Single Or Dual?

[mfg]

The single wide supercharger belt, as found on a '63 R-2 GT Hawk, is not as efficient as the dual supercharger belts found on a '63 R-2 Avanti....True?

[64Avanti]

Please define efficient in this context!

[mfg]

Please define efficient in this context!

OK...which type of pulley is more efficient at high RPM....when the boost pressure will 'load' the pulley? To put it another way, which type of pulley would show less belt 'slippage' under pressure?

[Gunslinger]

I would think a wide belt would be more efficient as the effort of the pulley to turn the belt would be spread evenly across the belt as dual belts would be difficult at best to get two narrower belts on dual pulleys evenly adjusted. The natural production variance between two belts would mean one belt would carry slightly more of the load than the other. It may be negligible at normal rpm's but as those rpm's increase to very high levels the load difference would increase much faster. It could make for a thrown belt or even breaking it.

[Charlie Kile]

"V" belts work by using the contact on the side of the belt. All other things being equal two narrow belts will have double the coefficient of friction therefore much less slippage allowing the belts to need substantially less tension saving wear and tear on the associated bearings.

Jaguar used a belt with a grove down the center that clamped onto a protrusion in the pulleys. As pressure was applied to the "V" it caused the belt to clamp tighter on the protrusion in the center!

They used this on their high performance engines. My E-Type uses one.

To answer the original question the dual belts are far more efficient even at lower tensions.

Charlie RQB3921

[mfg]

"V" belts work by using the contact on the side of the belt. All other things being equal two narrow belts will have double the coefficient of friction therefore much less slippage allowing the belts to need substantially less tension saving wear and tear on the associated bearings.

Jaguar used a belt with a grove down the center that clamped onto a protrusion in the pulleys. As pressure was applied to the "V" it caused the belt to clamp tighter on the protrusion in the center!

They used this on their high performance engines. My E-Type uses one.

To answer the original question the dual belts are far more efficient even at lower tensions.

Charlie RQB3921

You're absolutely CORRECT Charlie! Answer...TRUE

Edited September 3, 2014 by mfg