There are three main types of belts available for automotive applications. They are:

1.) The “V” Belt: This was the old standard for the automotive industry until the late 80’s early 90’s. It is a very simple system, but has limitations in modern race vehicles. Its advantages are that it was used for decades so parts interchangeability is easy.
   Its biggest drawback is it is not capable of transferring enough power in high output applications. We do not recommend using this belt set up unless your alternator’s output is less than 95amps in a 3 to 1 pulley ratio setup. If you are using a 2 to 1 ratio you might be able to reach 140amps before belt slippage is too great. This is considering you have good belt wrap, i.e. the belt is contact with the pulley for 180 degrees.

2.) Serpentine Belts: These belts in their 6 grove formats are very common on modern cars. They transfer significantly more power than your standard “V” belt. There are over 100 pulleys available for the serpentine system, so there is greater flexibility in designing the system as well. Adjusting your pulley ratio is very easy.
   There biggest draw back is that they should be used with a tension arm. So this adds to their expense, but the tension arm is well worth the money. It helps by keeping the proper tension in the system at all times. This extends the life of the bearings in your other components. This is our current choice of belt systems for most applications.

3.) Clog Belts: These are the best possible belts to use. They can transfer significant amounts of power without ever slipping. They come with some heavy disadvantages though.
   They are rather unique so it make finding the proper pulleys for all of your components difficult. They are not widely available, so fine tuning your pulley ratio is difficult. Finally since they are not popular, they are expensive. However if you can get a set for your application, they are the premium way to go.