Synchronous belt tooth profiles are not interchangeable simply because two belts share a nominal pitch. The belt tooth must match the pulley groove profile, and each profile family may have different tooth height, belt height, clearance, and drive rating. The table below lists three nominal Gates HTD sections from the 2024 industrial catalogue. It is a profile-identification reference for those Gates sections, not a complete compatibility or drive-capacity chart.
Synchronous Belt Tooth Geometry
Selected Gates HTD synchronous belt section dimensions
Nominal pitch, tooth height, belt height, and pitch-length range for selected Gates HTD belt sections.
1–3 of 3 matching rows (3 total)
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Read pitch and height as profile data
For the selected Gates HTD sections, 8M has an 8 mm pitch, 3.4 mm tooth height, and 5.6 mm belt height. The 14M section lists a 14 mm pitch, 6.1 mm tooth height, and 10 mm belt height. The 20M section lists a 20 mm pitch, 8.4 mm tooth height, and 13.2 mm belt height. The catalogue also gives pitch-length ranges, which help identify available belt sizes but do not specify a pulley or required center distance.
HTD is a profile family
Gates distinguishes its HTD tooth form from its GT profiles and other synchronous belt profiles. The names and pitch values should be treated as profile identifiers, not as a promise that a belt will mesh with any pulley of the same nominal pitch. The pulley tooth shape, clearances, flange arrangement, belt construction, width, and application duty all matter. This table intentionally contains only the HTD section dimensions stated by Gates.
Separate geometry from drive rating
A geometric dimension does not give allowable torque, speed, tension, service life, or tooth-jump resistance. Those limits depend on the belt construction, width, number of teeth in mesh, pulley size, wrap angle, loading cycle, temperature, contamination, and installation tension. Use the manufacturer drive-design method to select a complete drive. Do not choose a belt from pitch and tooth height alone or infer a power rating from a larger tooth profile.
Check installation dimensions
Pitch length is measured along the belt pitch line. It is not necessarily the belt’s outside circumference. A drive’s center distance and pulley tooth counts determine the required belt length under the manufacturer’s design method. The catalogue’s listed range represents the specific products covered by that publication. Confirm availability, width, construction, and revised part numbers with the current product catalogue before purchasing.
Do not mix HTD and GT
Gates catalogs list multiple profile families, including HTD and GT. Although some dimensions can look similar at a glance, the mating tooth and groove geometry can differ. Replacing an HTD belt with a GT belt, or the reverse, requires confirmation that the pulley profile and drive design are compatible. Do not scale a catalogue drawing or machine a pulley from a screenshot when exact profile tolerances are needed; obtain the proper manufacturer data and an engineering drawing.
When recording an existing drive, note the belt family, pitch, tooth count or pitch length, width, construction, and pulley markings. Measure the installed component only as a screening step, because wear and tension affect measurements. If the markings are missing, identify the profile using a reliable gauge or the belt and pulley manufacturer. Preserve the selected system’s exact designation in the parts list so replacement components match.
For a new design, start with the driven and driving shaft speeds, torque or power, duty cycle, and available center distance. Then use the belt maker’s selection procedure to choose pulley tooth counts, width, and construction. Check minimum pulley diameter, allowable belt speed, wrap, tensioning method, guarding, and service environment. The geometry in this table helps identify a profile family, while those additional checks establish whether a complete drive is suitable.
References
These dimensions are limited to the listed Gates HTD sections. Check the current catalogue, belt and pulley profile, drive rating, and application conditions before specifying a replacement or designing a transmission.
