An alternator belt can be defective for various reasons.
The most common is that the belt is rolled onto the pulleys by the installer
and it ruins the belt.
I've also seen the defect because they were left too loose and they just
abraded away in a short time.
Even if your mechanic installed the belt properly it could have been a
return from another purchaser that caused hidden damage while he had it.
I wouldn't expect getting two in a row.

Stan Wilder

-----Original Message-----
From: Vanagon Mailing List [mailto:vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com]On Behalf
Of Woodrose Dawn
Sent: Monday, March 29, 2004 5:39 PM
To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
Subject: alternator belts

Recently I bought new belts for my Vanagon, I was also
running on borrowed time with my alternator.  Two
weekends ago it told me it was ready to be replaced
and I got a nice rebuilt Bosch and put it in.  This
past weekend my alternator belt broke on me.  My
personal mechanic did the work and he has been working
on cars for over 30 years. (currently works on his 87
Porsche and my VW's)
So my question is, has anyone heard of belts just
going bad or having a defect and going bad.  The belts
were nice and tight when we put the new alternator in
and there was no evidence of animal or other damage to
the belt.
Just curious if anyone else ever had problems like
this.
Crossing my fingers that this is an isolated incident.
-Dawn in Ohio

PS- in all the years of owning cars, I never had this
happen before.

=====
1971 Westy
1985 Vanagon GL

Buskatiers- http://www.buskatiers.org/
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