Dayco Racing Belts for Improved Supercharger Performance
By Evan J. Smith
Whether you’re using a serpentine-style or cog, building consistent boost from a supercharger requires a belt that’s designed for the job. Belts that slip cause a reduction in power and disappointment at the time slip booth. So when you’re looking to extract maximum performance, it’s a good idea to replace the stock blower drive belt with one that’s designed for racing.
It doesn’t matter if it’s a factory blower or an aftermarket unit, you’ll need a belt with improved grip and durability. Thankfully, Dayco offers a complete line of racing and street-performance supercharger belts for a wide range of applications.
“To be specific, we offer three distinct belts for race vehicles—two are considered blowers belts; the third is a street-car belt. And all of them were put through extensive dyno and race testing and are developed over a two-to-three-year span,” said Dipesh Maniar, Dayco’s Motorsports Manager
A properly designed belt is important for many reasons. Front-engine accessory drive (FEAD) belts live under extreme load, as they are driven by crankshaft pulley, and in turn, they drive the accessories. Be it a water pump, alternator, power steering pump or something else such as a vacuum pump, they are loaded hard and spun up to high rpm.
Older cars relied a V-belt design, which, as the name suggests, use a V-shaped belt and a “V”-shaped pulley to receive the belt. The force from belt to pulley is transferred through the sides of the V-belt to the pulley surface. Tightening the belt (squeezing it deeper into the pulley) forces increases friction. With this design excessive tightening causes an increase in drag and a reduction of power at the wheels.
In the 1980s OE manufacturers moved to the serpentine belt design, where a belt with a wide-ribbed face, was used to drive accessories on the outside diameter of the pulley. This design uses a sprung idler pulley to create belt tension, and it prevents over-tightening. Along with improvements in the actual accessories to reduce internal drag, this arrangement improves efficiency. The serpentine belt design is what you commonly see on OEM and aftermarket Roots, Screw and centrifugal superchargers for most application, and Dayco offers replacement belts for most American performance models.
“Engineered to provide maximum performance under the most extreme racing conditions, Dayco offers three racing belts that were designed and developed using real-world track data to ensure they withstand the rigors of high-horsepower race cars. Comprised of specially blended compounds that are application specific, these belts are some of the strongest, most flexible belts on the market today,” Maniar added.
Dayco supercharger belts are offered in 6-, 8- and 10-rib designs. They are specifically made for street cars with superchargers and have an aramid-fiber-loaded EPDM construction, and are combined with high stiffness PET cords for extreme durability and reduced slip under high boost conditions. Having a higher coefficient of friction helps it stick more, which means less slippage when boost increases. The supercharger belts are available in OEM sizing for many late-model, factory supercharged vehicles like Shelby GT500, ZL1 Camaro, Dodge Demon, Hellcat and Redeye. This technology was developed and tested by top level Drag Pak competitors using Roots style superchargers.
In fact, the rubber compound that was developed for this belt was tested on the Drag Pak Dodge Challengers at Schumacher Racing. “In addition, drivers who have used this belt include former NMCA Factory Super Car competitor and builder Chuck Watson II and BMW Drift driver Chad Anderson. Watson was getting 6-9 runs from each belt with zero slippage,” Maniar said.
According to Chuck Watson II, “The belt’s design is definitely better than what we previously used, and we noticed a huge difference under boost conditions because the belt was able to keep its grip and help us cross the finish line.”
In addition to serpentine belts, Dayco engineers and manufactures some of the best belts for cog-driven applications like those found in Pro Mod, Funny Car and Top Fuel. “The timing belt-style (cogged) Dayco 11mm and 8mm blower belts are engineered with a hybrid carbon cord encapsulated in custom rubber compounds and patented low friction PTFE tooth fabric. These belts cannot slip due to the cogs on the belt. The 11mm belt is 84mm wide and has 145 teeth and was developed using real-world track data, specifically for supercharged nitromethane engines and built to withstand some of the highest dynamic loads in racing. The 8mm blower belt was specifically engineered using real-world on-track data that enables it to withstand the rigors of 4,000 horsepower top alcohol dragsters and pro-modified race cars. It comes in multiple lengths and 50mm, 75mm and 84mm widths,” added Maniar.
Cog belts are ideal when boost exceeds 15-plus psi., a ribbed belt will slip above that boost level. The cogs in these blower belts are similar to a chain, so they will not slip on the sprocket. “These belts have become the belt of choice in Top Fuel and Pro Mod racing thanks to their exceptional durability as they often last two to three times longer than competitive belts. Drivers and teams that use the 8mm belt include Chris Duncan Race Cars and the Chevelle from Hell and drivers that use the 11mm belt include Kalitta Motorsports and Tony Stewart Racing.”
According to Amanda Hoover, a tuner and manager at Chris Duncan Race Cars, “One key reason we prefer the Dayco belt is its outstanding reliability. In high overdrive screw blower applications, we get 6-8 runs per belt, while in low-overdrive screw blower and Roots blower applications, we average over 30 runs. This far exceeds the performance of previous belts, ensuring less lost runs from belt breakage and less maintenance costs. We've also started using the Dayco belt on belt-driven ProCharger applications with the same great results. This consistency across different setups highlights the belt's versatility and reinforces our trust in its performance,” she added.
Hoover points to a couple key features that help differentiate the Dayco blower belts:
• Cross side stitching – whenever it’s ran on the pulley system, if there is a little tear or breakage, the stitching helps put the tension over a larger area so the belt doesn’t break but will visibly show you that it needs to be changed before the next run.
• The Teflon coating – this helps the belt glide across the pulleys - which creates less friction and less heat build-up.
Dayco’s 11mm Blower Belt is commonly used on 11,000-horsepower nitro engines in the Funny Car and Top Fuel categories. These engines see upwards of 50 psi. and represent the pinnacle of piston-driven internal combustion. Belts for nitro engines use a standard 11-mm pitch, they are 84mm wide and have 145 teeth.
Construction consists of a hybrid carbon cord encapsulated in custom rubber compounds with patented low friction PTFE tooth fabric that can withstands some of the highest dynamic loads in racing.
Dayco’s 8mm Blower Belt is what you’ll find in Pro modified cars and Top Alcohol dragsters for pro racing purposes. They are available in multiple lengths and 50mm, 75mm and 84mm widths. Features include high strength Teflon-coated teeth for cogged drive pulleys and carbon cord construction for extreme durability and performance on the street or track.
Dayco Supercharger Belt Part Numbers
By Evan J. Smith
Whether you’re using a serpentine-style or cog, building consistent boost from a supercharger requires a belt that’s designed for the job. Belts that slip cause a reduction in power and disappointment at the time slip booth. So when you’re looking to extract maximum performance, it’s a good idea to replace the stock blower drive belt with one that’s designed for racing.
It doesn’t matter if it’s a factory blower or an aftermarket unit, you’ll need a belt with improved grip and durability. Thankfully, Dayco offers a complete line of racing and street-performance supercharger belts for a wide range of applications.
“To be specific, we offer three distinct belts for race vehicles—two are considered blowers belts; the third is a street-car belt. And all of them were put through extensive dyno and race testing and are developed over a two-to-three-year span,” said Dipesh Maniar, Dayco’s Motorsports Manager
A properly designed belt is important for many reasons. Front-engine accessory drive (FEAD) belts live under extreme load, as they are driven by crankshaft pulley, and in turn, they drive the accessories. Be it a water pump, alternator, power steering pump or something else such as a vacuum pump, they are loaded hard and spun up to high rpm.
Older cars relied a V-belt design, which, as the name suggests, use a V-shaped belt and a “V”-shaped pulley to receive the belt. The force from belt to pulley is transferred through the sides of the V-belt to the pulley surface. Tightening the belt (squeezing it deeper into the pulley) forces increases friction. With this design excessive tightening causes an increase in drag and a reduction of power at the wheels.
In the 1980s OE manufacturers moved to the serpentine belt design, where a belt with a wide-ribbed face, was used to drive accessories on the outside diameter of the pulley. This design uses a sprung idler pulley to create belt tension, and it prevents over-tightening. Along with improvements in the actual accessories to reduce internal drag, this arrangement improves efficiency. The serpentine belt design is what you commonly see on OEM and aftermarket Roots, Screw and centrifugal superchargers for most application, and Dayco offers replacement belts for most American performance models.
“Engineered to provide maximum performance under the most extreme racing conditions, Dayco offers three racing belts that were designed and developed using real-world track data to ensure they withstand the rigors of high-horsepower race cars. Comprised of specially blended compounds that are application specific, these belts are some of the strongest, most flexible belts on the market today,” Maniar added.
Dayco supercharger belts are offered in 6-, 8- and 10-rib designs. They are specifically made for street cars with superchargers and have an aramid-fiber-loaded EPDM construction, and are combined with high stiffness PET cords for extreme durability and reduced slip under high boost conditions. Having a higher coefficient of friction helps it stick more, which means less slippage when boost increases. The supercharger belts are available in OEM sizing for many late-model, factory supercharged vehicles like Shelby GT500, ZL1 Camaro, Dodge Demon, Hellcat and Redeye. This technology was developed and tested by top level Drag Pak competitors using Roots style superchargers.
In fact, the rubber compound that was developed for this belt was tested on the Drag Pak Dodge Challengers at Schumacher Racing. “In addition, drivers who have used this belt include former NMCA Factory Super Car competitor and builder Chuck Watson II and BMW Drift driver Chad Anderson. Watson was getting 6-9 runs from each belt with zero slippage,” Maniar said.
According to Chuck Watson II, “The belt’s design is definitely better than what we previously used, and we noticed a huge difference under boost conditions because the belt was able to keep its grip and help us cross the finish line.”
In addition to serpentine belts, Dayco engineers and manufactures some of the best belts for cog-driven applications like those found in Pro Mod, Funny Car and Top Fuel. “The timing belt-style (cogged) Dayco 11mm and 8mm blower belts are engineered with a hybrid carbon cord encapsulated in custom rubber compounds and patented low friction PTFE tooth fabric. These belts cannot slip due to the cogs on the belt. The 11mm belt is 84mm wide and has 145 teeth and was developed using real-world track data, specifically for supercharged nitromethane engines and built to withstand some of the highest dynamic loads in racing. The 8mm blower belt was specifically engineered using real-world on-track data that enables it to withstand the rigors of 4,000 horsepower top alcohol dragsters and pro-modified race cars. It comes in multiple lengths and 50mm, 75mm and 84mm widths,” added Maniar.
Cog belts are ideal when boost exceeds 15-plus psi., a ribbed belt will slip above that boost level. The cogs in these blower belts are similar to a chain, so they will not slip on the sprocket. “These belts have become the belt of choice in Top Fuel and Pro Mod racing thanks to their exceptional durability as they often last two to three times longer than competitive belts. Drivers and teams that use the 8mm belt include Chris Duncan Race Cars and the Chevelle from Hell and drivers that use the 11mm belt include Kalitta Motorsports and Tony Stewart Racing.”
According to Amanda Hoover, a tuner and manager at Chris Duncan Race Cars, “One key reason we prefer the Dayco belt is its outstanding reliability. In high overdrive screw blower applications, we get 6-8 runs per belt, while in low-overdrive screw blower and Roots blower applications, we average over 30 runs. This far exceeds the performance of previous belts, ensuring less lost runs from belt breakage and less maintenance costs. We've also started using the Dayco belt on belt-driven ProCharger applications with the same great results. This consistency across different setups highlights the belt's versatility and reinforces our trust in its performance,” she added.
Hoover points to a couple key features that help differentiate the Dayco blower belts:
• Cross side stitching – whenever it’s ran on the pulley system, if there is a little tear or breakage, the stitching helps put the tension over a larger area so the belt doesn’t break but will visibly show you that it needs to be changed before the next run.
• The Teflon coating – this helps the belt glide across the pulleys - which creates less friction and less heat build-up.
Dayco’s 11mm Blower Belt is commonly used on 11,000-horsepower nitro engines in the Funny Car and Top Fuel categories. These engines see upwards of 50 psi. and represent the pinnacle of piston-driven internal combustion. Belts for nitro engines use a standard 11-mm pitch, they are 84mm wide and have 145 teeth.
Construction consists of a hybrid carbon cord encapsulated in custom rubber compounds with patented low friction PTFE tooth fabric that can withstands some of the highest dynamic loads in racing.
Dayco’s 8mm Blower Belt is what you’ll find in Pro modified cars and Top Alcohol dragsters for pro racing purposes. They are available in multiple lengths and 50mm, 75mm and 84mm widths. Features include high strength Teflon-coated teeth for cogged drive pulleys and carbon cord construction for extreme durability and performance on the street or track.
Dayco Supercharger Belt Part Numbers
| Current Dayco P/N Application Year Range Engine Size (l) | |||
| 5100840SC | Ford Mustang GT500 | 2007-2012 | 5.4 |
| 5100837SC | Ford Mustang GT500 | 2012-2014 | 5.8 |
| 5080830SC | Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 | 2017-2020 | 6.2 |
| A080661SC | Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 | 2012-2015 | 6.2 |
| 5100580SC | Dodge Challenger Demon | 2015-2021 | 6.2 |
| 5100580SC | Dodge Challenger Hellcat | 2015-2021 | 6.2 |
| 5100580SC | Jeep Grand Cherokee Trackhawk | 2018-2021 | 6.2 |
| 5100580SC | Dodge Charger Hellcat | 2015-2021 | 6.2 |
| A080851SC | Chevrolet Corvette Z06 | 2015-2020 | 6.2 |
| A080851SC | Chevrolet Corvette ZL1 | 2015-2020 | 6.2 |
| 5080663SC | Ford Lightning/Harley Davidson | 1999-2003 | 5.4 |
| 5080750SC | Ford Cobra Mustang 03-04 | 2003-2004 | 4.6 |
| A080661SC | Cadillac CTS-V | 2010-2018 | 6.2 |
| 5080660SC | Cadillac CTS-V | 2009 | 6.2 |
| 5060548SC | Mini Cooper S | 2002-2006 w/o JCW | 1.6 |
| 5060540SC | Mini Cooper S | 2002-2006 w/JCW | 1.6 |
