Alternator belt

[widdowson2008]

Hi Helen
Like you say, bottom line (to be sure) is to buy the Mazda stuff. Appears more expensive but how much is peace of mind worth?

[widdowson2008]

Jef just got his new belts and I made a comparison.
Pics a bit blurred but I think it shows what I was looking for.
The top one is the new belt profile (Bongo shop)
The bottom one is the faulty one.
Notice the shape/size of the teeth.



The following pics show where the inner alternator belt failed.






This pic shows the outer of the alternator belts which hadn't failed but shows what appears to be a distinct fault line. (or is it just me reading too much into it? )


Get yer teeth into that one Ady

[turbodave]

Hi, May I also further the suggestion that Rubber quality may play a part. Cheaper items like this may use lower grade materials which LOOK the same but are in fact more likely to fail. Dave

[widdowson2008]

Hi, May I also further the suggestion that Rubber quality may play a part. Cheaper items like this may use lower grade materials which LOOK the same but are in fact more likely to fail. Dave

Spot on Dave. My thoughts exactly. Unfortunately, there are no effective laws covering inferior quality 'look-alike' goods, and we, the consumer, pay the price.
In spenners case, I don't think the supplier was aware cos he seems keen to find out what's wrong with the belts he supplied. He says he has been selling these belts for some time with no adverse reports.
It may of course be the case that the supplier simply got hold of a 'bad batch'.
The failed belts have been returned to the supplier and we await to see what he (the supplier) is going to do.

[helen&tony]

Hi
Steve
I've never trusted toothed rubber belts, but that's me!...I look at it in this way:
The standard belt has 2 v-walls which the pulley rubs on and wears out. As the walls wear, the belt sits further down in the pulley groove, and becomes slacker: time to adjust. A toothed belt has more rubber missing!!!!...therefore the adjustment period is sooner, and it will wear more quickly. The other consideration is that with a toothed belt, any strengthening fibres have to be well above the "V", resulting in a strong back, and weaker V section towards the apex...so there will be an inevitable mis-match of the flexibility between the apex and broadest part. The narrow V will be more flexible, and the inevitable result of the mis-match will be cracking in the "toothed" bit.....
But...hey...it's logic...
But what do I know...I just buy original non-toothed
Cheers
Helen

[Tomo 53]

Hi
Steve
I've never trusted toothed rubber belts, but that's me!...I look at it in this way:
The standard belt has 2 v-walls which the pulley rubs on and wears out. As the walls wear, the belt sits further down in the pulley groove, and becomes slacker: time to adjust. A toothed belt has more rubber missing!!!!...therefore the adjustment period is sooner, and it will wear more quickly. The other consideration is that with a toothed belt, any strengthening fibres have to be well above the "V", resulting in a strong back, and weaker V section towards the apex...so there will be an inevitable mis-match of the flexibility between the apex and broadest part. The narrow V will be more flexible, and the inevitable result of the mis-match will be cracking in the "toothed" bit.....
But...hey...it's logic...
But what do I know...I just buy original non-toothed
Cheers
Helen

Notched (toothed belts) grip better as they will flex as they go down to smaller diameters . wrap a solid belt around a fuel filter and then try the notched belt you will notice it has more flex and grip. so should last longer, flipped belt can be down to a worn or mis-alined pulleys,or wrong tension.

[teenmal]

Hi
Steve
I've never trusted toothed rubber belts, but that's me!...I look at it in this way:
The standard belt has 2 v-walls which the pulley rubs on and wears out. As the walls wear, the belt sits further down in the pulley groove, and becomes slacker: time to adjust. A toothed belt has more rubber missing!!!!...therefore the adjustment period is sooner, and it will wear more quickly. The other consideration is that with a toothed belt, any strengthening fibres have to be well above the "V", resulting in a strong back, and weaker V section towards the apex...so there will be an inevitable mis-match of the flexibility between the apex and broadest part. The narrow V will be more flexible, and the inevitable result of the mis-match will be cracking in the "toothed" bit.....
But...hey...it's logic...
But what do I know...I just buy original non-toothed
Cheers
Helen

Notched (toothed belts) grip better as they will flex as they go down to smaller diameters . wrap a solid belt around a fuel filter and then try the notched belt you will notice it has more flex and grip. so should last longer, flipped belt can be down to a worn or mis-alined pulleys,or wrong tension.

[helen&tony]

Hi
The pure fact of the matter is that whatever claims are made for toothed belts, be it wear or grip, I have always had toothed belts last for a shorter period ON THE SAME CAR, than a normal V-belt....the only belts I have EVER had fail are the toothed ones, as they CAN grip if they become a little slack, and whip a bit as they catch up...standard belts will slip...and when they do, it's a darned good squeak that can't be mistaken...."natures own wear indicator"... , however, the toothed one can snap without warning and wrap itself round something expensive........Whilst I appreciate that manufacturers save a bit of money cutting a bit of rubber out of a belt and telling us how much more modern they are, I am afraid my "Old School" attitude comes from 47 years of working on things like bikes, cars and race-boats, and I don't like change ...and a Father who thought that girls should learn how what they drive works....and I'm just about getting the hang of it
Cheers
Helen

[teenmal]

Hi
The pure fact of the matter is that whatever claims are made for toothed belts, be it wear or grip, I have always had toothed belts last for a shorter period ON THE SAME CAR, than a normal V-belt....the only belts I have EVER had fail are the toothed ones, as they CAN grip if they become a little slack, and whip a bit as they catch up...standard belts will slip...and when they do, it's a darned good squeak that can't be mistaken...."natures own wear indicator"... , however, the toothed one can snap without warning and wrap itself round something expensive........Whilst I appreciate that manufacturers save a bit of money cutting a bit of rubber out of a belt and telling us how much more modern they are, I am afraid my "Old School" attitude comes from 47 years of working on things like bikes, cars and race-boats, and I don't like change ...and a Father who thought that girls should learn how what they drive works....and I'm just about getting the hang of it
Cheers
Helen

And I bet you used a nylon stocking when you were stuck...

[widdowson2008]

And I bet you used a nylon stocking when you were stuck...

Did the stocking thing on a mini (1972???ish). (It was tights actually)
Got us home but the girls my mate and I were with were not too impressed with parting with them. Gorra a flash though.

Back to spenner. Just got back from putting new belts on from Bongoshop.
Checked pulleys again - no wobble and no dents/marks on pulleys, so let's see how long these last.

[teenmal]

And I bet you used a nylon stocking when you were stuck...

Did the stocking thing on a mini (1972???ish). (It was tights actually)
Got us home but the girls my mate and I were with were not too impressed with parting with them. Gorra a flash though.

Back to spenner. Just got back from putting new belts on from Bongoshop.
Checked pulleys again - no wobble and no dents/marks on pulleys, so let's see how long these last.

Great stuff,are the belts from the BF shop Toothed type.?

[helen&tony]

Hi
Stockings for fanbelts...???
Strange lad....never found an AA man had any on stock ...not even when they rode a motorbike 'n' sidecar
I once saw someone try to fit a "Universal" fanbelt made of tubing.....laugh????......not me....I cried
Cheers
Helen

[teenmal]

Hi
Stockings for fanbelts...???
Strange lad....never found an AA man had any on stock ...not even when they rode a motorbike 'n' sidecar
I once saw someone try to fit a "Universal" fanbelt made of tubing.....laugh????......not me....I cried
Cheers
Helen

I used to carry 50/60 belts (SE) then we were supplied with Tab_Link,one length of belt done the trick

I keep a length in my van for emergencies.If only they had this stuff in days of yore,nylons would have probably been cheaper

[helen&tony]

Hi
What's Tablink???
If it's those belts you make up, the saga was:
On an old mini of mine, we were doing some work which entailed moving the fanbelt...it literally broke in my hands , by sheer luck not on the road...a friend had one of those tubular belts you join up....I've never laughed so much...it lasted a nano-second ...and, to tell the truth, we tried an old stocking...that lasted about 2 seconds, and my Father went off muttering about wasting time.
We then went down the tried and tested method of driving Dad's car to the village to buy a new fanbelt at the garage....works every time...
Cheers
Helen

[widdowson2008]

Great stuff,are the belts from the BF shop Toothed type.?

Yes, but with the profile shown in the pics above. Look a much better job.