Also known as the drive belt, the multi rib belt serves to supply power to a number of the engine's operating components--the A/C compressor, the alternator, and the water pump. In the old days, vehicles made use of the traditional V-belt in order to power these components. This changed in the late 1970's when the multi rib belt was invented. Unlike the V-belt, this power component is able to endure a higher level of tension because of its greater width. Also because of this measurement difference, it does not get stretched easily even though it is constantly subjected to tension. In the past, using V-belts required vehicle owners to use quite a number of pulleys and belts that tug on them. This is not the case with .
Because it is composed of only a single continuous belt and makes use of fewer pulleys, the multi rib belt lessens the workload for the engine. This results to better fuel economy and better mileage. Greater engine power, which can be used to increase speed or to drive on steep roads, is also made available. Made from high-tension chords and synthetic rubber that withstands frequent exposure to stress, the multi rib belt can be expected to last. In the course of time, however, this component will eventually deteriorate, but in such case, a driver will not have such a hard time identifying where the problem occurred. A sizeable decrease in the vehicle's steering control will serve as an indicator that it needs to be replaced with a new one.
In the past, the several belts comprising the V-belt made it harder for a driver to notice when there is already something wrong with it. Most often than not, the only concrete indicator of a malfunctioning V-belt was a total engine collapse. Fortunately, the V-belt is now a thing of the past. With the multi-rib belt, troubleshooting has been made easier while greater engine power is reserved for heavier tasks.
