Thanks for Watching! Find a link to all of my "Must Have", Favorite Tools HERE!! www.amazon.com/shop/chickanic?ref_=cm_sw_r_cp_ud_aipsfshop_aipsfchickanic_9ERPFPBNGQ924P8NS63B
Talking about the housing which I called "Mower Belt Guard" on the top - left side of the deck on a the John Deere riding mower. Yesterday after helping my son-in-law & daughter do some mowing, it came time to clean off the mower. Well we three spent over an hour just cleaning the top side of the lawnmower's deck. Yes, that is right, an hour.... Now they say they clean it whenever they get through mowing. I did the mowing, the lawn wasn't wet or any dew on it, pretty much dry. When I got through mowing we went to start cleaning it. Hosed off the the mower from the top and then down to bottom & wheels. No problems, we thought. Was noticing debris kept coming out from under this "Mower Belt Guard". Turned the sprayer to the jet position and tried forcing the debris out this way. Finally the son-in-law laid down in the driveway and reached as far as he could and started puling hunk's of debris out from inside of the "Mower Belt Guard". He gave up then the daughter gave it a try for awhile. Then I got in there more determined to get this area cleaned out. Almost did, but gave up temporarily because son-in-law said he needed the grease a grease joint which was inside this area and in order to do this he needed to remove the "Mower Belt Guard". Then he would clean out the rest of the debris. This morning I came up with an idea which would help in the cleaning out from the inside of the "Mower Belt Guard". And this modification to the guard would not interfere with its purpose or safety feature as well. Now for the modification: Using an 1-inch hole saw, we drilled three holes, about a 1/4 to 1/2 inch from the bottom, around the edge of this guard, equally spaced out. By doing this, it will allow the water jetted from the nozzle to reach inside the guard at three different places to help in the removal of the debris build up. We spaced out the holes as best as we could. Now cleaning is WAY faster. Just thought it might help everyone else out. Those decks aren't cheap to replace especially when caused by rust which could have been prevented.
You are one heavy duty lady. I got a top notch drive belt from Gates, a kevlar belt, much better than the original one. It took three tries to get the right size, but fortunately, with light use, I could trade in the ones that were too short at the O"Reilly parts store. They are top grade, had patience to help me, so this is a reference if you want to try this for yourself.
Just switching over from snowblower mode to lawn cutting mode on Martha, My Deere, today. I'll closely inspect and lube the deck while it's out. Thanks for the video, Bre! ❤❤
Thanks so much for the video! I am glad that you did this one. I don’t know how many times I have heard people say that the belt is stretched! Now I can tell them to watch your video! Thanks again and keep up the great job!
Chickanic spreading knowledge, love it , lawn maintenance is finally picking up in upstate new york, it can snow up here on mothers day and of course Halloween, new york
I learned that years ago working on heavy equipment. This particular piece had a surpentin belt that required an OEM belt on it. I tried 3 different belts and each one lacked 3/8 " one way or the other. ( Longer or shorter ) to put on. NONE of them would work. So I had to drive 75 miles to the equipment dealer to get it. The belt was twice the price and not to mention the down time. Big down time loss , hundreds of dollars. Since then have an OEM spare in the truck. That's what they call a Bought Lesson. Great video.
yup been there done that...out grew the tee shirt. There were even some pieces of equipment when we had to tear a 'bunch' of stuff off to get to the belts to change them we would cable tie a spare set of belts in place so when the time was right we would just cut the old belts off and have the replacements in place to slide on. Sure save a lot of work when out on the job site and down time was costly. But yeah...having the right belt makes a difference...almost all the time. (I have seen car fan belts jerry rigged to get out of the 'wilderness' a couple times...lol)
Since “V” belts drive on their sides, a worn pulley can also cause belt slippage. Cement saws will often have this issue. The bottom of the drive pulley should not have a polished appearance, as that means the belt is bottoming out on the pulley and therefore the belt will be slipping to some degree on the pulley.
These belts are different than automotive belts. People think a belt is a belt. That's why people want a smaller one, because automotive belts do stretch. Great channel!
Guuuuurl you are the BEST!!!! I have watched 5 days worth of blah,blah blah,,,,, and your demeanor and explanation of systems keep it damn SIMPLE!!!!!! Got your site Saved my New Freind!!!!! Thanx!!!!!
After a couple of years, my belt would come off when I started it up. I noticed that one of the belt guards had broke off from the vibration. I loosed up one of the bolts and made a belt guard from a bent welding rod. It's been a year and it still works good. Great videos!! Thanks.
That girl taught me more about belts in 10 minutes than I learned in 50 years self taught! Nice to look at, too. Keep the vids coming. You guys really have a big following of mower repairs. Thanks for info.(are you sure belts don't stretch?)lol
Amen, preach it Chickanic! Every point on the money. I don't know about John Deere but especially on the old craftsman(and several other brands that are all clones) with mechanical belt tightening function standard size deck there are parts that wear out. Sears parts made a kit to make these decks like new replacing the steel plate that swings back and forth....your pulley being at a bad angle and this part getting stuck is a hint it's worn out underneath. Almost every older deck I examined back in the day needs this kit.
I've got an old school lt 166 jd, I so know about the believe situation. I've been working on small equipment for about 20 years, have been in landscape, mowing, plowing business etc. So I have that knowledge to have it work, make it work whether it's right or wrong on only my personal equipment of course. I use that old jd to cut down very tall, overgrown turf at a compliance property that I mow only a few times over the summer, before I finish with the Lzs80 exmark that I refuse to abuse. I've got it down to a science with how gently I throw the PTO on and off, even the stupid timing belt on the freedom 42 deck, when that went wacky, I just turned it inside out! And it's still going! The only thing I've bought for that tractor, which is only a seat, cowling, and fenders in the past 10 years is a couple plugs, fuel filters, oil and filters of course, but no belts! Yes it was a learning curve, but I can't believe how much I beat that thing, and how good it is to me! I don't dare even look at the hydraulic drive belt, god only knows what that looks like!
I'll have to give mine a check next time I pull the deck for blade sharpening. Only have replaced it one time when I forgot to install the other side over the pulley- it sheared as soon as I engaged the PTO. Maybe 6-7 years old now, maybe 170 hours on it.
I've been running my JD LA145 for 5 years now without the two black plastic deck belt guards with no problems. It makes changing the belt a lot quicker when needed and also eliminates the loose grass that always seems to get packed in there. Makes blowing off all the loose grass off the top of the deck when finished mowing before putting the mower away. And yes I always make sure the pulleys are not spinning before I step off the mower. In fact it is easier to see that the blades have completely stopped spinning because you can see the tops of the outer spindle pulleys and make sure everything has stopped. I wish you would so a video on what you do about the crappy Tuff Torq transmissions that all the JD LA1xx series mowers use and the known issues they have when they start slipping or just not moving the tractor when going up slight hills. I'm sure you've seen those issues in your shop.
I've gone through this a number of times and I've almost always had to purchase a shorter deck belt even though all the rest of the deck parts seemed intact. I don't even bother trying to make a bunch of other corrections or adjustments and just get a slightly shorter belt.
Your example mower uses a PTO system that tightens the belt to make it spin. For that kind of system it makes sense that the belt length would be critical. It needs to be the right length to have enough tension to grab the pulleys while the PTO is engaged and enough slack that when the PTO is disengaged the belt doesn't contact the engine shaft pulley and get gnawed down. However for systems where the PTO is not based on a mechanism to tighten the belt but instead the belt is a fixed tension and there is a clutch to engage the engine to drive the blades, it seems like that case the belt length wouldn't be as critical.
The frustration I feel when all the lawnmowers in my life tear up and I KNOW that taking them to someone to have them fixed will cost more money than I have cannot be expressed in words! The whole neighborhood knows because my yard looks completely ratchet next to my neighbors freshly cut and manicured yard and it's not because I'm lazy or don't care but because every time I turn around something is wrong with one or all of my mowers. And I don't have the money to pay someone to fix them. So thank you for what you do. You have taught this ole girl a few things!
Everyone on my street has a lawn tractor and sometimes I feel like it’s slightly ridiculous like it’s to bad we couldn’t all get together and just share one or two! With that said if a neighbours mower breaks down we all jump in to mow their lawn until it’s fixed.
Just a thought that as I look at other people's yards see how ragged they look, it's not over all mower. The deck is not level. Try to find out how to level your deck and you will be very surprise what is difference it makes. It's not hard, but you have to have the correct instructions for your mower and deck.
One thing I did to my belt guards was to modify them in such a way to make it easier to clean without taking them off every time I wanted to clean it up by just blowing all the crap out and worked fine I have an LA145 John Deere I bought new in 07 I think don't remember but still going strong just replacing the normal wear stuff
In recent times, it seems difficult to find replacement belts that aren't made in India. Even belts coming in OE sleeves are being manufactured there. They don't last. I have a 10 year old GT54LS with approx 630 hours on it. I used to get about 2 to 3 years out of an OE grade deck belt. The newer Husqvarna belts made in India would develop 3 to 4 cross section splits after only 6 to 8 months. I've found Oregon branded belts made in Mexico to hold up really well for the time being. Thanks for the awesome video!!!
I get what you're saying. But if you have an adjustable idler you will be able to use a slightly longer or shorter belt. I've done it, but that was on very old machines. Haven't changed a deck belt in a couple of decades. So maybe things have changed over the eons.😅 I'm pretty old. P.S. I dig the music on your channel!👍😁
Funny you mention about the belt being too tight that I had a guy sell me a JD riding mover for $300 and said he didn't know what was wrong with it because the blades were always running even when they weren't engaged. I took it home and bought a belt and blades kit and changed out all parts and the thing ran like a champ.... still does today 😊 Great video by the way 👍🏼
Ever work on old gravley. 42 in deck. Mine 1969. Rebuilt eng. My Harley. Little noisey. Haha . Changing bellts on deck is a little rough. Still cuts great. Especially long grass. Have you seen any around. People don't realize worn belts cause worn pulleys. Hence belts don't last. Keep up good work . Love strange fixes.
One of the most common culprits I find that causes the deck belt to jump off, is a filthy deck. And when I say a filthy deck, I mean one that’s got like 20 acres of grass and dirt buildup around the spindles and pulleys. Guy’s wash that deck off every so often, and you will experience far fewer cases of the deck belt jumping off.
Good advice, but not right after you mow. Wait til the bearings cool off or lifespan is shortened greatly. Shooting myself in the foot because I sell a lot of deck bearings lol.
Right after mowing, the bearing will be hot. While you put water on the bearings and spindles they will cool down. The bearing will suck in the water to ruin your bearings. Wait until tomorrow to wash the mower.
I had a cub cadet for 12 years and when I got rid of it, it still had the original belt on it... after that I had a Husqvarna for 11 years, and when I got rid of that it had the original belt on it... never replace a belt on either one and no belts came off ever...
I love your videos. I have been told all my life that belts stretch, thanks for straightening me out. Why would anyone replace a part with something that isn't right?
Excellent information! Thank you! Just replaced the belts on our rider, hope I did it right. Otherwise I’ll be doing it again, but will be wiser because of your video.
Hey good info on the mower belts. They sure were a lot of string trimmers in for repair. I'm not a small engine mechanic, but i did for the first time just replace a carburetor on my string trimmer. Watched a lot of your repair videos. My trimmer blows mostly white smoke under loads, so next i am going to check spark arrester to see if it's clogged up. I think i seen you explain that too. Thanks for your info on repairs.
O'Reilly Auto parts has Gates brand belts which are very good belts. Got them to interchange the John Deere part number and bought the Gates equivalent...no problemo!
Good points! Another thing to consider is Raw-Edge vs. Wrapped V-Belts... The wrapped belts will slip more which may or may not be good for the intended use. The raw belts will generally transmit more power as they slip less but that could cause other issues with the system. As such, in addition to length and width check for raw-edge versus wrapped-edge in the specs.
Completely false. Wrapped belts are used in these applications because they're designed to stretch less (yes, they do stretch) and not glaze from slipping on pulleys. A normal belt could be used in a pinch but it would likely delaminate quickly.
@@mikezupancic2182 Interesting... How is advising folks to check whether the application calls for raw-edge or wrapped-edge belts along with length and width "completely false." The information on power and slippage comes from belt manufacturers' and specialty belt vendors' web sites. The short story is to buy the correct belt!
@@mikezupancic2182 I definitely qualified the advice by referencing "the application." As such, the advice to check the manufacturer's specifications for length, width, and type is sound. That said, there are also linked belts, cogged belts, flat belts... 😉
I just replaced the PTO belt on my Gravelly commercial zero turn and I had to totally remove the bolt tensioner and spring to get it on, taking it off not hard at all. I bought it at the dealer and I gave him the model and serial numbers. Before i put it on, I put one on top of the other. The old belt was black and new one looked to be like kevlar. After installing i had to measure the length of the spring which I did and the belt doesn't slop around like the old did. The price of the new belt was higher than the one I replaced, which isn't something new.
I have a Craftsman T1800 with a 42” deck. I bought two new blades to put on it, before I took off the blades I checked the play in the spindle bearings one had play so I took off the belt pulley half of the ball bearings were missing. Had to order spindle but the deck belt was in stock. The mower is about seven years old still had origin belt & spindles.
Yeah, well Cub Cadet LTX 1046. Right MTD belt fully engaged PTO cable. Belt is still too loose. It cuts grass but only when you let it wind up some rpm. Mowing faster stops the blades. The previous owner had the same problem with new factory belts,so he got rid of it. To make it cut well I use a 5L. Incorrect and disengages poorly but gotta cut grass.
35 dollars for a cheapo off-brand secondary deck belt for a 48" Husqvarna that lasted three weeks, replaced it with a 60 dollar OEM belt and it's been good for years.
Good video at the perfect time. My drive belt on my 2001 Poulan Pro lawn tractor is beginning to smoke at the engine pulley when I climb a steep hill. I made a mistake of touching that pulley with my bare hand. Like touching a branding iron. I got a new belt and putting it on next week. Been trying to figure out how to change it.
I have a "Yard machine" that some one decided to install a 2 inch longer belt on the variable speed pulley. Took me a week to figure out why the thing wouldn't move at all in the slower settings! Fun times
I love your videos, right to the point. Thank you! When my John Deere is not engaged, and the belt sags down, the pulley, continues to spin which cuts my belt. Is the pulley supposed to continue to spin when I’m not cutting? Thanks for your time, Rhonda
Everything this mechanic is saying is true. And as far as the precise fit required, I'll throw something else out there: you have to look at the angle of the V part of the belt too, to make sure it matches the pulley on your mower. My dad had a Murray at one time (one of the good ones from 1984), and he got a "lawnmower belt" for the deck. Got about halfway around the yard one time and smoked it because the V on the mower pulley was a tighter angle than the V of the belt, so all of the belt surface wasn't contacting the pulley, and it just burned up. Not all mowers are that particular, but if you have a Murray...you better be observant.
OMG I have been driving myself insane over a John Deer LA135 that I inherited that would throw the belt every time I disengaged the deck. The old guards were worn out, and torn up, so I never put them back on when I changed the belt. New parts are on order. Now if you could do a drive belt change video on that lol.
Watched late at night with two fans going in the room. Tv volume was down low, with captions on. I hear the phone and it sounds just like mine. I immediately jump to check. Then I come back, resume the video, & hear the phone ring again. I had to reset the deck belt on my 2 year old Ariens ikon xd today. It was loaded with crap under the plastic shields, so the pulleys were crying out to be free! It was a pretty easy fix and the belt is still ok. I usually don't let stuff build up in there for that reason. I blow the junk out with a leaf blower, & then follow up with a quick spray of the hose. A clean machine's gonna work better. I do my best to keep stuff maintained too!
I picked up a mower that looked absolutely new and was except being used once and gas letting in it get gelled for three years for free and after l one half hours got it running.
Here in East Texas there is a lot of sand. The sand gets stirred up when cutting and gets on the belt. While using the sand erodes the V of the PTO pulley and the spindle pulleys. This lets the belt run deeper in the pulley and allows poor quality of belt contact. Then the belt doesn’t turn the blades well in deep grass.
Thanks for the video. If my arithmetic is correct, 1 inch difference in length changes the circumference by 6.28", , , that's a LOT of slack. [or a lot of tight]
I have a Field Tuff pull behind tiller for my UTV that I’ve been fighting the belt on all week. It takes a beating bouncing around the field and the belt is either too tight and burns or too loose and pops off. After 2 of the correct belts being replaced this week I finally took it to the shop. I noticed several things related to this. The tension nut for the spring pulley keeps coming loose and so does the belt keeper arms. Hopefully they can lock tight or whatever these parts and get it working as it should again.
I just put a new deck on my 125 JD. They have updated a few things since my 2005 jd was made. The new pulley covers are supposed to rub on the belt? Till they wear to the metal pin? Also the bracket to adjust the PTO cable is now welded to the deck. My old one is bolted on w an adjustment slot in the bracket. Why did they do that? 1 last thing, it has 2 black cylinder shaped plastic things bolted to the ft part of the deck. What are those for? Maybe just for shipping? Thanks fo your videos. They are quick, informative, and thorough.
You missed a important part especially on higher end John deere tractors. They use bushings in the idler arms for pulleys. Some are greaseable and some are not.. These bushings can wear out and let the idler arms sag or dip and make the belt ride up on the wheels and start shredding the belt or vibrating the unit causing more damage to PTO or cables ect!
My 30'' Columbia shredded the belt after two mows. According to a YT post, because of a design flaw, the belt slips off when the deck is dropped too low. At that acute angle, the blade belt is prone to slippage from jarring of the deck. i.e. uneven lawns or hitting rocks. My belt was wedged around the pulley spindle 3 layers deep. It hasn't happened again in the last four seasons.
Years ago I decided to not buy anything that said John Deer on it. The reason was, even back then, I realized they were very good at building "failure" into their products! And they've gotten better at it!
Yep, with no fancy measuring tool, I know I have been sold too short belts thru online sales... I could barely engage the belt drive lever and ended up killing an idler pully 😢
Mine was maybe a quarter-inch too long. You could tell by the occasional burning smell as it slipped, particularly when raising the deck above three inches. The cut quality had also suffered. The belt I tried to replace it with was too small, and it actually did spin the blades even with the PTO off. Both belts were listed as being the proper size. No more off-brand belts for me, despite the OEM one being four times the price.
I've had more problems with the idler pulley brackets not moving correctly than with the belt itself. Those are easy to fix, just remove clean rust, grease replace. I check the deck and engine at least 2-3 times a year. For different things.
I recently replaced the deck belt on my '06 Cub SLT 1550 with nearly 500 hrs on it. It was the original belt and I noticed some chunks missing so I figured it was time. Not sure, but sounds amazing to me. Am I doing something right? Lol.
I know, because I have seen it, that people often put their belts on incorrectly, and that they don’t put the guides and guards on. However, mine is not on incorrectly. The Scott’s L1742 / John Deere L100 42” mower deck is an incredibly simple belt routing….It’s pretty hard to mess that up, but I also have the manual showing me, in case I’m a moron. I mean, V side of belt in the V grooves, flat side on the flat, and it’s routed per the picture / instructions. It doesn’t just appear to be too loose, it is too loose. It falls off just driving around the yard, if it is not engaged. It slips when trying to engage….especially if I don’t have the mower deck lifted up. When I got my hands on this thing, it was way out of adjustment, so I set it up exactly per the factory instructions. I found the pivot points for the blade brakes had rusty bushings, springs, etc. That inhibited movement. It stood to reason that this affected their movement, and it obviously had a negative affect on belt tension. I replaced the bushings, springs, even washers and bolts, so things could move freely. I replaced the one missing the belt guide, (your machine in the video didn’t have this guide, or even the holes for it….I think it is only on the 42” decks, and maybe earlier decks at that) and also changed the belt guide / shield on the left side…..there is only one, on this mower deck. Later or larger ones have one on the right side too, and I suspect it’s because belts get thrown off. I’m starting to wonder if the engine is on slotted holes, and someone moved it farther back, because it’s not seemingly possible to get the correct belt tight. I also wonder if maybe the belt pulleys might not all be correct? One pulley is possibly too small? -It just doesn’t seem possible that worn parts put that much slop into the system. I’m left to wonder if the bellcrank needs to be replaced, but doesn’t seem sloppy enough to cause this. Also, maybe the cable has stretched. Most of these parts have been cheap to replace, but with that and the hardware, I’m over 400 bucks into this, and I’m doing the labor. The bell crank with pulley is over 45 bucks, if I do that. I think you said the cable is at least that much. Not sure where this ends, but this thing has become the bane of my existence.
Fascinating! So, I can't just stretch a section of inner tube in a pinch to replace my mower belt? Huh. Also, TCB. Take off a couple of weeks. You could release a "Best of" edited video with some safe advice from the past. Like the one about ethanol in gasoline from one hose pumps.
I found a company that sells belts and makes custom hydraulic hoses. They sell Kelvar belts that are pretty trustworthy. I have yet to get the wrong belt from them. They know things I didn't know concerning belts. MTD is very particular on size and width. The wrong belt on an MTD is asking for it.
Thanks for Watching! Find a link to all of my "Must Have", Favorite Tools HERE!! www.amazon.com/shop/chickanic?ref_=cm_sw_r_cp_ud_aipsfshop_aipsfchickanic_9ERPFPBNGQ924P8NS63B
Talking about the housing which I called "Mower Belt Guard" on the top - left side of the deck on a the John Deere riding mower. Yesterday after helping my son-in-law & daughter do some mowing, it came time to clean off the mower. Well we three spent over an hour just cleaning the top side of the lawnmower's deck. Yes, that is right, an hour.... Now they say they clean it whenever they get through mowing. I did the mowing, the lawn wasn't wet or any dew on it, pretty much dry. When I got through mowing we went to start cleaning it. Hosed off the the mower from the top and then down to bottom & wheels. No problems, we thought.
Was noticing debris kept coming out from under this "Mower Belt Guard". Turned the sprayer to the jet position and tried forcing the debris out this way. Finally the son-in-law laid down in the driveway and reached as far as he could and started puling hunk's of debris out from inside of the "Mower Belt Guard". He gave up then the daughter gave it a try for awhile. Then I got in there more determined to get this area cleaned out. Almost did, but gave up temporarily because son-in-law said he needed the grease a grease joint which was inside this area and in order to do this he needed to remove the "Mower Belt Guard". Then he would clean out the rest of the debris.
This morning I came up with an idea which would help in the cleaning out from the inside of the "Mower Belt Guard". And this modification to the guard would not interfere with its purpose or safety feature as well.
Now for the modification: Using an 1-inch hole saw, we drilled three holes, about a 1/4 to 1/2 inch from the bottom, around the edge of this guard, equally spaced out. By doing this, it will allow the water jetted from the nozzle to reach inside the guard at three different places to help in the removal of the debris build up. We spaced out the holes as best as we could. Now cleaning is WAY faster. Just thought it might help everyone else out. Those decks aren't cheap to replace especially when caused by rust which could have been prevented.
I learn something today about belts not stretching, but wearing out from the inside. Thanks.
You are one heavy duty lady. I got a top notch drive belt from Gates, a kevlar belt, much better than the original one. It took three tries to get the right size, but fortunately, with light use, I could trade in the ones that were too short at the O"Reilly parts store.
They are top grade, had patience to help me, so this is a reference if you want to try this for yourself.
Just switching over from snowblower mode to lawn cutting mode on Martha, My Deere, today. I'll closely inspect and lube the deck while it's out. Thanks for the video, Bre! ❤❤
Martha was Paul's dog 😊
You are a Beatles fan! Does anyone else name their mower or tractor?
@@MLenninger I name all my vehicles... LOL But not all after Beatles' tunes!
Great to be the shop owner. You can have a beer on premise while making RUclips videos!
The is the best video I've seen in 2023! Wealth of information, specially since I have a JD. Carumba you rock Bre!!!
Thanks so much for the video! I am glad that you did this one. I don’t know how many times I have heard people say that the belt is stretched! Now I can tell them to watch your video! Thanks again and keep up the great job!
Chickanic spreading knowledge, love it , lawn maintenance is finally picking up in upstate new york, it can snow up here on mothers day and of course Halloween, new york
Loved how clean that desk was.
I learned that years ago working on heavy equipment. This particular piece had a surpentin belt that required an OEM belt on it. I tried 3 different belts and each one lacked 3/8 " one way or the other. ( Longer or shorter ) to put on. NONE of them would work. So I had to drive 75 miles to the equipment dealer to get it. The belt was twice the price and not to mention the down time. Big down time loss , hundreds of dollars. Since then have an OEM spare in the truck. That's what they call a Bought Lesson. Great video.
yup been there done that...out grew the tee shirt. There were even some pieces of equipment when we had to tear a 'bunch' of stuff off to get to the belts to change them we would cable tie a spare set of belts in place so when the time was right we would just cut the old belts off and have the replacements in place to slide on. Sure save a lot of work when out on the job site and down time was costly.
But yeah...having the right belt makes a difference...almost all the time. (I have seen car fan belts jerry rigged to get out of the 'wilderness' a couple times...lol)
Since “V” belts drive on their sides, a worn pulley can also cause belt slippage. Cement saws will often have this issue. The bottom of the drive pulley should not have a polished appearance, as that means the belt is bottoming out on the pulley and therefore the belt will be slipping to some degree on the pulley.
Finally, the voice of experience.
These belts are different than automotive belts. People think a belt is a belt. That's why people want a smaller one, because automotive belts do stretch. Great channel!
Naw - same deal. They wear just like described here.
Yeah, cut one in half, and you'll find they either have steel wire or kevlar cord in them. Neither will stretch.
Guuuuurl you are the BEST!!!! I have watched 5 days worth of blah,blah blah,,,,, and your demeanor and explanation of systems keep it damn SIMPLE!!!!!! Got your site Saved my New Freind!!!!! Thanx!!!!!
After a couple of years, my belt would come off when I started it up. I noticed that one of the belt guards had broke off from the vibration. I loosed up one of the bolts and made a belt guard from a bent welding rod. It's been a year and it still works good. Great videos!! Thanks.
That girl taught me more about belts in 10 minutes than I learned in 50 years self taught! Nice to look at, too. Keep the vids coming. You guys really have a big following of mower repairs. Thanks for info.(are you sure belts don't stretch?)lol
Amen, preach it Chickanic! Every point on the money. I don't know about John Deere but especially on the old craftsman(and several other brands that are all clones) with mechanical belt tightening function standard size deck there are parts that wear out. Sears parts made a kit to make these decks like new replacing the steel plate that swings back and forth....your pulley being at a bad angle and this part getting stuck is a hint it's worn out underneath. Almost every older deck I examined back in the day needs this kit.
I've got an old school lt 166 jd, I so know about the believe situation. I've been working on small equipment for about 20 years, have been in landscape, mowing, plowing business etc. So I have that knowledge to have it work, make it work whether it's right or wrong on only my personal equipment of course. I use that old jd to cut down very tall, overgrown turf at a compliance property that I mow only a few times over the summer, before I finish with the Lzs80 exmark that I refuse to abuse. I've got it down to a science with how gently I throw the PTO on and off, even the stupid timing belt on the freedom 42 deck, when that went wacky, I just turned it inside out! And it's still going! The only thing I've bought for that tractor, which is only a seat, cowling, and fenders in the past 10 years is a couple plugs, fuel filters, oil and filters of course, but no belts! Yes it was a learning curve, but I can't believe how much I beat that thing, and how good it is to me! I don't dare even look at the hydraulic drive belt, god only knows what that looks like!
I have always thought the belt was stretching over the years. This proves that the belts do not stretch. I really like your belt size checker.
I love your shop bre, it reminds me of the one my fiend had in the 80's and 90's that i worked as a mechanic.👍👍
I'll have to give mine a check next time I pull the deck for blade sharpening. Only have replaced it one time when I forgot to install the other side over the pulley- it sheared as soon as I engaged the PTO. Maybe 6-7 years old now, maybe 170 hours on it.
Excellent presentation full of great explanations
I've been running my JD LA145 for 5 years now without the two black plastic deck belt guards with no problems. It makes changing the belt a lot quicker when needed and also eliminates the loose grass that always seems to get packed in there. Makes blowing off all the loose grass off the top of the deck when finished mowing before putting the mower away. And yes I always make sure the pulleys are not spinning before I step off the mower. In fact it is easier to see that the blades have completely stopped spinning because you can see the tops of the outer spindle pulleys and make sure everything has stopped. I wish you would so a video on what you do about the crappy Tuff Torq transmissions that all the JD LA1xx series mowers use and the known issues they have when they start slipping or just not moving the tractor when going up slight hills. I'm sure you've seen those issues in your shop.
I've gone through this a number of times and I've almost always had to purchase a shorter deck belt even though all the rest of the deck parts seemed intact. I don't even bother trying to make a bunch of other corrections or adjustments and just get a slightly shorter belt.
first time i'd heard the dogs name.i thought DOGKANIC was a good choice.keep filling my brain with useful information.
Your example mower uses a PTO system that tightens the belt to make it spin. For that kind of system it makes sense that the belt length would be critical. It needs to be the right length to have enough tension to grab the pulleys while the PTO is engaged and enough slack that when the PTO is disengaged the belt doesn't contact the engine shaft pulley and get gnawed down. However for systems where the PTO is not based on a mechanism to tighten the belt but instead the belt is a fixed tension and there is a clutch to engage the engine to drive the blades, it seems like that case the belt length wouldn't be as critical.
Also the guards aren't necessary to keep the belt from falling off.
The frustration I feel when all the lawnmowers in my life tear up and I KNOW that taking them to someone to have them fixed will cost more money than I have cannot be expressed in words! The whole neighborhood knows because my yard looks completely ratchet next to my neighbors freshly cut and manicured yard and it's not because I'm lazy or don't care but because every time I turn around something is wrong with one or all of my mowers. And I don't have the money to pay someone to fix them. So thank you for what you do. You have taught this ole girl a few things!
Everyone on my street has a lawn tractor and sometimes I feel like it’s slightly ridiculous like it’s to bad we couldn’t all get together and just share one or two! With that said if a neighbours mower breaks down we all jump in to mow their lawn until it’s fixed.
Just a thought that as I look at other people's yards see how ragged they look, it's not over all mower. The deck is not level. Try to find out how to level your deck and you will be very surprise what is difference it makes. It's not hard, but you have to have the correct instructions for your mower and deck.
One thing I did to my belt guards was to modify them in such a way to make it easier to clean without taking them off every time I wanted to clean it up by just blowing all the crap out and worked fine I have an LA145 John Deere I bought new in 07 I think don't remember but still going strong just replacing the normal wear stuff
I tried the same thing, to get the debris out, but even with lots of large openings, I still have to remove the guard to clean it out.
In recent times, it seems difficult to find replacement belts that aren't made in India. Even belts coming in OE sleeves are being manufactured there. They don't last. I have a 10 year old GT54LS with approx 630 hours on it. I used to get about 2 to 3 years out of an OE grade deck belt. The newer Husqvarna belts made in India would develop 3 to 4 cross section splits after only 6 to 8 months. I've found Oregon branded belts made in Mexico to hold up really well for the time being. Thanks for the awesome video!!!
Very informative video! Thank you 😊
BRODIX! Glad to see you repping our hometown Mena, AR engine company!
We love BRODIX! Can Not buy better heads and blocks than what is cast in Mena, Arkansas!
You lady "know the ropes" ! :) Have a great weekend.
All right all ready.....new belt same as the old....Geezzzz !👍
I get what you're saying. But if you have an adjustable idler you will be able to use a slightly longer or shorter belt. I've done it, but that was on very old machines. Haven't changed a deck belt in a couple of decades. So maybe things have changed over the eons.😅 I'm pretty old.
P.S. I dig the music on your channel!👍😁
Funny you mention about the belt being too tight that I had a guy sell me a JD riding mover for $300 and said he didn't know what was wrong with it because the blades were always running even when they weren't engaged. I took it home and bought a belt and blades kit and changed out all parts and the thing ran like a champ.... still does today 😊
Great video by the way 👍🏼
Terrific insight and advice. Thanks for sharing your knowledge. Cheers from Montreal, Canada!
Love your Channel and that 1977 Corvette ❤❤
What a great video! You are so precise in your explanation! I learn something from you wether I want to or not! 😂☮✌🏻
Ever work on old gravley. 42 in deck. Mine 1969. Rebuilt eng. My Harley. Little noisey. Haha . Changing bellts on deck is a little rough. Still cuts great. Especially long grass. Have you seen any around. People don't realize worn belts cause worn pulleys. Hence belts don't last. Keep up good work . Love strange fixes.
One of the most common culprits I find that causes the deck belt to jump off, is a filthy deck. And when I say a filthy deck, I mean one that’s got like 20 acres of grass and dirt buildup around the spindles and pulleys. Guy’s wash that deck off every so often, and you will experience far fewer cases of the deck belt jumping off.
Good advice, but not right after you mow. Wait til the bearings cool off or lifespan is shortened greatly. Shooting myself in the foot because I sell a lot of deck bearings lol.
Right after mowing, the bearing will be hot. While you put water on the bearings and spindles they will cool down. The bearing will suck in the water to ruin your bearings. Wait until tomorrow to wash the mower.
Thanks, have to replace mine, thought it stretched, guess not
😅
I had a cub cadet for 12 years and when I got rid of it, it still had the original belt on it... after that I had a Husqvarna for 11 years, and when I got rid of that it had the original belt on it... never replace a belt on either one and no belts came off ever...
I love your videos. I have been told all my life that belts stretch, thanks for straightening me out. Why would anyone replace a part with something that isn't right?
Love how you pre positioned your icy cold beverage lol!!
Excellent information! Thank you! Just replaced the belts on our rider, hope I did it right. Otherwise I’ll be doing it again, but will be wiser because of your video.
Hey good info on the mower belts.
They sure were a lot of string trimmers in for repair. I'm not a small engine mechanic, but i did for the first time just replace a carburetor on my string trimmer. Watched a lot of your repair videos. My trimmer blows mostly white smoke under loads, so next i am going to check spark arrester to see if it's clogged up. I think i seen you explain that too. Thanks for your info on repairs.
Very true, I tried a smaller drive belt and ended up cutting it off cause it was way to tight .😮
I have a toro 16 hp and I can adjust the tension on the belt when it does start to wear out but you do need the right size belt
O'Reilly Auto parts has Gates brand belts which are very good belts. Got them to interchange the John Deere part number and bought the Gates equivalent...no problemo!
Awesome footage always keep stepping and fetching 💪 💪
Good see ya back on the air, what is best for the money is a zero-turn mower, looking to get one, looking forward to more of your videos thanks.
Good points! Another thing to consider is Raw-Edge vs. Wrapped V-Belts... The wrapped belts will slip more which may or may not be good for the intended use. The raw belts will generally transmit more power as they slip less but that could cause other issues with the system. As such, in addition to length and width check for raw-edge versus wrapped-edge in the specs.
Completely false. Wrapped belts are used in these applications because they're designed to stretch less (yes, they do stretch) and not glaze from slipping on pulleys. A normal belt could be used in a pinch but it would likely delaminate quickly.
@@mikezupancic2182 Interesting... How is advising folks to check whether the application calls for raw-edge or wrapped-edge belts along with length and width "completely false." The information on power and slippage comes from belt manufacturers' and specialty belt vendors' web sites. The short story is to buy the correct belt!
@@johngrossbohlin7582 this is about mowers, not your car.
@@mikezupancic2182 I definitely qualified the advice by referencing "the application." As such, the advice to check the manufacturer's specifications for length, width, and type is sound. That said, there are also linked belts, cogged belts, flat belts... 😉
I just replaced the PTO belt on my Gravelly commercial zero turn and I had to totally remove the bolt tensioner and spring to get it on, taking it off not hard at all. I bought it at the dealer and I gave him the model and serial numbers. Before i put it on, I put one on top of the other. The old belt was black and new one looked to be like kevlar. After installing i had to measure the length of the spring which I did and the belt doesn't slop around like the old did. The price of the new belt was higher than the one I replaced, which isn't something new.
The "take away" from this... Size *does* matter according to the Chickanic!! 🤣
I have a Craftsman T1800 with a 42” deck. I bought two new blades to put on it, before I took off the blades I checked the play in the spindle bearings one had play so I took off the belt pulley half of the ball bearings were missing. Had to order spindle but the deck belt was in stock. The mower is about seven years old still had origin belt & spindles.
Thank you
Yeah, well Cub Cadet LTX 1046. Right MTD belt fully engaged PTO cable. Belt is still too loose. It cuts grass but only when you let it wind up some rpm. Mowing faster stops the blades. The previous owner had the same problem with new factory belts,so he got rid of it. To make it cut well I use a 5L. Incorrect and disengages poorly but gotta cut grass.
Great video good information. I have a Dixie chopper trying to find a 42 inch deck😊
35 dollars for a cheapo off-brand secondary deck belt for a 48" Husqvarna that lasted three weeks, replaced it with a 60 dollar OEM belt and it's been good for years.
Well done Chikanic, nothing worse than being told 'i told you so'. haha
Good to know info, thanks.
Good video at the perfect time. My drive belt on my 2001 Poulan Pro lawn tractor is beginning to smoke at the engine pulley when I climb a steep hill. I made a mistake of touching that pulley with my bare hand. Like touching a branding iron. I got a new belt and putting it on next week. Been trying to figure out how to change it.
I have a "Yard machine" that some one decided to install a 2 inch longer belt on the variable speed pulley. Took me a week to figure out why the thing wouldn't move at all in the slower settings! Fun times
I know it might seem trivial, but I think it might be helpful to show how you put a tube in a rider tire without pinching it in the process.
I love your videos, right to the point. Thank you!
When my John Deere is not engaged, and the belt sags down, the pulley, continues to spin which cuts my belt.
Is the pulley supposed to continue to spin when I’m not cutting?
Thanks for your time,
Rhonda
Everything this mechanic is saying is true. And as far as the precise fit required, I'll throw something else out there: you have to look at the angle of the V part of the belt too, to make sure it matches the pulley on your mower. My dad had a Murray at one time (one of the good ones from 1984), and he got a "lawnmower belt" for the deck. Got about halfway around the yard one time and smoked it because the V on the mower pulley was a tighter angle than the V of the belt, so all of the belt surface wasn't contacting the pulley, and it just burned up. Not all mowers are that particular, but if you have a Murray...you better be observant.
OMG I have been driving myself insane over a John Deer LA135 that I inherited that would throw the belt every time I disengaged the deck. The old guards were worn out, and torn up, so I never put them back on when I changed the belt. New parts are on order. Now if you could do a drive belt change video on that lol.
Great video!
Great vids and I strongly approve of your choice in beer.
Watched late at night with two fans going in the room. Tv volume was down low, with captions on. I hear the phone and it sounds just like mine. I immediately jump to check. Then I come back, resume the video, & hear the phone ring again.
I had to reset the deck belt on my 2 year old Ariens ikon xd today. It was loaded with crap under the plastic shields, so the pulleys were crying out to be free! It was a pretty easy fix and the belt is still ok. I usually don't let stuff build up in there for that reason. I blow the junk out with a leaf blower, & then follow up with a quick spray of the hose. A clean machine's gonna work better. I do my best to keep stuff maintained too!
I picked up a mower that looked absolutely new and was except being used once and gas letting in it get gelled for three years for free and after l one half hours got it running.
Nice video good advice
Here in East Texas there is a lot of sand. The sand gets stirred up when cutting and gets on the belt. While using the sand erodes the V of the PTO pulley and the spindle pulleys. This lets the belt run deeper in the pulley and allows poor quality of belt contact. Then the belt doesn’t turn the blades well in deep grass.
Thanks again :)
Thanks for the video. If my arithmetic is correct, 1 inch difference in length changes the circumference by 6.28", , , that's a LOT of slack. [or a lot of tight]
I have a Field Tuff pull behind tiller for my UTV that I’ve been fighting the belt on all week. It takes a beating bouncing around the field and the belt is either too tight and burns or too loose and pops off. After 2 of the correct belts being replaced this week I finally took it to the shop. I noticed several things related to this. The tension nut for the spring pulley keeps coming loose and so does the belt keeper arms. Hopefully they can lock tight or whatever these parts and get it working as it should again.
I just put a new deck on my 125 JD. They have updated a few things since my 2005 jd was made. The new pulley covers are supposed to rub on the belt? Till they wear to the metal pin? Also the bracket to adjust the PTO cable is now welded to the deck. My old one is bolted on w an adjustment slot in the bracket. Why did they do that? 1 last thing, it has 2 black cylinder shaped plastic things bolted to the ft part of the deck. What are those for? Maybe just for shipping? Thanks fo your videos. They are quick, informative, and thorough.
I have learned to engage belts at low RPM and then throttle up, then throttle down before disengaging the belt.
You missed a important part especially on higher end John deere tractors. They use bushings in the idler arms for pulleys. Some are greaseable and some are not.. These bushings can wear out and let the idler arms sag or dip and make the belt ride up on the wheels and start shredding the belt or vibrating the unit causing more damage to PTO or cables ect!
My 30'' Columbia shredded the belt after two mows. According to a YT post, because of a design flaw, the belt slips off when the deck is dropped too low. At that acute angle, the blade belt is prone to slippage from jarring of the deck. i.e. uneven lawns or hitting rocks. My belt was wedged around the pulley spindle 3 layers deep. It hasn't happened again in the last four seasons.
My L120 has an electric clutch so I don't have the same issues but its still best to get the right size to have the correct tension on the system.
I learn so much from you.
Years ago I decided to not buy anything that said John Deer on it.
The reason was, even back then, I realized they were very good at building "failure" into their products!
And they've gotten better at it!
Chain and sprocket conversion kit.
Short sweet and Accurate love it
Very helpful.
You also have to be careful when buying aftermarket belts. Someone will list an 88 inch belt as a replacement for a MTD 88.5 belt.
Yep, with no fancy measuring tool, I know I have been sold too short belts thru online sales... I could barely engage the belt drive lever and ended up killing an idler pully 😢
Mine was maybe a quarter-inch too long. You could tell by the occasional burning smell as it slipped, particularly when raising the deck above three inches. The cut quality had also suffered.
The belt I tried to replace it with was too small, and it actually did spin the blades even with the PTO off. Both belts were listed as being the proper size. No more off-brand belts for me, despite the OEM one being four times the price.
@@larryjohns8823 😢
Do you have a video on replacing deck lift handle on a troy bilt zero turn mower troy bilt mustang 50
I noticed the Pix belts in your inventory. I just went through 3 belts that kept coming off. The last one was a Pix and it has stayed on.
Belting them out!!!
I've had more problems with the idler pulley brackets not moving correctly than with the belt itself. Those are easy to fix, just remove clean rust, grease replace. I check the deck and engine at least 2-3 times a year. For different things.
Thank you.❤
I recently replaced the deck belt on my '06 Cub SLT 1550 with nearly 500 hrs on it. It was the original belt and I noticed some chunks missing so I figured it was time. Not sure, but sounds amazing to me. Am I doing something right? Lol.
Thank you much. Such usefull information. Take care.
I know, because I have seen it, that people often put their belts on incorrectly, and that they don’t put the guides and guards on.
However, mine is not on incorrectly.
The Scott’s L1742 / John Deere L100 42” mower deck is an incredibly simple belt routing….It’s pretty hard to mess that up, but I also have the manual showing me, in case I’m a moron.
I mean, V side of belt in the V grooves, flat side on the flat, and it’s routed per the picture / instructions.
It doesn’t just appear to be too loose, it is too loose.
It falls off just driving around the yard, if it is not engaged.
It slips when trying to engage….especially if I don’t have the mower deck lifted up.
When I got my hands on this thing, it was way out of adjustment, so I set it up exactly per the factory instructions.
I found the pivot points for the blade brakes had rusty bushings, springs, etc.
That inhibited movement.
It stood to reason that this affected their movement, and it obviously had a negative affect on belt tension.
I replaced the bushings, springs, even washers and bolts, so things could move freely.
I replaced the one missing the belt guide, (your machine in the video didn’t have this guide, or even the holes for it….I think it is only on the 42” decks, and maybe earlier decks at that) and also changed the belt guide / shield on the left side…..there is only one, on this mower deck. Later or larger ones have one on the right side too, and I suspect it’s because belts get thrown off.
I’m starting to wonder if the engine is on slotted holes, and someone moved it farther back, because it’s not seemingly possible to get the correct belt tight.
I also wonder if maybe the belt pulleys might not all be correct?
One pulley is possibly too small?
-It just doesn’t seem possible that worn parts put that much slop into the system.
I’m left to wonder if the bellcrank needs to be replaced, but doesn’t seem sloppy enough to cause this.
Also, maybe the cable has stretched.
Most of these parts have been cheap to replace, but with that and the hardware, I’m over 400 bucks into this, and I’m doing the labor.
The bell crank with pulley is over 45 bucks, if I do that.
I think you said the cable is at least that much.
Not sure where this ends, but this thing has become the bane of my existence.
I buy ALL of my mower parts from ebay at a fraction of the çost of the parts shops.
Fascinating! So, I can't just stretch a section of inner tube in a pinch to replace my mower belt? Huh.
Also, TCB. Take off a couple of weeks. You could release a "Best of" edited video with some safe advice from the past. Like the one about ethanol in gasoline from one hose pumps.
Great tip thx always learn something from you, take care
Your right belts don’t stretch!! And neither do pants😵💫
I found a company that sells belts and makes custom hydraulic hoses. They sell Kelvar belts that are pretty trustworthy. I have yet to get the wrong belt from them. They know things I didn't know concerning belts. MTD is very particular on size and width. The wrong belt on an MTD is asking for it.
Yep belt guards. I've been working on my John Deere deck all morning and without the belt guards the belt will jump off for sure.
Your my lawnmower hero