Double V-Belts (Hex Belts)

Double V-Belts (Hex Belts)

Double V-belts — also known as hex belts — have a symmetrical hexagonal cross-section with V-belt profiles on both the top and bottom surfaces. This allows the belt to transmit power simultaneously from both faces, making them suited to drives where the belt must wrap both inside and outside sheaves in a serpentine arrangement. AIMS Industrial stocks Gates double V-belts in AA, BB and CC sections.

How Double V-Belts Differ from Standard V-Belts

A standard V-belt grips only the sheave groove on its inner (narrower) face. A hex belt has matching V-profiles on both faces, so it can transmit power via the top surface of the belt wrapping an inverted sheave — a configuration that would provide no drive with a standard V-belt. This makes hex belts the correct solution for drives with:

• Back-side drives — where a driven sheave wraps the outer face of the belt
• Serpentine drives routing the belt over and under multiple sheaves at different positions
• Agricultural and industrial machinery with complex multi-shaft power takeoff arrangements

Cross-Section Designations

Double V-belts are designated AA, BB and CC — corresponding in width to A, B and C classical sections respectively. An AA belt is the same width as an A-section but with the symmetrical hex profile. Sheave groove angles for double V-belts are the same as for standard classical V-belts, so standard sheaves can be used on all drive positions.

For help identifying whether a double V-belt or an alternative belt type is the right solution for your drive, contact our team. AIMS Industrial has been supplying Australian industry since 1988.