Riding mower breaks deck belt within 3 hours


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Old 07-06-18, 08:29 AM
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Riding mower breaks deck belt within 3 hours

I have a big Huskee (MTD) riding mower. The 22 HP Briggs dropped a cyclinder so I replaced it with a 24 HP
V twin Inteck. The shaft was bigger and longer so I had to find another drive pulley and lower the idler tension pulley. I used the PTO that came with the used motor which cam off a Huskvarna mower. I used the old belt that was still good and it worked fine. I liked the fact the PTO is lower so is more in line with the deck pulley. The belt is 25/32 by 109". I moved twice ( 3 hours each) and the belt broke just as I was getting done the second time. The belt was fine except for a 2 inch section that was stripped down to just the thin outside top piece. I thought the belt was just bad. I ordered a new belt but it lasted only about 2 1/2 hours with the belt looking new except for that same 2 inch section. With my changing of PTO's, could the belt be too short or too long. Which would be more likely for the damage I describe. Any thoughtswill be appreciated.
 
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Old 07-06-18, 09:07 AM
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You need to have the proper belt tension and alignment. Since you did a lot of customizing either could be off. If you have one section stripped down (it's hard to tell without seeing a picture) my guess is that the belt slipped and was just sitting in that one spot burning/wearing through.
 
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Old 07-06-18, 11:17 AM
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Are the pulley sizes the same on the old and new PTO clutch? Are you using a generic utility belt or an aramid fiber belt?
 
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Old 07-06-18, 11:36 AM
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I’m trying to figure out how to post pictures here. I measured the PTO’s and the one I’m using now is almost 6” and the one that came off the bad motor is 5.25”
shoukd I try a 108” belt or 108.5?
 
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Old 07-06-18, 11:42 AM
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We can't see what you've done to the mower so we can't tell you want size you need. Your mower is now totally custom so you are sorta the pro on it. How does the tensioning seem? If it can't be tightened then you may need to go a bit shorter.
 
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Old 07-06-18, 12:23 PM
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There's really no way to adjust the tension. It has an idler puller on a swing bar. It pulls the belt to one side and has a hook spring. You pull it tight and it hooks on a stub bolt.
The damage to the belt both times looks like you'd cut it about 1/2 '' from the inside on a 3" section and peeled inside half section off. It doesn't appear to be burnt or smell.
 
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Old 07-06-18, 06:05 PM
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Generally chunks missing on a belt that isn't old and cracked is due to excess heat and/or running through a sheave that is too small. Are you using a 1/2" or 5/8" belt?
 
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Old 07-06-18, 07:17 PM
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21/32” width belt. Same size that came on the mower.
i just looked up the mower the pto cam off and it’s 5/8 which is some smaller than the belt I tried 21/32” would that be enough difference to get too hot?
 

Last edited by Hodicka; 07-06-18 at 07:35 PM.
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Old 07-07-18, 04:44 AM
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Back in post #3 Cheese asked what type belt you are using. I have a water pump driven by a pair of V belts and when I get the wrong/cheaper belts they have a very short life.

Here is an article discussing how a belt and pulley works. There is a diagram showing how a belt rides in the pulley. It shows that the belt can be wider than the slot in the pulley.
 
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Old 07-07-18, 08:31 AM
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I read the article, good info, thanks
the first belt was from my local mower dealer. I don’t remember the brand. I had used it 2 years ago before the original motor failed. I’m not sure how long I had used it at that time but it still looked good when I put it on 3 weeks ago after getting this motor on and running. The last belt that lasted only 2+ hours was a gates hi power II b106
 
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Old 07-07-18, 12:34 PM
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That's not an aramid fiber belt, is it?
 
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Old 07-08-18, 04:52 PM
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I’m not sure Cheese. So the pto I’m using is 3/4” bigger around than the one that came on the mower so how much bigger belt should I try? It came with 109” belt with the smaller size pto so should I try a 110” belt?
 
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Old 07-08-18, 06:07 PM
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I think the length is probably less of an issue than the quality. If you're using a regular cheap black utility belt to run a blade deck (presumably a larger deck with a larger HP engine and an electric PTO on top of that), then you're going to be eating belts. The belt required for this application is kevlar/aramid fiber.
 
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Old 07-15-18, 06:07 PM
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I have a Simplicity Landlord that I had to pay the long dollar for belts after the same thing happened to me after trying the Will Fit version. I have been using the Simplicity Part Number belt for years now successfully. I did not change the pulleys etc like you did but the chunks of substute belt might still litter a nasty hillside in my old hometown.
 
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Old 07-16-18, 06:33 AM
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I have ordered a Kevlar blue belt an 1” longer (110”)
i hope it lasts longer.
 
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Old 07-16-18, 09:25 AM
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"I have never been unhappy when I bought the best"
 
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Old 07-20-18, 05:57 AM
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I mowed yesterday with the Kevlar 110” blue belt. No issues and after 3+ hours of mowing, the belt is fine.
 
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Old 07-20-18, 09:12 AM
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I have a water pump with two belts connecting the engine and pump. Cheap belts last 3-5 hours run time but good ones get me through a whole season. It's amazing what a difference it makes.
 
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Old 07-20-18, 12:59 PM
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OEM Belts

Praise God, think we have a new Believer!
 
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Old 08-03-18, 06:40 AM
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2nd mowing yesterday with the OEM belt with no problems. The belt looked fine afterwards,
 
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Old 08-04-18, 02:24 PM
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The belt failure sounds like it stopped turning and the engine pulley continued to spin eating the belt. This is generally caused by a bearing failure in either the Idler(tension) pulley or on one of the spindles. If the belt is too tight, the blades will spin all the time. If too long, blades will have no power.
 
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Old 08-04-18, 03:48 PM
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Will Fit Belts

"will fit" belts running in "severe service" applications are a recipe for disaster. I KNOW that the will fit belts that scattered themselves all over a hillside on my farm were installed and tensioned correctly. And they were in a lot more belt friendly circuit on my Simplicity Tractor than the MTD and their brothers use. I cannot imagine using a will fit belt in THAT application. I know from my neighbors experience trying to replace a deck drive belt on a mower MTD made for the LOWES brand (he NEVER got that mower back in action. Most of the usable parts and steel from that mower are on my scrap shelf or at the metal recycler!
 

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