Eiki/Elf RT belt confusion!

[Adrian Winchester]

I'm trying to help out a friend with an Elf RT-2, who isn't used to sourcing belts, etc. I've seen that some sellers (e.g. https://www.ebay.ca/itm/293915380169...cAAOSwVwlcdDyI) offer a set of RT belts in which the motor belt is identical to the reverse belt. That surprised me as my Eiki SNT has the same reverse belt so I know this is quite small.

Could someone knowledgeable about RTs confirm that they all take the same type of motor belt, as I know that (e.g.) later NTs need a different belt to earlier ones.

[Martin Davey]

I have an RM and a NT. On both the motor and reverse belts are interchangable with each operation, and each projector. Is your friend possibly thinking abbout the longer arm belts by mistake?

[Richard C. Patchett]

Ok hear goes On the RT series the motor belt is the ST-12181
On the NT series to SN 50000 the motor belt is the ST-12181
BUT
On the NT series from SN 50001 the motor belt is 321-12181 3v

Hope this helps
RC Classic collections

[Adrian Winchester]

Martin and Richard - thanks for your helpful replies. I've now edited my original post, as this clearly had some incorrect speculation. I was baffled by what my friend reported as he thought the RT motor belt is the same size as the arm belts. That's clearly wrong, but he found a broken motor belt inside which seems to have been longer than the ST-12181 that Richard confirms, and yet it worked until it snapped.



The above images give a further sense of why I've been confused. On the left is a photo posted by a forum member a few years ago on the archived version, showing the belts in his RT (ignore the arrows, which are not relevant here). On the right is a ST-12181 reverse belt (obtained from Richard a few years ago!) in my ENT. So, the reverse belt in the RT should presumably be the same thickness as both the motor belt in the same photo, and also the ENT's reverse belt, but it's thinner. It also appears that a ST-12181 would be more of a stretch in the RT, but perhaps that's an illusion caused by the ENT having larger pulleys.

[Martin Davey]

I was under the general impression that RMs, RTs, and NTs are basically the same machine (mainly being cosmetic changes) with very small alterations inside, and that's why the belts sold on Ebay are suitable for those machines. The belts I've used for years have the thickness as shown in the left picture and work perfectly well, and are found on both the motor and rewind pulleys, with the same thickness also applying to the arm belts.. The one on the motor does look slightly fatter but I would not worry about that, and suspect it was changed/ purchased at a different time.
I suspect EIKI designed the belts to be interchangeable to fit into their 'utilitarian' ideals.
I can't comment on the ENT regarding belt sizes but it does look very thick to my eyes and I can't see that even fitting correctly on the pulleys on RTs and others. Thinking back to when I got my RM (as new/ old stock) in 1997 the factory fitted belts were thin too, but red in colour.
I'm sure that purchasing a set of belts off Ebay will sort out your friends RT Adrian!

[Adrian Winchester]

Martin - thanks for your thoughts, and I'm sure you're right that a set such as the one I included a link to in my first message would serve in my friend's RT.

If Richard (as an experienced Eiki agent) sees this, I'd welcome his thoughts on whether the ST-12181 reverse/rewind belt shown in my ENT photo would also work in a RT, because as I understand it, Eiki wouldn't have produced different versions of this part number for the different projectors that utilise it?

[Richard C. Patchett]

Greetings
On the reverse/motor belt for the SNT ENT is the 315-13631
on which is shorter then the ST-12181 on which is longer

Look at the pictures on my website to see the different size

Heres one of them

http://rcsclassic16mm.com/images/315-13631.jpg

Note depending on the gear size On which Eiki used at times are different
A few times a customer would order the ST-12181
But needed the 315-13631

ST-12181


Motor/ Rev Belt
Please note part number 312-12181 changed to ST-12181.
This is the orange round belt now BLACK used for the
Motor/Rev Belt
Also used for the arm belt EX-6000 Series

[Adrian Winchester]

Richard - many thanks for clarifying the situation, as I was clearly wrong in thinking the reverse belt in my ENT is a ST-12181. If it was, it would probably be too loose, and it certainly looks like the 315-13631 that you refer to. I'll need to consult my friend about his requirements, but I may well be in touch with an order before too long.