The tried and trusted method of most mechanics looking for excessive wear is a visual inspection, especially looking for the appearance of small cracks in the rubber. However, with advances in the compounds used in the manufacture of many belts, they no longer crack as they wear. This means that a Multi V Ribbed Belt could be seriously worn, but still look in good order to the naked eye. In some instances this could lead to an expensive system failure.

 

ContiTech offers a simple, convenient and effective solution to this problem with its Belt Wear Tester. The small plastic device can be kept in a pocket or on a key ring and provides a way to reliably detect the degree of wear on a belt by checking the profile geometry of the individual ribs. This allows the technician to decide if the belt needs to be replaced.

 

The tester performs two types of check. Where a belt is badly worn the tester will not sit proud of the ribs when inserted into the Vs, while the tooth side of the tester can also be inserted into the Vs to access lateral movement. If this is excessive then the belt needs to be replaced.

 

The tester is free of charge and comes with an instruction card. You can also see a video of the tester in action by searching "ContiTech belt wear tester” on YouTube.

 

ContiTech stress that the test is not intended to replace the specified servicing intervals, but provide valuable assistance to workshop professionals in accurately assessing the belt condition.

 

To get your free ContiTech Belt Wear Tester call J&S Automotive on 01-629-7924.