Belt tension adjuster on MMM?

[SkunkWerX]

BX2350 with 60" MMM

Maybe I'm missing it, but I have read the MMM booklet 3 times, and there is no mention of a belt tensioning adjustment?

Is this true, or am I really missing something?

Typically there is a spring adjustment with a min/max range for spring length, at least that's how other decks I have had adjusted.
Any thoughts?

If there truly is not any adjustment for belt tension, then, would it simply be the repalcement of the spring to bring the belt tension back into specs?

 

[B2400]

The spring should maintain the proper tension on belt for the lifetime of belt. My 1998 B2400 has 1200hrs of which approx. 900 are with MMM , original belt and spring still doing the job!!

 

[SkunkWerX]

The spring should maintain the proper tension on belt for the lifetime of belt. My 1998 B2400 has 1200hrs of which approx. 900 are with MMM , original belt and spring still doing the job!!

Wow! OK, good to know.

On my last Ford deck, the spring was attached to a threaded-rod with capture nuts. They gave a Min/Max spring tension in mm's of spring length.
So, as you changed belts and the spring aged, you would tighten, keeping the tension by measuring belt deflection, and when the Spring got beyond it's Max length, it was time to replace it. Original was only replaced once, that I know of, but, it made me immediately look for a belt tension adjustment.

Thanks for the heads up on this.

 

[Volfandt]

You're not missing it, there isn't one

I'm on my 3rd mowing season and the mower seems to still operate as good as it did brand new. The belt looks hardly worn and theres no detectable slippage between the belts and pulleys.
I do follow the manuals recommendation on relieveing the tension on the idler pulley and belt during the winter by using a prybar to expand the idler pulley and remove the belt fron the pulley's. This way theres no tension on either the spring nor belt which supposedly extends the life of both. I never did that on my other machines but it makes sense.

 

[SkunkWerX]

That seems like a good idea, to loosen the tension over winter.

My mowing season usally runs from Early April to Thanksgiving, so, I mgiht be able to give it a few months of "stress free" life.

Thanks for the tips!

 

[dannydan3]

I have noticed that my belt "flops" around quite a bit when operating the deck. It hasn't caused any damage yet, but has anyone else noticed this? It seems as though the belt should run smoothly across the longest span without this. Also, am I in danger of ruining some of the bearings by having this belt do this? My tensioner is not stuck or anything like that, and my blades spin freely, never hit anything to stop a blade, although I have smelled some rubber burn when cutting a big pile of wet grass, I shut down and raise the deck immediately before smoking the belt.

 

[mozark]

The belt on my 60" MMM has "slapped" so bad, it hits itself as it passes over the idler pulley causing deep depressions to wear on the inside of the belt, which in turn makes it slap even worse. My brother has a 54"MMM on his BX1500, and his belt "slaps" too. His has not worn the deep depressions like mine. I really think there should have been idlers placed in the middle to keep this from happening, in fact thats what I did to mine, (now if I can only get the dealer to replace the belt). I cannot believe more people are not having problems with this. There is a thread I posted a couple of weeks ago with pictures you might want to check out.