<VV> Re: Belts Revisited

[vairologist@juno.com]

Smitty says:  The belt #15560 or 15565 is a National standard number. 
You will find the number on some belts with a letter added or some other
thing to make them proprietary to that company.  Some times you will find
a totally different number for a company part number and then find the
National numbers down in the corner of the wrapper.  (or not at all).  I
used to know what the first two numbers meant.  I believe they identified
the degree of the cut once but I am not sure.  The third, forth. and
fifth numbers stand for the length in inches.  That would make the two a
56.0 inch belt or a 56.5 inch belt.  The56 inch belt is called for in
most belt lists at your local store.  That belt usually requires the aid
of a screwdriver to put it on and the idler will ride very close to the
shroud.  The 56.5 inch belt is a comfortable fit and puts the idler in
what I think is a ideal position.  I learned about the numbers in the 50s
so forgive my memory lapse on the first two in the series. 
        I am one of the people who have no preference what brand I use
and at times I drive my cars viciously and I run my belts two to five
years between failures.  So if you want to argue about how wrong I am on
choosing the 56.5 belt please take it up with someone else.