Dayco belts vs Cummins. Any difference?

[Letsgoagain]

Evening,
Anyone know anything about the Dayco belts? Are they what is original? My owners manual has a Dayco part # 3911581 listed for the alternator which it turns out is a Cummings #. Called Cummins and the new updated # is 3289235. They want $57.00 for this belt.
I did a search on the web with the original Dayco # and it brought up a new Dayco# 5080690. The revious two numbers I listed above are cross referenced as matching.
I checked online at RV Chassis Parts and they want $43.00 plus shipping for their belt.
The site I found at Ryder fleet Products wants $27.23 plus shipping for the belt. Thats why I'm asking if anyone has any experience with Dayco belts. I like the price but if its an inferior belt then I won't purchase it.
Who knows it may be the same belt that Cummins has but they just charge more.
If anyone knows I'd aprreciate a reply.
Thanks, Letsgoagain

[Gary RVRoamer]

I doubt if Cummins has a belt factory, so they undoubtedly get their branded belt form somebody else. Whether it is Dayco or not I cannot guess. Dayco, however, is an actual manufacturer of belts and hoses for the vehicle industry.

[H. Miller]

According to their web site, Dayco produces 100% of all OE (original equipment) belts for Cat, Cummins, Volvo etc.

[Carl in St Augustine]

Have used Dayco and Gatorback belts. Both are good. As said Dayco is the belt Cummins uses.

[Letsgoagain]

Thanks for the replies. All good thoughts. I looked up Dayco's web page and did a little reading, then went out to the motorhome and pulled the hatch in the closet so I could look directly down on the aft of the engine and see the belts. I could actually read the part number on the AC belt and see that it is a top cog belt. Took a width measurement on the Alternator belt which is the main belt and will compare it against the spec's on the web page I found. Lot cheaper even with shipping then the local Cummins shop. They really marked these items up.
Aaaaah I love this forum and the internet. Thanks for your help.
Letsgoagain

[quikduk]

As a side note, Dayco isn't the only mfr of parts for our rigs that get re-branded. I use Wix or Baldwin filters as they make most of the big rig filters and are as good if not better than the OEM branded filters. Napa stuff IS Wix and I use their filters on other vehicles and on my generator is the Wix are out of stock.

[Barrier2]

Hi Letsgoagain, Did you ever find the correct belt numbers A/C and Alt?
I am trying to order spares and my manual numbers seems to have been changed. I have a 350hp ISC but I think they might be the same as yours
thanks
Barrier
Robert

[EngineerMike]

The serpentine belt is pretty easy to match, and IIWMI'd check my coach before ordering regardless of how close somebody else's coach seems; ditto w/any V-belts. Seemingly meaningless or unnoticed changes can mean a different belt length (like the chassis mfgr changed the brand or mount of AC compressor or alternator? Did that ever happen?) Take a 1/2" ratchet w/long handle or cheater pipe and engage it in the tensioner pulley square socket. Apply pressure (it'll only want to rotate in one direction) till you can flip the belt off the tensioner wheel. Release the ratchet. Now snake the belt off the remaining pulleys, and note the order when snaking (to reverse later; writing it down is a good idea for the novice who might have trouble eyeballing it later).

Most belts are identified by their width x length. Width is either in inches or # of ribs, but sometimes both for convenience. Length is as if you cut it and laid it out long ways (not half-length).

Dayco, Gates or Goodyear will all be serviceable belts. I've found Ryder Fleet Products to be a great place to shop with good prices, fairly good selection, and reliable delivery.

I recommend, when the weather is good and you need a fun project, doing a belt R&R just for drill. Some of the V-belt driven stuff is hard to de-tension/tension and may require an auxiliary tool. My 06 coach had an alternator that slid rather than rotated, and a 4" C-clamp made the tensioning a breeze. Wouldn't have know that if I threw a belt and had to do an emergency R&R by the side of the road. If the belts are in good shape, you can note the dimensions and pop them back on, then order spares in case of need on the road.

[RVThere]

Follow Mike's advice and keep a spare belt in the coach.

I spent 3 hours on the side of I-78 this summer and then a day and a half in the truck shop parking lot trying to find a replacement belt.

[Twomed]

Mike is right on!! The a/c tensioner on mine is some odd (aren't they all) metric size that is not in normal tool sets. It's in the tool box now for that ill fated day/night.

[moisheh]

quikduk:Big rigs that have either Cummins, Cat or DD engines do not use Baldwin or Wix filters. Cat, Cummins and DD maje their own filters. Baldwin are not OEM on any diesel engine! Wix may make some legacy filters for some of the OEM's but not current models. BUT boith those brands are good filters. Cummins filtration are some of the best available.

[quikduk]

If you read this "blurb" from Cummins Filtration's site (Fleetguard), it is obvious that they (currently) are comprised of a lot of other companies that, like their early creators, developed a superior product that the now global Cummins Filtration company absorbed, purchased etc. and a lot of those and other products get re-branded.

Cummins Filtration History

I should have qualified my statements better by stating that Baldwin and Wix make a very good filter and that it is, IMHO, equal to the Fleetguard brand at half the price. I have cut open Fleetguard, Napa, Wix and Baldwin filters (oil, fuel etc.) and have found their materials and construction so similar that it looks like they came from the same factory...other than their outward appearances.

Here is a link for Wix.

http://www.wixfilters.com/companyinf...ine_flash.html

...and one for Baldwin.

http://www.baldwinfilter.com/aboutbaldwinhistory.html

They all appear to be multi-national...kind of like Disney. If you knew how many items you used every day that were ultimately owned by Disney it could frighten you. They are one of the ultimate multi-national conglomerates with their hands in everything.

I do know that Napa filters are made by Wix and the Napa Gold line is equal to the comparable Wix filter. I generally buy one of the above brands and sometimes mix and match depending on what filters are available when I need them.

Ultimately, I do not think you could go wrong with any of the ones I mentioned but the choice is up to the purchaser I guess.

As always, it is just my $.02 so that and about $1.00 more would get you a cup of coffee.