Accessory Drive Belt

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Drive belts are another important maintenance item that should be replaced on schedule before they break and leave you stranded. There are two types of drive belts that car manufacturers use. There are V-belts and serpentine belts.

V-belts are typically found on older vehicles. While they do not have the same life span as a serpentine belt, they are not as expensive to be replaced. V-belts should be replaced every three years or 36,000 miles. The incidence of failure rises sharply after three years.

Serpentine belts are what is installed on most new cars. They are more flexible and run cooler than V-belts. This helps them last longer, only needing to be replaced every five years or 50,000 miles. However these added benefits come at a price, because they are about twice as much to replace than V-belts.

What causes belts to fail?

With belts, heat and mileage are the main causes of wear. Every time a belt passes around a pulley, it bends and flexes. This produces heat, which hardens the rubber over time. The wear process is greatly accelerated if the belt is loose and slips.

The additional friction between the belt and the pulley will make the belt run hotter. After millions of journeys around the pulleys, even the best drive belt begins to suffer the effects of age.

Rubber begins to crack and fray and the internal cords become brittle.

You cannot always determine a belts condition by appearances alone. Any belt obviously cracked and frayed should be replaced.

With many of today’s bandless belts, there is no outside cover to peel lose and betray the belt’s deteriorated condition.

A belt may appear to be like new on the outside, yet be on the verge of failure because of weakened separated cords inside.

When a belt is replaced, it is important that the belt be properly tensioned. If too loose, it will slip and wear quickly.

If too tight, it may damage internal cords as well as overload shaft bearings on the accessories that it drives.

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