3 Helpful Tips to Improve Your V-Guide Knowledge

August 17, 2023

Close-up of conveyance technician installing v-guides on a red conveyor belt

V-guides are commonly applied to the bottom of conveyor belts to help them track properly. The placement of the v-guide is usually dictated by the design of the conveyor.

A V-guide is a trapezoidal cross section (similar to a V-belt). These come in a variety of sizes and shapes and can be used in numerous ways. However, it is crucial to understand that the use of V-guides does not fully prohibit tracking issues. Tracking problems caused by poor conveyor design or improper maintenance are generally not eliminated by adding a V-guide to the belt.

Use of V-Guides on Belting

Single center guides are popular for long, narrow belts. Wider belts will use a V-guide on the bottom of each belt edge and are commonly used in short and reversing conveyors. Guides also aid system performance related to low tension, low speed, and side loading/diverting belts.

V-Guide Placement

While a single guide on belt centerline is the most common V-guide request, conveyor belts can have guides in a different locations and can have multiple guides. Though V-guides are typically applied to the bottom of the belt, they can attach to the top of the belt as a vanner edge.

Regardless of what V-guide placement you require, proper positioning of the guide on the belt is critical for proper performance:

Start with the centerline of the guide and tell us where that line is positioned on the belt: i.e. centerline of belt, 2″ from centerline of belt, etc.
Avoid using a worn belt edge as a reference point to measure guide placement from the edge(s) of the belt, as this may result in an incorrectly positioned V-guide.
When multiple guides are required, always give center to center of guides.

Close-up of a blue v-guide on a white background

Different Sizes and How to Measure

V-guides come in different sizes depending on the size and type of conveyance system used. For example, larger belts typically have a larger sized V-guide. To identify the size of your V-guide:

Measure the width at the widest point where it attaches to the belt. Next, measure the thickness. (See the chart below for dimensions.)
Guides should not fit snuggly in the grooves on the pulleys. Allow for 1/16″ clearance on both sides and bottom of the guide.