Deck belt breaking

Hedgecutter

I have a Husqvarna CTH 140 Twin ride on mower 36" deck. 8 years old. The deck belt snapped recently, not too worried it lasted 8 years. Problem is the new bel only lasted 3 weeks and it didn't snap, but more like shredded.

It was hard to get on and I could smell rubber when cutting, I thought it was just the new belt bedding in.

The guy in the shop gave me a belt off the shelf, is it possible it was too small or is there a check list I should go through before I go back to the shop and ask for a new belt. Could the mower cause this.

Any help would be appreciated.

jmreire

Hedgecutter wrote: »

I have a Husqvarna CTH 140 Twin ride on mower 36" deck. 8 years old. The deck belt snapped recently, not too worried it lasted 8 years. Problem is the new bel only lasted 3 weeks and it didn't snap, but more like shredded.

It was hard to get on and I could smell rubber when cutting, I thought it was just the new belt bedding in.

The guy in the shop gave me a belt off the shelf, is it possible it was too small or is there a check list I should go through before I go back to the shop and ask for a new belt. Could the mower cause this.

Any help would be appreciated.

Normally, if you bought the new belt from a Husqvarna dealership, they should give you the correct one for your model, and it might be a little tight when new, but it should not be difficult to fit. I don't think that they will replace the belt for you though. Even in a brand new mower, the belt is the only thing not covered in the guarantee. Before fitting the new belt, did you check that ALL the pulleys were running freely? Especially the two pulleys that drive the blades?

Hedgecutter

jmreire wrote: »

Normally, if you bought the new belt from a Husqvarna dealership, they should give you the correct one for your model, and it might be a little tight when new, but it should not be difficult to fit. I don't think that they will replace the belt for you though. Even in a brand new mower, the belt is the only thing not covered in the guarantee. Before fitting the new belt, did you check that ALL the pulleys were running freely? Especially the two pulleys that drive the blades?

Honestly I don't think ill get a free replacement. I haven't checked the pulleys yet, could it be anything else, as for the fitting it was hard but I felt it was down to the fact it was new.

jmreire

Hedgecutter wrote: »

Honestly I don't think ill get a free replacement. I haven't checked the pulleys yet, could it be anything else, as for the fitting it was hard but I felt it was down to the fact it was new.

Personally I think that at least one of the pulley's is seized, and the belt running on this is overheating ( actually it's burning ) which you have mentioned. This weakened it and caused it to break. Was this the first cut of the season? Before fitting the new belt ( MK2 ) make sure that you spray a good amount of a lubricating oil onto each pully....check each one to make sure that it is spinning freely ( the main drive pully, fitted to the engine will not spin though. This is normal ) even the ones which are free, listen to see if they are making any noise, or feel rough when turning them by hand. It should not be a major job to fit the new belt....there is plenty of lee way in the tensioner .

Hedgecutter

jmreire wrote: »

Personally I think that at least one of the pulley's is seized, and the belt running on this is overheating ( actually it's burning ) which you have mentioned. This weakened it and caused it to break. Was this the first cut of the season? Before fitting the new belt ( MK2 ) make sure that you spray a good amount of a lubricating oil onto each pully....check each one to make sure that it is spinning freely ( the main drive pully, fitted to the engine will not spin though. This is normal ) even the ones which are free, listen to see if they are making any noise, or feel rough when turning them by hand. It should not be a major job to fit the new belt....there is plenty of lee way in the tensioner .

Thanks, not first cut old belt went 3 weeks ago. I do remember I had to remove a idler wheel to get it on, tensioning wheel was to the last. may be I put in back wrong.

jmreire

Hedgecutter wrote: »

Thanks, not first cut old belt went 3 weeks ago. I do remember I had to remove a idler wheel to get it on, tensioning wheel was to the last. may be I put in back wrong.

Should not be any need to remove any of the pulley's...... if I remember right, there is a metal strip across one pulley, and you have to bend this out of the way to get the belt on the pulley, but then push it back in place when the belt is on.

Hedgecutter

jmreire wrote: »

Should not be any need to remove any of the pulley's...... if I remember right, there is a metal strip across one pulley, and you have to bend this out of the way to get the belt on the pulley, but then push it back in place when the belt is on.

Ya ill have to have a good look tomorrow as check everything. Cheers

dar_cool

I done this with a john deere. Belt wasnt on the correct way and was rubbing on a metal part which was casuing the belt to shred.

Hedgecutter

Rang the place where I got the belt and gave him the model number. He told me it was a 36"belt.

Images below. Not sure if I'm measuring right but the blade is 19.5" and overall lengthy is 39.5".

I'm I wrong in assuming it's a 40" deck I have.

jmreire

Hedgecutter wrote: »

Rang the place where I got the belt and gave him the model number. He told me it was a 36"belt.

Images below. Not sure if I'm measuring right but the blade is 19.5" and overall lengthy is 39.5".

I'm I wrong in assuming it's a 40" deck I have.

That's a 40" deck, for sure. Do you still have the original belt that broke? You will have to go back to the dealer and show him these pics......pretty sure that getting a 36" belt on a 40" deck would be pretty tight fit...…

Hedgecutter

jmreire wrote: »

That's a 40" deck, for sure. Do you still have the original belt that broke? You will have to go back to the dealer and show him these pics......pretty sure that getting a 36" belt on a 40" deck would be pretty tight fit...…

No throw it in the bin, big mistake. I rang I'm and he said " How the F%$k could you get a 36" belt on a 40" deck :eek:". I replied with why did you give me a 36" belt.
He wont replace it.

jmreire

Hedgecutter wrote: »

No throw it in the bin, big mistake. I rang I'm and he said " How the F%$k could you get a 36" belt on a 40" deck :eek:". I replied with why did you give me a 36" belt.
He wont replace it.

of course he wont.....forget it. Get another new one, and see how you get on with it. And just for your info, Belts are never covered under a guarantee...not even on a brand new machine...as belt wear and tear is at the responsibility of the user, so some belts last 6,7,8 or 9 years, and others only a very short time. One common mistake is setting the cutting deck too low....this is sudden death to belts...you have to understand that when the blades hit something, that resistance is passed all the way back to the engine, but the belt being the weakest link, will break. The reason for the tensioner is to "Absorb" some of this force while maintaining enough pressure on the belt to drive the cutting blades, but even this will not save the belt from excessive "Braking".