There is a wide variety of industrial v-belts available made by many different reliable manufacturers, so here is a quick guide to help you when choosing, installing and maintaining your industrial belts. Yorkshire-based YB Components keep local stocks of such parts ready to ship out fast and free all over the UK and the rest of the world, and businesses based nearby can even benefit from same-day delivery.
Choosing the Right V-Belt Replacement
Replacing a worn v-belt is not just about measuring the top width and circumference and then finding another belt with the same dimensions. There are a lot of differences between belts and some will perform better in certain applications.
The differences in v-belt construction include a variety of cord materials, body compounds, cover configurations and temperature ranges, as well as certain design quirks which can make them ideal for particular applications and practically useless in others. Many v-belts will look similar, but these design differences are crucial when identifying the right belt for your needs.
Installing the wrong kind of v-belt can either see the belt worn out much faster than it should be, or even damage the rest of the equipment it is being used with. At worst, the wrong belt can cause significant safety issues for the operator, which is why getting your v-belt selection right is crucial.
V-Belt Classifications
Most v-belts will have been given some kind of classification to help you identify what kind of application it should be used for. Many will operate ideally in ambient temperatures with options including belts for standard industrial machinery as well as heavy duty machinery. There will also be options that are specifically designed for continuous operation. As experienced caterpillar belts suppliers, Yorkshire’s YB Components can advise you when selecting which belt you need.
There are also v-belts designed to operate in harsh conditions, with some specifically designed to handle heavy loads in such extreme environments. There are light duty options too, as well as v-belts for fractional horsepower applications and intermittent usage.
Basic V-Belt Maintenance
When conducting a maintenance inspection on the likes of caterpillar belts, suppliers YB Components recommend you look for any cracked, frayed or worn areas along the belts. If you discover any parts of the belt that are worn then they should be replaced immediately as such damage can cause uneven load dispersion on the pulleys, bearings and shafts as well as the belts themselves.
Remember that matched belt sets should be replaced entirely, even if just one belt has become worn or cracked.
Pulley grooves should also be regularly inspected to check for wear and tear, which also gives you the opportunity to make sure they are aligned properly. Even slight misalignment can cause the belts to wear out much faster than when they are operated with a perfect alignment in the pulley groove.
If you require experienced industrial belts suppliers to advise you on the correct selection of v-belt, then contact YB Components who are the UK’s leading caterpillar belts suppliers in Yorkshire.