How do you measure the length of a V-belt?

[Scott Gardner]

I need to get some V-belts for a 440 big-block. I think I'm going to
need some non-stock lengths, and I'd like to measure my pullies to
figure out the lengths I'll need before I got to the auto parts store.

Are V-belts measured by their inside length (along the narrowest part
of the "V", or along the outside length (the face of the belt that has
the writing on it)?

I've been trying to predict the lengths I'll need, but if I run a
string through bottoms of the grooves, I get a significantly shorter
distance then if I use a wide cloth tape measure to measure around the
wider part of the grooves.

Thanks,

--
Scott Gardner

"Clothes make the man. Naked people have little or no influence on society." --Mark Twain

[John Kunkel]

"Scott Gardner" <gardn...@cox.net> wrote in message
news:41stb19ecufgjmv0s...@4ax.com...

>I need to get some V-belts for a 440 big-block. I think I'm going to
> need some non-stock lengths, and I'd like to measure my pullies to
> figure out the lengths I'll need before I got to the auto parts store.
>
> Are V-belts measured by their inside length (along the narrowest part
> of the "V", or along the outside length (the face of the belt that has
> the writing on it)?

I've never figured out the method of measurement so I make up dummy belts
out of old worn out ones to take to the auto supply as a sample.
Take an old belt, cut it to the desired length with good square ends and
then just Super Glue it together. If the auto supply has a belt gauge they
can measure the sample and supply you with a duplicate.

Here's a page with some useful info:
http://www.gizmology.net/pulleysbelts.htm

[Scott Gardner]

Thanks for the great link! It sounds like belts are measured using
the inside length, but the "dummy belt" idea sounds good too. Also, I
guess as long as I'm pretty close, the adjustment in the tensioners
will take up the slack.

--
Scott Gardner

"You miss 100 percent of the shots you never take. - Wayne Gretzky

[John&Michelle]

I use the same "dummy" method - lets you check a bunch of stuff besides belt
length, too.
"John Kunkel" <kunk...@shorts.comcast.net> wrote in message
news:HJ-dnWF_p8t...@comcast.com...