I bought a set of 'gates' 2wd alternator belts off eBay the other week and have just gone to fit them and discovered they are different lengths to each other. Surely they should be the same as each other? They both have the code 6272mc marked on them but one has 0.A marked on it and I've counted 121 teeth on it and the other has 0.B marked on it and has 122 teeth. Anyone know which is correct and which is wrong?

 

It doesn't really matter which is wrong or right, you can get away with different lengths, this belt problem is a pita.
I have had this problem forever and a day, and it pisses me right off, wilco where I got my last belts, got a pair from the same supplier, markings were 100% identical, but you've guessed different lengths, in the end they ordered another 5 belts and I chose the best matching 2 from the lot after trying on my car, had it even with genuine brand new ford ones as well.
Only advice I can give is get them to measure them, most car shops have a measuring board for this, and buy a few take the incorrect length ones back, so long as they go on and leave you plenty of adjustment left that's good enough, mine are 12mm shorter than std.
tabetha

 

Nothings ever simple is it!
I've sent them back to where they came from and they are going to send two more of equal length.

 

I'm amazed at how this occurs, they're made from the same extruded belt, it's not the dealers/shops fault, but alas very very common with this, not just on cossies.
When I worked for FKI we made things like this, it's made from a massive wide belt around 1 meter wide put on two rollers to spin it, whilst a series of blades cut into it, to make it into strips, a lot are made by I think now by Northern Rubber near notts ?
tabetha