Buying your car is only part of the transportation equation. A driver simply must keep up with maintenance if they’re to stay on the road and off the shoulder. It’s precisely why an experienced mechanic like Sherwood makes videos with repair and maintenance advice.

In one of his latest popular TikTok videos, the Georgia mechanic talks about how many car owners have been checking their belts for wear the wrong way for years. 

An expert mechanic weighs in on belts and how you’ve been looking for the wrong things

What do you look for when you’re inspecting your vehicle’s belts? Cracks? Well, that was the right thing to do years ago. 

But things are different now. And Sherwood at Royalty Auto Service has the information on how you’ve been checking the wear on your serpentine belts incorrectly for years.

In a popular TikTok video, Sherwood flashes two belts. Neither of them is cracked, but one is worn beyond usefulness. See, the mechanic doesn’t just visually inspect the belts; he uses special (and inexpensive) tools.

“It is a simple thing,” Sherwood says to the camera. “It’s something that could cost you dearly. We’re talking about belts.” The mechanic then gave a little history. “Back in the day, we had V-belts. Now we have multi-rib belts.”

“People don’t check them right,” he said, explaining that owners shouldn’t be looking for cracks anymore. “These belts are made of EPDM (Ethylene Propylene Diene Monomer),” Sherwood confirmed.

EPDM belts wear differently, but you can check them with ease

“They wear more like a tire,” Sherwood expressed, indicating that the grooves in the belts don’t crack like old-school V-belts. The experienced mechanic then pulled out two small, plastic tools.

“They usually give these away,” Sherwood said of the inexpensive tools. He then demonstrated how they work. The teeth on the tool slip into the grooves of the belt. If there’s excessive play, the belt is worn. It’s just that simple. 

Even Dayco, one of the manufacturers behind the belt-checking tool, commented to support the PSA. “Thanks for helping to educate on the importance of checking belt wear with the aWEARness gauge!” Dayco North America commented. 

So, how often should you be checking your belts?

In short, you should check your belts every 3,000 or so miles, or as part of your annual maintenance efforts. Mind you, that’s a simple check using one of the plastic tools like Sherwood’s.

As far as replacement goes, proactive car owners should shoot for replacements every 90,000 miles or so. After all, if a serpentine belt goes, you could lose your water pump, alternator, power steering, and more. They’re vital components.

MotorBiscuit reached out to Royalty Auto Service via TikTok comment. Check out the video below!