Automotive Maintenance: Understanding The Drive Belts On Your Vehicle

July 27, 2010

The shafts in an automobile engine are driven to the motion of a rotary by using a series of pulleys connected by belts. The motion of the rotary is where or how the engine gets its power to various accessories that are mounted to the engine. Accessories such as pumps, exhaust fans and air compressors are crucial to the operation of the vehicle.

Classifications of belts:

The belts used to provide high-traction type power and fits into a groove shaped like a V are called V-belts. Another belt that provides high-traction power is the Poly-V belt. This belt is flat on the outside but has many V-shaped grooves on the inside. A drive belt that is similar to these V-belts but are open-ended belts that do not require meal clamps are called V-Link belts. The V-Link belt is used only when other belts cannot reach or fit. They have a small load capacity and are costly items.

Belts that are lighter in weight and can function at high speeds are called Flat belts. There is little traction with these belts so they do tend to slip. One of the most important type of belts is the Timing belt which does not need friction and does not have teeth like other drive belts. They have a small capacity for power compared to the other types of belts.

What do drive belts do?

The purpose of drive belts is to drive a variety of external parts of the engine. Even though these belts are very inexpensive, they have the ability to put a stop to a functioning vehicle if they break. If the belt driving a particular component breaks, that component will almost instantly stop working. A component like the pump that pumps the water through the system of the vehicle functions by the use of a drive belt. If the belt breaks the pump will stop working almost instantly and the water it takes to keep the engine cooled will stop and then the engine overheats. The serpentine belt functions the same way as a drive belt, however it connects a number of different components. If a serpentine belt breaks, multiple parts of the engine stop working.

What makes drive belts break?

Drive belts are made of inexpensive rubber. Over time, belts suffer normal wear and tear and this can cause them to dry out or crack. The belt will break as wear and tear compromises the integrity of the belt.

Are drive belts easy to replace?

In some cases, a basic understanding on the engine and its peripheral components is all that is needed to replace a drive belt. On the other hand, serpentine belts are harder to replace and should be left for a professional. Although the serpentine belt, along with the timing belt, can last for as long as sixty thousand miles, most mechanics will recommend that you have it replaced after thirty-five thousand miles.