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Date:         Sat, 3 Oct 1998 09:41:31 -0700
Reply-To:     Rich <rdunsheath@AKAMAIL.COM>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <Vanagon@vanagon.com>
From:         Rich <rdunsheath@AKAMAIL.COM>
Organization: **
Subject:      Re: V-belts
Comments: To: David-M <dmc@CYBURBAN.COM>
Comments: cc: Vanagon@VANAGON.COM
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii

David,

I don't think it is a big deal to use Flaps belts. I just pulled my heads and put on rebuilt heads and new gaskets. I had to pull off the AC, the distributor, and the PS pump; I also put on one of the Bus Depot's german water pumps while I was at it. Since all the belts were off, I had a chance to check the belts carefully. Only the PS belt showed any signs of deterioration or cracking between the teeth.

I took the belt to my FLAPS, (Autozone, BTW) and asked him to match it. He took one look at it and was back in a jiffy with a match in hand,

When I got it back to the house, I checked both belts carefully. The new belt was a Goodyear. Upon closer inspection, I found that the old belt was also a Goodyear. It was obvious that the old belt had lasted for years and had never failed.

When I put the new belt on I was a little concerned because when I tightened the adjustment all the way tight, there was still some slack. After running the belt for a short time, the pump works fine and the belt seems a little tighter.

After thinking about if for a while, I thought that by now Goodyear prolly knows how to make a belt. I imagine that plenty of other companies know how to as well.

I think I remember some information on the list that said that VW belts were an odd size and were tough to get. Also, I think that Conti does supply VW with belts. VW doesn't make their own belts, I don't believe. Most car makers buy a lot of stuff from other suppliers. Those suppliers are then refereed to as OEM or original equipment manufacturers. GM makes many of its own parts in its Delco division, but it has found that it can't make parts as cheaply using UAW labor as it can buy them. Now GM wants to sell off Delco. Having trouble finding buyers and that is one of the reasons for the recent strike and will be an issue in future strikes.

If I was you, I'd go ahead and put the new belts on and carry around the old ones as spares. It is much easier to do a repair at your own time and place. Remember Murphy's Law is still in force and I think that there is some kind of VW amendment that says. "That goes double for any fool that drives a VW!"

David-M wrote: > > I was going to buy a set of spare v-belts to carry around in my '87 > Vanagon, but when I compared the specs in my owners manual with the > items on the Bus Depot site I found the following: > > A/C belt, VW=12.5x1153 BD=13x1160 > Alt belt, VW=9.5x1100 BD=10x1100 > P/S belt, VW=9.5x1080 BD=10x1080 > > Should I be concerned about the size discrepancy? The Bus Depot belts > are described as "Continental" belts. > The VW owners manual does stress to use only VW belts, but I would > expect that. Can spare belts be gotten at any FLAPS, or are the German > ones any better.

--

Regards,

Rich Dunsheath ***************************************

Bryan, TX (1 hour north of Houston, 3 hours east of San Antonio, 3 hours south of Dallas. Near Texas A&M)

1982 Vanagon Santa Maria (Mary) 1982 Vanagon San Diego (Sandy) 1987 Maroon Vanagon Aggie


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