Automotive belt and hose product attributes

Serpentine belts, timing belts and coolant, heater and fuel hoses share a category but almost no attributes. A belt is defined by its profile, rib count and effective length, while a hose depends on inside diameter, shape, position and the SAE class stamped on its side. Supplier files often compress this into a part number whose digits encode the size, which works only until someone needs to filter or substitute.

Length is the classic trap. A belt's printed length can be an effective length or an outside length, and a tape measure around a used belt gives yet another number. Hoses carry similar ambiguity between nominal inch sizes, metric equivalents and dash sizes. Storing one normalized number per dimension, with the unit and the basis stated, is what makes cross-brand comparison work.

Many of these parts also ship as kits or in variants that differ only by accessory drive or equipment. A timing belt kit may or may not include the water pump, and the same engine can take different belts with and without air conditioning. The record needs kit contents and fitment qualifiers as structured data, not as a note in the title.

The belts & hoses attribute template

18 candidate fields in 5 groups, ordered the way a record gets built: identify the item, capture its specifications, then record fit and the evidence behind any claim. 11 are marked Core: without them the item cannot be identified or filtered. Example values show the expected format only; they do not describe a real SKU.

Identity

Which exact item, variant and pack this record describes.

Check before use: Preserve leading zeros and punctuation, validate against the manufacturer record, and check the GTIN check digit and packaging level before linking.

Attribute	Type	Priority	Example format
Manufacturer Part Number manufacturer_part_number	Identifier	Core	BH-6K923
GTIN / UPC gtin_upc	Identifier	Core	081234530921

Technical specifications

Measured or rated values that must travel with their unit and test conditions.

Check before use: Store the number and unit separately. Convert only when the source unit and test conditions are known.

Attribute	Type	Priority	Example format
Effective Length effective_length	Number · mm	Core	2345 mm
Hose Inside Diameter hose_inside_diameter	Number · mm	Core	15.9 mm
Operating Temperature Range operating_temperature_range	Text · °C	Core	-40 °C to 125 °C
Max Working Pressure max_working_pressure	Number · psi	Buyer decision	100 psi

Selection attributes

The type, material and option choices buyers filter and compare on.

Check before use: Map supplier wording to a governed vocabulary only after checking the source text and which variant it applies to.

Attribute	Type	Priority	Example format
Part Type (PCdb Terminology) part_type_pcdb_part_terminology	Controlled list	Core	Radiator Coolant Hose
Belt Profile / Section belt_profile_section	Controlled list	Core	PK (V-ribbed, 3.56 mm rib pitch)
Rib Count rib_count	Number	Core	6
Elastomer Compound elastomer_compound	Controlled list	Core	EPDM
Tensile Cord Material tensile_cord_material	Controlled list	Buyer decision	Aramid
Hose Reinforcement Construction hose_reinforcement_construction	Controlled list	Buyer decision	Knitted polyester, 2-ply
Kit Components Included kit_components_included	Text	Buyer decision	Timing belt, tensioner, 2 idlers, water pump, gaskets

Fit & compatibility

What the item mounts to, mates with, replaces or works alongside.

Check before use: Keep model and series qualifiers. A similar-looking part is not a verified fit until a source says so.

Attribute	Type	Priority	Example format
Vehicle Fitment (ACES) vehicle_fitment_aces	Text	Core	2015-2020 full-size pickup, 3.5L V6, with A/C
Position / Orientation position_orientation	Controlled list	Core	Upper (engine outlet to radiator inlet)

Evidence & compliance

Listings, standards, classifications and origin claims that need a document behind them.

Check before use: Link the manufacturer document or label with its edition or date. Never copy a certification from a neighboring SKU.

Attribute	Type	Priority	Example format
SAE Hose Standard & Type sae_standard_class	Controlled list	Channel / evidence	SAE J30R9
FMVSS 106 Brake Hose Marking fmvss_106_marking	Controlled list	Channel / evidence	DOT-marked (brake hose only)
Country of Origin country_of_origin	Controlled list	Channel / evidence	Mexico

Normalize supplier values

The same value arrives in many spellings. Map each raw string to one governed value, and keep the raw text beside it so a reviewer can see what the supplier actually wrote.

Often missing from supplier files

These fields are commonly absent from price lists and basic feeds, even though the information usually exists in a datasheet, label or installation manual. Treat an empty value as a request for evidence, not as permission to fill it from a similar model.

• Rib count and effective length as separate numeric fields
• Belt elastomer compound (EPDM vs chloroprene)
• SAE J30 hose type on fuel hose
• Hose position (upper / lower / inlet / outlet)
• Refrigerant compatibility (R-134a / R-1234yf)

Questions the record must answer

Buyers and counter-sales reps choosing belts & hoses ask questions like these. Each one needs a specific field, sourced for the exact variant.

• Is this the belt for the engine with air conditioning, or the one without?
• How many ribs and what length is this serpentine belt, so I can match it to my old one?
• Is this hose rated for fuel-injection pressure, or only for low-pressure return lines?
• Does this timing belt kit come with the water pump and tensioner, or just the belt?

From supplier file to record

1. Resolve identity first. Link the supplier SKU, manufacturer part number and packaging identifiers without merging distinct variants or pack sizes.
2. Extract with the source attached. Pull values from rows, tables and datasheets, keeping the raw text, unit and page or row reference.
3. Map to your classification. Assign the ETIM, ECLASS, UNSPSC or internal class your company licenses, and keep the supplier's original terms.
4. Review, sync and watch. Hold conflicts and safety-related values for a category expert, write approved values to ERP or PIM, and recheck when the supplier sends a new file.

For the full method, see how to build a category attribute template and the category catalog gap audit.

FAQ