Continental / ContiTech Timing Belts
Continental (formerly ContiTech) is one of the world's largest manufacturers of industrial timing belts. Their synchronous belt product lines cover every major profile family, from standard HTD and trapezoidal to premium enhanced curvilinear and precision polyurethane belts. Continental timing belts are installed across industries worldwide and are a direct alternative to Gates on most applications.
Texas Belting stocks Continental timing belts across all major product families and provides cross-referencing between Continental and Gates, Bando, Megadyne, and OEM part numbers. Same-day shipping on stocked sizes from our Houston warehouse.
Continental Timing Belt Product Families
Continental organizes its industrial timing belts under several product family names. Each family targets a different performance tier and material construction.
Synchrobelt
Synchrobelt is Continental's standard timing belt line, covering both HTD curvilinear and imperial trapezoidal profiles. These belts use neoprene (chloroprene rubber) construction with fiberglass tensile cords and nylon tooth facing. Synchrobelt is the direct equivalent of Gates PowerGrip HTD and PowerGrip trapezoidal belts.
- HTD pitches: 3M, 5M, 8M, 14M
- Trapezoidal pitches: MXL, XL, L, H, XH, XXH
- Body material: Neoprene with nylon tooth facing
- Tensile cord: Fiberglass
- Temperature range: -30°F to +185°F
- Best for: General industrial drives, conveyors, packaging, pumps, compressors, machine tools, and any standard application
Synchroforce CXP / CTD
Synchroforce is Continental's premium enhanced curvilinear timing belt line. Synchroforce CXP and CTD belts feature an optimized tooth geometry that provides lower backlash, improved load sharing, and higher load capacity compared to standard Synchrobelt HTD. The CXP line uses HNBR rubber for extended temperature range and chemical resistance.
- Available pitches: 3M, 5M, 8M, 14M
- CXP body material: HNBR (Hydrogenated Nitrile)
- CTD body material: Neoprene (enhanced formulation)
- Tensile cord: Fiberglass
- CXP temperature range: -65°F to +250°F
- Best for: Servo drives, precision positioning, CNC, high-temperature environments, applications requiring extended belt life or reduced backlash
Synchroforce CXP is the Continental equivalent of Gates PowerGrip GT3 and is the recommended specification for new precision drive designs using Continental products.
Synchroflex
Synchroflex is Continental's polyurethane timing belt line, available in both endless and open-end configurations. Synchroflex belts are manufactured with a polyurethane body and steel, aramid, or fiberglass tensile cords. They are the standard choice for linear motion, food processing (FDA compounds available), chemical environments, and applications requiring custom belt lengths.
- Available profiles: HTD (3M, 5M, 8M, 14M), T-Profile (T2.5, T5, T10), AT-Profile (AT5, AT10, AT20), GT2
- Body material: Polyurethane
- Cord options: Steel, aramid (Kevlar), fiberglass
- Open-end available: Yes (cut to any length)
- FDA compounds available: Yes (specify when ordering)
- Temperature range: -20°F to +180°F
- Best for: Linear motion, CNC gantries, food processing, pharmaceutical, washdown, chemical exposure, custom-length applications
For more on polyurethane timing belt advantages, see our Urethane Timing Belts page. For FDA-specific guidance, see Food Grade Timing Belts.
Continental to Gates Cross-Reference
Continental and Gates timing belts are interchangeable in most applications when they share the same profile and pitch. The table below maps each Continental product family to its Gates equivalent.
| Continental Product | Gates Equivalent | Profile Type | Interchangeable? |
|---|---|---|---|
| Synchrobelt HTD (5M, 8M, 14M) | PowerGrip HTD | HTD Curvilinear | Yes. Same profile, same pulleys. |
| Synchrobelt (XL, L, H, XH, XXH) | PowerGrip Trapezoidal | Imperial Trapezoidal | Yes. Same profile, same pulleys. |
| Synchroforce CXP | PowerGrip GT3 | Enhanced Curvilinear | Functional equivalent. Cross-reference case by case for precision applications. |
| Synchroforce CTD | PowerGrip GT3 (neoprene equivalent) | Enhanced Curvilinear | Functional equivalent. Verify tooth geometry match for servo applications. |
| Synchroflex (polyurethane) | No direct Gates equivalent (Gates focuses on rubber belts; Poly Chain is polyurethane but carbon-fiber specific) | Polyurethane, various profiles | Cross-reference to Megadyne or BRECOflex for polyurethane alternatives. |
How to Read a Continental Timing Belt Part Number
| Product Family | Part Number Format | Example | Decoded |
|---|---|---|---|
| Synchrobelt HTD | [Pitch Length]-[Pitch]M-[Width] | 560-8M-20 | 560 mm pitch length, 8M, 20 mm wide |
| Synchrobelt Trapezoidal | [Pitch Length tenths][Profile][Width hundredths] | 300L075 | 30.0" pitch length, L, 3/4" wide |
| Synchroforce CXP | [Pitch Length]-[Pitch]M-[Width] CXP | 640-8M-30 CXP | 640 mm pitch length, 8M enhanced, 30 mm wide |
| Synchroflex (endless) | [Pitch Length]-[Profile]-[Width] | 455-T5-25 | 455 mm pitch length, T5, 25 mm wide |
| Synchroflex (open-end) | [Profile]-[Width] (sold by meter) | AT10-50 (per meter) | AT10 profile, 50 mm wide, priced per meter |
Continental HTD and trapezoidal part numbers use the same format as Gates, making cross-referencing straightforward. The CXP and CTD designations in the Synchroforce line are appended to the end of the standard number format to indicate the enhanced product family.
Continental Pitch and Profile Coverage
| Pitch | Synchrobelt (Standard) | Synchroforce (Enhanced) | Synchroflex (Polyurethane) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2 mm (GT2) | Yes (open-end and endless) | ||
| 2.5 mm (T2.5) | Yes | ||
| 3 mm (3M) | Yes | Yes (CXP) | Yes |
| 5 mm (5M / T5 / AT5) | Yes (5M) | Yes (CXP) | Yes (5M, T5, AT5) |
| XL (5.08 mm) | Yes | Select sizes | |
| 8 mm (8M) | Yes | Yes (CXP, CTD) | Yes |
| L (9.525 mm) | Yes | Select sizes | |
| 10 mm (T10 / AT10) | Yes (T10, AT10) | ||
| H (12.7 mm) | Yes | ||
| 14 mm (14M) | Yes | Yes (CXP, CTD) | Yes |
| 20 mm (AT20) | Yes | ||
| XH / XXH | Yes |
Common Applications for Continental Timing Belts
| Application | Recommended Continental Family | Typical Pitch |
|---|---|---|
| General industrial drives | Synchrobelt HTD | 5M, 8M |
| Packaging equipment | Synchrobelt HTD or Synchroforce CXP | 5M, 8M |
| Servo drives and CNC | Synchroforce CXP | 3M, 5M, 8M |
| Printing and paper | Synchrobelt HTD or L | 5M, L |
| Linear motion and actuators | Synchroflex (steel cord) | AT5, AT10, T5, T10, 5M |
| Food processing (FDA) | Synchroflex (FDA polyurethane) | T5, T10, AT5, AT10, 5M |
| Pharmaceutical and cleanroom | Synchroflex (polyurethane) | AT5, AT10, 5M |
| Heavy industrial, pumps, compressors | Synchrobelt HTD or Synchroforce CTD | 8M, 14M |
| High-temperature environments | Synchroforce CXP (HNBR) | 5M, 8M, 14M |
| 3D printers and small automation | Synchroflex GT2 | 2M |
| European-designed equipment (OEM replacement) | Synchrobelt or Synchroflex (T/AT profiles) | T5, T10, AT5, AT10 |
Frequently Asked Questions
ContiTech was the industrial division of the Continental AG corporation. In recent years, Continental has consolidated its branding, and products previously labeled "ContiTech" are now branded as "Continental." The product lines (Synchrobelt, Synchroforce, Synchroflex) remain the same. You may see either name on older belts and documentation. Texas Belting stocks the full Continental/ContiTech timing belt range under the current Continental branding.
Yes, for standard HTD and trapezoidal profiles. A Continental Synchrobelt 560-8M-20 is a direct replacement for a Gates PowerGrip 560-8M-20 and runs on the same pulleys. For enhanced profiles (Synchroforce CXP vs. PowerGrip GT3), the belts are functionally equivalent in general industrial applications. For servo and precision drives, we recommend matching belt and pulley from the same manufacturer for optimal tooth engagement.
Synchroforce CXP is Continental's premium enhanced curvilinear timing belt, equivalent in performance tier to Gates PowerGrip GT3. Both use HNBR rubber, both offer improved load capacity over standard HTD, and both are designed for precision and high-temperature applications. The tooth geometries are proprietary to each manufacturer but are functionally similar.
Yes. The Synchroflex product line is Continental's polyurethane timing belt family. Synchroflex belts are available in endless and open-end configurations with steel, aramid, and fiberglass cord options. FDA-approved compounds are available for food processing applications. Synchroflex is one of the most widely specified polyurethane timing belt lines globally.
Yes. Texas Belting stocks the most popular Continental Synchrobelt HTD and trapezoidal sizes at our Houston warehouse for same-day shipping. Synchroforce CXP and Synchroflex polyurethane belts are available on short lead times. Call 888-203-2358 to check availability on your specific part number.
Yes. We cross-reference Continental part numbers to Gates, Bando, Megadyne, Diesel Belting, and OEM-specific numbers. We also cross-reference in the other direction. Call 888-203-2358 or submit your part number through our contact form for a cross-reference and quote.
For applications requiring FDA-approved materials for direct food contact, specify a Synchroflex polyurethane timing belt with an FDA 21 CFR compliant compound. Standard Synchrobelt neoprene belts are not FDA approved. For applications where the belt is in the food zone but does not contact food directly, Synchrobelt HTD belts are acceptable if washdown resistance is not required. See our Food Grade Timing Belts page for detailed guidance.
Related Pages
Need a Continental Timing Belt?
Texas Belting stocks Continental Synchrobelt, Synchroforce, and Synchroflex timing belts across all profiles. Send us your part number for fast quoting, or describe your application and we will recommend the right Continental belt.
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