Found out the hard way that OEM dryer belts beat the cheap ones

Last month I put a $5 belt from a surplus shop into a Whirlpool. It snapped after 12 loads and took the idler pulley with it. The OEM belt cost me $18 but it's been running smooth for 3 weeks now. Has anyone else had bad luck with those generic belts?

3 comments

3 Comments

nancycooper16h ago

Julia called it, rubber dust and hope. I tried a $4 belt off eBay last year for a Kenmore and it stretched within a month. Then it started slipping and made this awful burning smell. Wound up buying the OEM belt and a new pulley because the cheap one had already warped. Learned my lesson the same way, @julia549.

rubyshah13h ago

12 loads before snapping, that's almost impressive in the worst way.

julia54917h ago

$5 belt from a surplus shop is asking for trouble, those things are made of rubber dust and hope. OEM parts are usually worth the extra cash for stuff that spins.