I would venture to say that virtually all parts obtained from sources other than the seller of the machine (Sears) or the actual builder of the machine (AYP)............are likely to be imitations.
The term "OEM" can mean different things to different entities.
We tend to accept that OEM means it will be identical in all respects (or, the same part) but to the imitators who want your dollars (or yen), OEM just means that their product "looks like" what came on the machine and has no special properties.
In the case of belts marketed by knock off companies, the term OEM applied to a belt may mean nothing more than "our belt made from rubber just like your belt, and same color too".

amazon pix blown up shows "made in USA" mark just under part number on belt O.D. ... IMHO, time to yank Amazon's chain to get their seller's act cleaned up and you supplied with what you paid for.

I did not buy the belt from Amazon. That link to Amazon was supplied for the photo.
In this case, I wish I had purchased from Amazon.

I wouldn't worry about it. Many regular OEM belts come from China, Mexico etc. The same belt on my shelf happens to be reddish w/ a black ink patch under the white numbers. That came from my distributor for EHP/ AYP

tom - we know you handle a great number of parts and have considerable experience with same, so I am taking your comments at face value on the OEM thing. But, hafta say it bothers me , having seen so many cases of aftermarket or 3rd party component inferior quality/performance in my own career in industrial quality assurance. And I have seen a fair number of substituted L&G power eqpt belts that just didn't do the job.
If one can no longer "depend" on the OEM markings to signify that one has the "right" part, then what do we put our trust into?

"I wouldn't worry about it. Many regular OEM belts come from China, Mexico etc."

Regardless of where the OEM (Original Equipment Manufacturer) contracts to have a part made the part will (should) meet the exact material, dimensional, and performance specifications as set by the OEM and not be reverse engineered by a company that is usually more interested in profit and market share than quality.

OEM means what it means. The fact that there are companies who ignore that is not in dispute. The fact that there are retailers, both online and in B&M shops, that ignore that is not in dispute. The fact that products listed or advertised as working in a specific application and don't is not in dispute.

When it's all said and done you can TRUST that a part bought from an authorized dealer and in a sealed bag or labeled as a factory authorized replacement part is exactly that and that the manufacturer stands behind the part as specified to do the job it was designed by them to do.

Me, I lean towards the parts book and not a crossover guide from a generic parts manufacturer. In L&G I've never had an OEM belt fail to work and last longer than I thought it would while I've tossed out quite a few third party replacement belts that did not work correctly.

I buy JD parts for my JD and I buy Subaru oil and air filters for my two Subarus and Toyota filters for my Toyota. My two Subarus have over 100K miles without a single repair and my Toyota double that with only a cam belt replacement so how much would I have saved by buying third party oil and air filters? And they all still have the original OEM fan, AC, and power steering belts that they came with.

There isn't anything in this world that we can't buy cheaper if we look hard enough... question is, how much less are we willing to accept for how much less money and how much time and effort are we willing to expend to see if the third party part will actually work and for how long?

This post was edited by justalurker on Fri, May 30, 14 at 20:57

JAL, your argument and justification for OEM parts is sound, that is not in dispute.
But how the heck does a good, OEM OIL FILTER have anything to do with how long a TIMING BELT will last??

Cleaner oil = better lubrication for the cams = less drag on the timing belt = longer timing belt life.

How's that?

Here's a pic. That particular belt application wouldn't bother me if it were a good aftermarket. Either a deck or traction belt. But, a guy wants what he paid for- I get that.

Any manufacturer can put any number on any belt and some don't even hesitate to use a copyrighted logo in violation of a slew of laws so the only assurance we can get is when we buy parts from an authorized dealer through legitimate parts channels..

I'm sure there are many instances where third party belts work great and cost less, which is a big consideration for people, but I have found that OEM parts aren't always that much more expensive and they work and last longer. Granted, there are some $50 and $75 belts that I'd rather not have to pay for but usually they are that expensive cause there's a lot more technology and design considerations to those belts than meets the eye.

This post was edited by justalurker on Sat, May 31, 14 at 14:51

Installed the belt this AM. My first experience with belt change on AYP. The AYP is MUCH easier for this than some other mowers-- notably Murray.
The old belt was slick but otherwise looked good. With the new belt, It pulled a steep hill just fine with throttle just above idle speed. So at least initially, the new belt is working fine.
Thanks for the helpful comments.

If your Craftsman has a htydrostatic trans then you need to be operating at WOT when moving. Running at less throttle compromises trans cooling and can cost you down the road.

Let me be more specific. The slow speed hill climb was a test-- to see if the transaxle and the new motion drive belt were working properly.
If someone claims that it is not a valid test of function, please explain.
When mowing, full throttle is required to propel the blades at a speed that will produce a satisfactory cut. Slow speed blades will only beat the grass.

Received a response from the seller of the belt. Claims it came from Husqvarna distributor. But it had no sleeve, only the belt.

I said MOVING not mowing.

Operating a hydrostatic trans at less than WOT slows the fan above the trans and compromises trans and engine cooling dramatically and is particular bad under severe load... like climbing.

Entry level (non-serviceable) hydrostatics are particularly sensitive to overheating.

Yeah, they get them in big boxes just tossed in there. No sleeves on any of the EHP belts I get from the regular distributor. Glad you are up to speed again.
BTW, a lot of the HOP belts that were salt and pepper last year are red this year.

This post was edited by tomplum on Wed, Jun 4, 14 at 0:11

In this instance, operating from a cold start for less than one minute with an input of probably no more than 3 hp was, in my case and in my opinion, likely to cause so little system damage that it is, for me, a chance I am wiling to take in order to evaluate the condition of the hydrostatic unit. Others make their own decisions.
If the unit had severe wear or the oil had lost viscosity, it is my belief that the mower would not have pulled the hill. Earlier, it was unknown as to the cause of the failure to pull hills. Replacing the belt supposedly eliminated one of the possible causes and I wanted to determine if any other problem existed in the drivetrain.
As I requested earlier, an alternative test suggestion would be welcomed.

I see no problem in the way you used the low engine RPM+high loading factor method you did...........IF it was for only a minute or so.
But I will reiterate some standard reasons why that should not be done regularly nor for extensive time spans.
Everything JAL said plus the fact that running the engine at low RPM while heavily loaded is "lugging" the engine.
Lubrication of the engine internal parts is at its weakest when engine RPM is low.
Another way to test the health/condition of a hydrostatic drive tranny is to stop the machine on an incline with the tractor oriented uphill or downhill. Kill the engine and see if the tractor begins to roll easily with the motion control in the center position (neutral).
If the tractor rolls readily, there is probably a lot of wear in the pump and/or hydro motor.
If the tractor just barely creeps, or does not move at all, you have a good, tight hydro system.
The "self holding" feature is why hydrostats must have the bypass circuit (free wheeler) in order to be moved when the engine is not running.
The creep test requires that the condition of the motion drive belt be good and not slipping on the tranny input pulley.

The next use of the mower after that initial test was a 4-hour mowing session. It is working well. So the problem all along was a slipping belt.
Not mentioned earlier is the fact that as soon as the old belt was removed, the idler pulleys were inspected to be sure that they were not damaged nor had loose or rough bearings. They were fine.