5VX Cogged Narrow Wedge V-Belts

5VX belts are raw-edge, molded-notch narrow wedge V-belts: 5/8 in top width, 17/32 in deep, 40° included angle, with cogs molded into the underside so the belt bends around small sheaves without building heat. Texas Belting stocks 2,300+ 5VX sizes from Diesel Belting, D&D Global, Gates, Bando, Carlisle, Megadyne and PIX in our Houston, TX warehouse.

Shop 5VX belts by type

On this page: What 5VX means · Size chart · 5V vs 5VX · 5VX vs B/BX · Predator premium tier · XPB/SPB metric · Brand interchange · FAQ

What does 5VX mean on a V-belt?

In a 5VX part number, the 5 places the belt in the 5V narrow wedge family with a 5/8 in top width, the V marks the wedge profile, and the X means raw-edge cogged construction - notches molded into the underside of the belt. The digits after the letters give outside length in tenths of an inch: a 5VX900 runs 90.0 in around the outside, a 5VX710 is 71.0 in.

The narrow wedge series has three sections - 3V at 3/8 in top width, 5V at 5/8 in, and 8V at 1 in - and the 5V family covers the broad middle of industrial drives: pumps, fans, air handlers, compressors, crushers and screens. 5VX is the cogged member of the family, and it shares grooves and length designations with wrapped 5V.

Common 5VX belt sizes

Stock 5VX lengths run from about 50 in to 200 in outside length, stepping every inch or two at the short end and in larger increments past 100 in. The table below highlights the sizes plants replace most often; the full range, with several brands per size, is in the 5VX collection.

Multi-groove drives that throw or flip individual belts are usually better served by a banded 5VX set - two or more belts joined by a common tie band.

What is the difference between 5V and 5VX belts?

A 5V and a 5VX share the same 5/8 in x 17/32 in cross section and run in the same 5V grooves - the difference is construction. The 5V is wrapped in a fabric jacket; the 5VX is raw-edge with molded cogs. The cogs relieve bending stress, so published minimum sheave diameters drop from about 7.1 in for wrapped 5V to about 4.4 in for 5VX.

The raw-edge sidewalls also couple to the groove harder than a fabric jacket, and the notched underside sheds heat instead of trapping it, so typical published ratings give a 5VX more horsepower than a wrapped 5V in the same groove and longer life on small-diameter, high-bend-frequency drives. That is why cogged 5VX dominates our stock 5V-family range.

Wrapped 5V still earns its place in three cases: clutching or slip-and-grab duty where the fabric jacket is the sacrificial wear surface, gritty environments that chew exposed sidewalls, and very long drives - past about 200 in outside length, wrapped 5V is usually the only stock construction.

Can a 5VX replace a B or BX classical belt?

Not in the same sheaves - and this is the most common upgrade conversation in the field. A B-section belt measures about 21/32 in wide by 13/32 in deep; a 5VX is 5/8 in wide but 17/32 in deep, and B and 5V groove profiles are cut differently. The near-identical top widths make the swap look plausible; the depths and groove geometry make it fail.

A 5VX dropped into a B groove seats wrong, slips under load, and wears out early - the same goes for a B belt in a 5V groove. If you want cogged construction on an existing B drive, the drop-in answer is a BX, not a 5VX. If you want the capacity, convert the whole drive: manufacturer literature rates narrow wedge drives at up to about three times the horsepower of classical drives in the same space, so a conversion to 5V sheaves and 5VX belts often shrinks the drive or adds margin on one that keeps eating belts.

Gates Predator and 5VXP: when the premium tier pays off

Predator is Gates' premium construction of the narrow wedge belt: aramid tensile cords - pound for pound stronger than steel, per Gates - under a double fabric jacket built to shrug off abrasion and momentary slip. Predator wedge singles carry 3VP, 5VP, and 8VP designations, while Gates' notched aramid premium is the separate Super HC XP line with 5VXP-style numbers. Both keep the same 5/8 in section and outside lengths as standard 5VX, so a 5VP1000 or 5VXP1000 fits the same 5V grooves as a 5VX1000.

The premium pays off where standard belts keep dying: rock crushers, wood chippers and grinders, shredders, aggregate screens, and oilfield pumping units - drives with shock and pulsating loads. Aramid cords stretch very little, so Predator belts hold tension with minimal re-tensioning, and banded Predator PowerBand sets handle multi-groove shock drives that throw individual belts. On steady, well-sized drives, a standard 5VX is the economical choice - buy the premium tier for the applications that abuse it. Never mix Predator and standard belts on the same drive; their stretch and tension characteristics differ.

Are 5VX and XPB or SPB metric belts the same?

XPB and SPB are the metric cousins of the 5V family: a 16.3 mm x 13 mm wedge section, wrapped for SPB and raw-edge cogged for XPB. Per Texas Belting cross-reference standards, XPB seats in standard 5V grooves, which makes it the usual landing spot when a metric drive needs an imperial belt or vice versa. But metric part numbers state pitch length in millimeters, not outside length in tenths of an inch, so the numbers never match directly - always cross by dimensions and verify before ordering.

Not every metric wedge section crosses this cleanly: per the same standards, XPZ does not seat correctly in 3V grooves, and XPA has no imperial equivalent at all. If a drive mixes metric sheaves and imperial belts, send us both numbers or run them through our belt cross-reference tool.

5VX cross-brand interchange

The 5VX section is an industry-standard profile, so major brands build to the same dimensions and interchange by part number - a 5VX1000 from one maker replaces a 5VX1000 from another. We stock our Diesel Belting and D&D Global narrow cogged lines alongside Gates, Bando, Carlisle, Megadyne and PIX, so a cross is usually a same-day answer.

Interchange references are based on manufacturer-published equivalents. Verify dimensions before ordering.

5VX belt supplier in Houston, TX

Most stocked 5VX sizes ship same day from our Houston, TX warehouse, and cross-reference quotes typically come back the same business day. We serve plants, mills, and OEMs across the Texas Gulf Coast and ship nationwide. Call (888) 203-2358 to confirm availability.

Common 5VX selection mistakes

• Dropping a 5VX into B-section grooves. The top widths look identical; the depths and groove profiles are not. Match the groove, not the width - if the sheave is a B, buy a B or BX.
• Ordering from a tape measurement of the worn belt. The part number is outside length in tenths of an inch, and a worn belt rides deep and measures off. Cross the number, or measure per our V-belt measuring guide.
• Ignoring the minimum sheave diameter. Below roughly 4.4 in the bend overworks the cords, overheats the undercord, and cracks the belt at the notch roots.
• Replacing one belt of a multi-belt set. The new belt runs tighter than its stretched neighbors and carries a disproportionate share of the load. Replace matched sets, one brand, all at once.
• Skipping the groove check on old sheaves. Dished sidewalls or a shiny groove bottom means the sheave is finishing off every new belt you install. Gauge grooves before the new set goes on.
• Mixing aramid and standard belts on one drive. Predator-type aramid belts stretch far less than polyester-cord 5VX, so mixed sets load unevenly and fail early.

When to call

The specs above cover routine 5VX replacement. Call for:

• New drive design or a B/BX-to-5VX conversion - horsepower, RPM, ratio, and center distance sizing
• Repeat failures on shock-load drives - the banded-set or Predator decision
• Multi-belt drives with belt whip, turnover, or uneven wear across grooves
• An unreadable belt - send a photo, top width, depth, and a string measurement

Call (888) 203-2358 or send us what you have.

Frequently asked questions

Related products and guides

Last updated: July 2026