Elevator belt surface protection for installation

An elevator system, comprising:

• a hoistway;
• an elevator car movable along the hoistway;
• a belt operably connected to the elevator car to move the elevator car along the hoistway, the belt including:
• one or more tension elements extending longitudinally along a length of the belt;
• an elastomeric jacket at least partially enveloping the one or more tension elements, the jacket defining a traction side configured to be interactive with a traction sheave of the elevator system and a back side opposite the traction side;
• and
• a protective tape applied to the elastomeric jacket at the back side.

A method of assembling an elevator system, comprising:

• applying a protective tape to an elastomeric jacket at a back side of a belt, the belt including:
• one or more tension elements extending longitudinally along a length of the belt;
• and
• an elastomeric jacket at least partially enveloping the one or more tension elements, the jacket defining a traction side configured to be interactive with a traction sheave of the elevator system and a back side opposite the traction side;