Source for custom length Alternator Belt??

I need a very short 6 rib alternator belt (6"- 8") any idea where I can find such a thing? This is for my $2010 GRM build

Thanks!

JM

You need a Gates or Dayco buyers guide. Don't forget that you don't have to use all the ribs- 3,4,5,or 6 ribs would all work, depending on the load you have to drive and the tension you can apply.

6"...are you sure? When you measure belts, you use overall length. When you factor in pulleys, if you really only need 6", that's pretty miniature. Anyway, you need more info as it depends on ribbed or v-belt, number of ribs, etc.

For example, the shortest factory serpentine belt I know of is the power steering on a quad 4. Gates part number is K050200. K is the pitch width. 05 is the number of ribs. 0200 is the length (020.0"). So if you look up the Gates belt for your application you can find the pitch identifier. If it was K and you actually need all 6 ribs, then you'd look up K060060, but of course that doesn't exist. You can also use K05, K04, etc. to find other lengths. Try doing a part number search on rockauto.com using wildcards (K06, K05, etc.). Make sure you find the pitch width first, I'm just saying K but it could be different.

I find it easiest to measure the required belt length by using a piece of string around the pulleys that need a belt and measuring the string. If you want to get fancy, you can measure the pulley diameters and distance between centerpoints and do maths, but that's usually more time consuming.

I'd be surprised if you need a custom belt...pretty much everything under the sun has been made before. Well, maybe everything except for a 6" 6 rib belt.

Bryce

it's easy to get a "custom" serpentine belt- take a belt that is too long, cut it, wrap it around the pulleys (make sure the tensioner is somehow held on the approximate place it will be when you are done), pull it as tight as you can, and mark where it overlaps. take it back off and measure from the end of the belt to the mark where it overlaps.. now for the fun part- you buy a few belts that are around that length, keep the one that fits, and return the rest. if you know the counter guy at the parts store, they might let you take them and only pay for the one that actually fits after you bring the other belts back. of course, i'm from small town America where everyone knows everyone else, so you might not be able to do it that way.

If you specify in metric... say 6PK1395. The 6 is the ribs, the 1395 is the effective length in millimeters. Find the length you want and then ask them to cross reference the brand they sell. Have an inch conversion handy because sometimes you can just say 6 ribs and 54.7" long. You will sorta have to know the range of your tensioner as you will be looking for the closest match.

Use this Dayco guide to figure out the number of the belt, then go to your local auto store and order it by the dayco number.

http://www.mvreader.com/multiview/dayco/bgDimPolyCogBelts.php?bgDimPolyCogBelts=1&l=

I know what the application is, and trust me, he needs a six-inch belt

It's seriously cool.

ZOO wrote: I know what the application is, and trust me, he needs a six-inch belt It's seriously cool.

Well, doing some quick math...if you need a 6" belt and assuming you have two equally size pulleys, that would yield a maximum pulley size of something like 1.1" diameter and the pulleys would be immediately next to each other. Even if you go with an 8" belt length, that's only 1.5" pulleys. At that kind of distance, most applications would use gears or direct drive, especially for something that would need a 6 rib belt. I have never seen a belt that short except for one inside of a tape deck or on a vacuum cleaner head. While you're trying to figure out how to get a 6" 6 rib belt to solve a problem, it seems like you should be figuring out how to avoid a 6" belt in the first place.

Bryce

How about two cam gears and a chain? With a chain tool you could make it any length. At least that is what I did to solve a similar sounding problem for a chainsaw powered cooler. I tried using a drive belt from a table saw and two keyed v belt pulleys but I got a lot of slippage.

haha Bryce is right, I did proper measurements last night , spent the night on Dayco and Gates and found what I needed.

ZOO - Shooosh!

AutoXR wrote: haha Bryce is right, I did proper measurements last night , spent the night on Dayco and Gates and found what I needed. ZOO - Shooosh!

Don't worry -- I'll take it to my grave. Or a fiery death in a spectacular fail. whichever comes first.

it's not how big your alternator belt is.. it's how you use it

I just wrap a tape measure around the pulleys and call NAPA and say "Hey, I need a 29" belt."

Then they say "I have a 28 5/8 and 29 1/4" and we go from there.

A little too short is better than a little too long. Belts are kinda elastic.

Or you can call AutoZone and say "Hey I need a 29" belt."

"What's the application?"

"It's an old RX-7. With a newer RX-7 engine in it. With a water pump from a '79, a water pump housing from an '89, a pulley from the stuff pile, an alternator from something or other, and a 3" crank pulley. Oh, and I had to seriously hack up the adjuster in order to clear the distributor."

"Uh..."

Look closely at the throttle actuation linkage on the Weber that's on my Sprite. That's a seriously short toothed belt and there was nothing that short in the bin of toothed belt stuff in the shop. I cut and spliced it using CA glue and left the splice on the slack side. Since it's toothed there is never any tension. It's worked fine for years, though I carried a backup in the tool box for a while...

Bet you can find a belt like that easy enough, at someplace that repairs record turntables....

Or vacuum cleaners.

Reminds me of what I think was called a Gilmer belt drive.

motomoron wrote: Look closely at the throttle actuation linkage on the Weber that's on my Sprite. That's a seriously short toothed belt and there was nothing that short in the bin of toothed belt stuff in the shop. I cut and spliced it using CA glue and left the splice on the slack side. Since it's toothed there is never any tension. It's worked fine for years, though I carried a backup in the tool box for a while...

Awesome

I've obtained odd-ball parts from Small Parts Inc.. (NFI, etc.)

I searched for 'timing belts', got this: http://www.smallparts.com/s/ref=sp_search?searchNodeID=16310161&keywords=timing+belts&Action=submit&x=18&y=11

They also have the pulleys and whatnot.

Carter