How To Measure Belt Wear

The friction between the belt and the pulleys wears away at the belt, usually on the tops and walls of the ribs.

Published: April 25, 2022

Just like a tire, the friction between the belt and the pulleys wears away at the belt, usually on the tops and walls of the ribs.

Eventually, the grooves of the pulleys will bottom out on the grooves of the belt. And then the belt will not be able to generate friction and will begin to slip.

In this video, we take a look at a two-in-one tool to measure belt wear. For uneven wear, use the long, narrow edge of the gauge by inserting it into each groove individually; the edge should not bottom out in any of the grooves.

If the narrow edge bottoms out in any of the belt grooves, the belt is worn and should be replaced.

This video is sponsored by Continental.

Gear Ratios and Vehicle Performance

Just remember, there is no perfect gear ratio.

By Josh Cable

Josh Cable is the editor of Counterman and ShopOwner. He joined Babcox Media in January 2017, and has been working in the field of journalism since 1999.

Published: March 27, 2024

Have you ever wondered in a rear-wheel-drive vehicle how the engine spinning in the center of the car can spin the wheels that are perpendicular to the engine?

Well it is a mystery how that happens. Additionally in that same space we change the ratios of revolutions and the torque available to spin everything.