission for faster acceleration, improved throttle response and consistent shifting performance
  • providing optimal heat resistance and increased durability (advanced carbon tensile cords)

And there’s more …

 

NEW: G-Force RedLine belts

To withstand extreme off-road environments such as dunes, deserts, mountains and on racetracks, Gates recently came up with G-Force RedLine, a line of CVT belts that is even more superior due to its extreme heat resistance. The latter characteristic is big news, because most failures are due to high temperatures which, as a rule, make belts fatigue faster. So even when extreme terrain, hard acceleration, high torque loads and/or frequent back shifting generate excessive heat in the CVT, G-Force RedLine belts are up to the task. Under harsh conditions, the lifetime of a G-Force RedLine belt is three times that of the G-Force and the G-Force C12 belts, as well as that of competitor belts.

Like the G-Force, the G-Force RedLine belts feature aramid tensile cords rather than carbon tensile cords (reducing the risk of failure by breaking or tearing of the cord), but the former does outperform the latter in other ways than heat resistance, too. Compared to other aftermarket belts, G-Force RedLine belts:

  • are 20x more durable,
  • deliver 75% greater dynamic axial stiffness on average,
  • deliver up to 50% lower speed losses,
  • recover better from temperatures up to 338°F (170°C) without power loss,
  • reduce speed loss by 50% under high loads,
  •  increase load capacity by >10%.
 

Wondering whether you need a G-Force RedLine belt, or any of our other G-Force  belts? This diagram will help you select the right product:

 

How to install and break in a CVT belt

To ensure maximum potential and longevity, all CVT belts should not only be properly installed; you also have to ‘break them in’ properly. How to go about the right procedure?

  1. Select the right belt (the slightest difference from the OE belt can have a drastic impact on performance, so make sure to follow the suggestions in our catalogue. We use a proprietary laser measuring process, so you can be sure that the belt listed there is an exact replacement).
  2. Properly install the belt (make sure to align the clutches according to the manufacturer’s specification and to carefully clean the sheaves and clutches to get rid of all belt residue, glazing, oil and debris).
  3. Break the belt in by bringing it to normal operating temperature (run through the entire shift range), then shutting the machine down and letting the belt completely cool down, and then, after an hour, taking the new belt for another spin in more challenging terrain.

Communication and availability

Now that you know all about our G-Force range, you may wonder what its enhanced stock availability means for you. Well, at Gates we wanted to make a commitment to shorter lead times with our changed approach to stock. While lead times for the G-Force and the G-Force C12 belts could extend to two to three months, we have estimated they will now be drastically reduced and come more in line with the lead times for our existing passenger car replacement products.

In addition, you will benefit from increased communication via our Field Bulletins, which we will use to announce a very new range extension from now on.