Mowing Is the belt the problem on my Woods rear mower?

[rsmith02184]

hi

I have been experiencing some problems with my Woods RM550 mower. It acts like it is getting bogged down even though I am only cutting about 1/2" of grass.

I looked under the deck and at some point, I has run over a nylon dog leash. It wrapped around one of the 3 spindles. I removed it.

I looked under the belt cover and noticed that the belt has some cracking and there seems to be some "play" in the belt but I don't know if it is too much play or not since I have nothing to compare it to.

The RPM'S on the PTO do not drop when the mower "bogs down". They stay at 540.

So, my question is:

1) what could the problem be according to my description?

fyi: it is completely greased up and I changed the cup washers too.

thanks in advance

[boggen]

did the nylon dog leash, get wrapped up into the blades, and to a point leash worked its way up into the bearings? or around the shaft, that extend to above the deck, that pulley connects to?

it has not been a dog leash, but some weed block fabric that caused me some problems. once i took belt off, and then tried to rotate all of the blades, i could tell one of the blades were not spinning freely, once i dismantled everything, i was able to get screw driver, utility knife and remove all the crud. put back together and has been fine ever since.

do all your pulleys on deck move freely? perhaps you have a bearing going out.

===========
are you sure it is the mower, and not something wrong with the tractor engine? say going up a hill in to high of gear?

[rsmith02184]

I don't think the leash got up into the bearings.

How can I test to see if the spindles are all spinning freely? Do I have to take off the belt? I really don't want to take off the belt, it seems real difficult to put back on.

Thanks

The tractor engine is fine...like I said: the RPM's don't drop at all.

[whistlepig]

Sounds like your belt is slipping. Grab two blades at once and see if one will turn while holding the other. It shouldn't turn. Be careful working under the mower. Block it up if you have to get under it.

[rsmith02184]

I have done that test already and I can manually turn one blade while holding another. The only thing is I cant see what is happening to the belt since I am under the tractor when I do this test.

I guess I will have to get the DW out there to watch and tell me.

[whistlepig]

Your belt is fried. Buy another belt and install it. I think that this may be Kevlar belt. At least the belt on my Woods PRD7200 is a Kevlar belt. I have never owned a RM 550 but did own a RM 660 for a few years. The belt on my RM 660 was pretty much indestructible but a nylon dog leash around the spindle wouldn't be a fair fight.

[Leejohn]

Sounds more like the the idler with the spring on it has locked up on the shaft. Not the idle wheel, but the arm is locked and not keeping the belt tight.

[aczlan]

Sounds more like the the idler with the spring on it has locked up on the shaft. Not the idle wheel, but the arm is locked and not keeping the belt tight.

I agree. I have been able to turn the blades separably on most every finish deck I have worked on. I would remove the belt and see hoe freely the idler arm swings. No need (IMO) to replace the belt until it snaps.

Aaron Z

[rsmith02184]

I also suspected the idler arm pulley but I don't want to mess with taking the belt off to check it. Is it a big deal to put it back on?

It has been working better last 2 mowings. So, maybe whatever had the idler arm locked up, worked its way out.

Who knows but I will keep using it until either the belt snaps or the thing acts up again.

Any opinions on whether to go with a expensive belt or a cheaper one? Is the quality that much better given the price of the expensive one is double the cheaper one?

[aczlan]

Any opinions on whether to go with a expensive belt or a cheaper one? Is the quality that much better given the price of the expensive one is double the cheaper one?

You want one that has fabric (usually Kevlar) wrapped around the whole belt.
Anything else wont hold up in my experience. The one on my inlaw's Kubota MMM has at least 400 hours on it (700 hours on the tractor) and still looks great.

Aaron Z