Honda H4518HST destroys belts

[KJINTF]

Hi,
Looking forward to any and all suggestions or simply comments
I have a 1996 Honda riding mower with a 35" cutting deck, which destroys the PTO drive belt 76181-758-L00 after about 20 hours of cutting time. The engine and transmission have been great. Cutting conditions 3 acres of flat level ground, dry grass, cut at 2.5 inches. Took it to several Honda repair shops during the first few years of it's life with no luck. 20 hours is about all I get on the belt and at $70.00 per belt it hurts.

Anyone heard of this or have any suggestions other than to get a new Kubota ZD321 and give up on the Honda?

 

[shivam]

yeah.........
dats right,m totallly agree with you.

 

[Shmudda]

Dont give up on the Honda, I have a 4514 since new and the machine is just great.

Few suggestions for you....

Make sure you are not over tightening the belt, there is an adjustment alignment mark on the front sheave and it must align with the metal pointer.

When the belt makes the bend make sure it is bent the proper way and not backwards

Check your bearing and sheave on the mower deck. The bearing could be shot allowing the belt to tilt and hit the edge of the sheave and then misalign fracturing the belt.

There has to be something cutting or fraying the belt during use. My machine is a 1994 and it still has the originial belt on for the PTO and cutting deck.

Good luck.....

Craig

 

[KJINTF]

Thanks for the thoughts - they are sure appreciated
I have the Honda factory shop manual and have been aligining the tension marks as the manual calls out
Great to hear you have had such good luck
I do indeed love the engine and transmission just not the lawn cutting capabilities - It is a quite nice running machine
Is there a difference in the cutting decks and or belts between the 14 hp and the 18hp? Friends with the 14hp have said the very same as you, however I have never heard from anyone with a 18hp machine
Either way I intend to keep the Honda just add a new Kubota ZD321N/54 to the mix, the lawn area is just to big to spend 3.5 hours as many as three times a week in the spring on the Honda

Thanks for the suggestions
Ken