how long do timing belt pulleys last?

Customers often ask me this question:” how long do timing belt pulleys last?”

In response to this question, I often ask customers the following:

• What is the operating environment like? Is it humid, exposed to acidic corrosion, or dry and hot?

• What is the load capacity like?

• What is the operating condition? Is it continuous operation or intermittent?

If the operating environment is humid, steel can easily rust, significantly reducing the lifespan of the steel timing belt pulleys. Similarly, in environments with acidic corrosion, aluminum alloy materials will be damaged, causing severe harm to the timing belts. Such environments are not suitable for using this type of transmission.

If the load capacity exceeds the design limit, it will lead to a significant reduction in the lifespan of both the timing belt pulleys and timing belts. According to statistics  50% of cases where the expected lifespan is not achieved can be attributed to this factor.

Some customers have long operating hours, with some running continuously for 24 hours. In such cases, the lack of heat dissipation can cause the timing belts to melt and get damaged, leading to damage to the timing belt pulleys as well.