Years ago, a belt drive pressure washer was literally the only way to go when it came to professional models. They turn the pump at a lower number of revolutions per minute as opposed to direct drives, which operate at the same speed as the engine when under load. Due to that discrepancy, the reputation of direct drive pressure washers was that they didn’t last as long. Today’s direct-drive pumps have been engineered to hold up very well, even under constant use. However, the weakness of having a pump turning at a constant 3600 RPM versus a pump that turns at 900 to 1500 remains.