Reasons to Have Cat Spare Parts On-Hand for Your Heavy Equipment: Belts

Who would have thought that a piece of rubber could be so integral to the performance of an engine? Enter the lowly belt that without it, your engine would not run. It's sole job is to transport power from the engine to other parts of your car, truck, or other heavy equipment. It sends power to your alternator, power steering pump, air conditioning compressor, and the water pump, amongst other items. However, belts do wear out, so it's important to have this essential Cat part on-hand for when it does.

Wagner Equipment Co. offers the best new, used, and rental heavy equipment. We maintain a very large inventory of Cat parts in order to serve your needs. In addition, we offer comprehensive customer support, meaning from the moment you inquire about a purchase of one of our pieces of heavy equipment until the day you sell it, we aim to take care of your every need. We have well-stocked parts warehouses at all of our locations so you can obtain genuine Cat parts easily. We offer other part options, such as our Cat remanufactured components, which can save you a lot of money. We have fully-equipped shops at all locations, and over 235 field service technicians who can come to you if heavy equipment breaks down. From fluids analysis to power systems, we have got your needs covered. Below, we'll take a look at one Cat spare part you most definitely want to have around: the belt. Contact your nearest Wagner location in Colorado, New Mexico, or far West Texas today!

History of Power Transmission Belts

Humans have understood for thousands of years that energy can be transmitted by simple machines. In the case of belts, the force this is applied is transmitted by the belt from one rotating shaft to another. The Chinese are the first to record the use of a mechanical belt drive combined with a pulley in 15 BC. It is believed the Babylonians and Assyrians used a chain system to draw water before this time. The Chinese used this system on looms for textiles, which is still used in some form today. Flat belts have been used since the 19th century in logging, mining, and farming to convey energy as well.

Belts and pulleys are the simplest and most efficient way to transmit power between shafts, which is why they show up in cars and heavy equipment. Even with all the new-fangled technology, they cannot be beat. Belts are quiet and require little maintenance outside of when they need to be replaced. Belts also help prevent jamming and load fluctuations. They can transmit high power at high speeds.

Leather was at one time the preferred material to make belts from. Cotton, hemp, flax, and wire were also used in the 1800s. Today, the most often used materials are rubber and engineered polymers, many with embedded fibers or wires, because they last longer and are less inclined to break suddenly.

REASONS TO HAVE SPARE BELTS ON-HAND

Belts Wear Out

The biggest reason to have spare belts on hand is because they wear out. With cars and trucks, they usually last around 50,000 miles before they need to be replaced. With heavy equipment, this can be imprecise because most machines don't move with regards to miles, so the hours used by the engine is a better measure of when your belts should be replaced.

Belts Can Break

Although a broken belt does not happen too frequently as long as your machines are well-maintained, it does happen. As you know, when your belt breaks, your car, truck, or heavy machinery stops. This can lead to costly downtime that you want to avoid.

Belts Can Become Inefficient

Over time, your belt will wear out before it actually breaks. As the belt wears out, it will lose some of its efficiency transmitting power to where it needs to go. This will result in your engine having to work harder over time, which can result in more fuel usage and less power being transmitted to power your car, truck, or heavy machinery.

Saves You Time

When a belt is on its last legs, it can be difficult and/or inconvenient to get a replacement belt on the fly. Or, you have to send one of your staff members to a Caterpillar dealer to retrieve one. When you have Caterpillar spare parts on-hand, such as spare belts, you can rest assured that your operation won't be slowed.

Saves You Money

When you need a belt because your job site has shut down, the price you are willing to pay for one goes up due to the urgency of your need. You may end up paying more for the spare Cat part than you would have liked. By having spare Cat parts on-hand from Wagner, you can rest assured you won't be paying more than you should.

CHOOSE WAGNER EQUIPMENT CO. TODAY

Caring for your belt system is critical, but can be easily overlooked. Maintaining proper tension and alignment is key. Taking care to try and keep your heavy equipment shaded in the hot months and out of direct sunlight can help as well, since UV rays can degrade belts. Also ensure no debris can get tangled in them.

Wagner Equipment Co. offers all of the Cat parts you will need to maintain your Cat heavy equipment and keep it operational when you need it. From Cat engine parts and fluids to seal kits, bearings, cylinders, final drives, belts, and more, we've got your needs covered. We offer Cat reman parts, as well as our Wagner Parts Exchange, where you can exchange your worn parts for our Cat remanufactured parts, which come with a warranty from us. We offer 24-hour emergency services and a Cat Parts Drop Boxes programs, so you can receive the parts you need when it's convenient for you. There are thousands of parts needed to keep your heavy equipment up and running, and we're here to help.

Wagner Equipment Co. offers many other great services for your Cat heavy machinery, including our field service technicians who can come to you to fix your machines. We offer a wide variety of power systems, including electric power generation and our micro grid systems for your use. We offer power systems rental and used equipment. Wagner also can rebuild your heavy machinery, extending their life and use for years. We offer heavy equipment financing on new, used, and rebuilds at all of our Cat dealer locations, including Colorado, New Mexico, and far west Texas. Wagner also invests heavily in technology, offering fluid analysis so you can monitor the health of your machines, as well as machine control systems via our partner SITECH Rocky Mountain.

Wagner Equipment Co. aims to be your source for all of your heavy equipment needs. With over a dozen locations, you can visit any one and have your needs taken care of no matter where you are located. Our top-notch customer care associates can answer your questions and get you taken care of. We adhere to our values in action of teamwork, excellence, accountability, safety, integrity, and communication to deliver quality solutions to you. Visit us online or your nearest Wagner location in-store today!