I’m reposting this because it was lost in the “6 day gap”.
I haven’t seen anyone describe when the belts should be replaced beyond the obvious.
- They break
- They have cracks in the back
- They lose teeth
You should also replace them when you re-tension them and they won’t hold that tension. Check them a couple days afterwards, and if they’re loose again, replace them.
At my third re-tension (first was about a year, second another 6 months, third about 3-4 months…I see a pattern…) they held tension for about 5 minutes and almost immediately lost their tension.
Also, do yourself a favor, and put a tiny dab of anti-seize on the buckle screw when you put it in. Your future self thanks you.