Question: How do I know if a V-belt needs to be replaced?
Answer: One way to find out is to examine the belt. If
a V-belt is full of tiny cracks, frayed, has pieces of rubber
missing, is peeling or otherwise damaged, it needs to be replaced
-- NOW. Also, if a belt is oil soaked or "glazed" (hard
shiny appearance on the sides of the belt) it also needs to be
replaced. Either of these two conditions can cause the belt to
run hot, which can weaken it and increase the danger of it breaking.
Unfortunately, a visual inspection alone isn't a sure-fire method
of determining the true condition of a belt because internal wear
that you can't see is just as important as external wear that
you can see. All belts are reinforced with cords. The cords are
what give the belt its strength and keep it from stretching or
breaking. But as a belt ages, the constant flexing, heat and strain
weakens the cords. Eventually the cords reach a point where failure
can happen suddenly and unexpectedly. The belt may still look
good as new on the outside, but be on the verge of snapping internally
because the cords have lost their strength.
So the other factors that need to be considered when judging the
condition of a V-belt include the belt's mileage and age. A V-belt
that's more than three or four years old and has more than 40,000 or
50,000 miles on it may be a belt that is nearing the end of its useful
service life. For this reason, you might be well advised to replace
a high mileage belt even if it still looks okay.
