John Deere Proprietary Belts?

[dieselbob69]

I also have a 430. Use it for mowing. Bought it used.

The belt that drives the blades, broke.... ok, I don't know how old it is. Went to JD dealer to replace..... HOW MUCH IS IT?????

Yikes! I'll take the less expensive version of the same thing (from same dealer, it was an off brand)

Got home, put new belt on.... I did not get around the (smooth) field I cut a S.I.N.G.L.E. time....in fact, I got essentially 50% as I was on the far side of the field....the brand new that morning, belt snapped.

Learning my lesson, went back to dealer, bought their JD brand and paid the piper.

That was maybe six'ish years ago.....and that belt is still going strong.

Having a gravel driveway, I'll agree it's no fun pulling the mower out. If I had a smooth surface, it might slide better. I might buy some ramps so I can roll it up and slide under it to replace blades.

Not looking forward to next belt replacement though.

That's because the deck belt is a double V belt not a single V belt...

 

[dieselbob69]

A $250 muffler is obscenely expensive. Plenty of other parts could be added to the list. Not a myth. Reality.

You're a couple hundred off if you're talking about a 430 muffler, they are listed well over $400. But NLA...

 

[dieselbob69]

The specs I found said 40.

I think some people are not getting it. It's not just one belt. This thing is full of bad engineering and expensive parts. For example, no one should ever make a hydraulic cylinder which is welded shut on both ends, while charging way more for the part than a correctly-designed cylinder costs. My tractor has two of those. Some guy on the web got so mad, he cut his cylinder open with a lathe and rebuilt it.

The grills on these things are made so they fall out if you're not careful, and the first sign the grill has fallen out is the sensation you have run over something. You're not going to see it fall while you're on the tractor. This destroys the grill. Before Deere discontinued it (thanks), the grill sold for $465. This is a cheaply-made part that weighs around three pounds. Used ones now sell for $900 because so many have been run over. A Kubota grill which is much nicer, bigger, and more complicated (and can't fall out) was something like $75 last time I looked.

My Kubota is about 20 years old, and when I priced a muffler out of curiosity, it was lower than a 430 muffler, and the 430 is just a hobby tractor for yard work.

I don't believe in rooting for manufacturers like they were sports teams. I'm on the side of other people who buy products and have to deal with them. I have zero brand loyalty. After all, they're not loyal to me. Nobody at John Deere owns a Suburban Plowboy hat or paints his barn Suburban Plowboy red. I don't care if they go bankrupt tomorrow. I'll buy something else.

I have a Lincoln welder. I put two Chinese welders right beside it. I'd buy a Miller if I thought it was a good deal. I have a Ford. I have a Dodge. Next car will be a Toyota because they're the best all-around cars made.

This will be my last Deere product. I would really like an excavator, but I am willing to give another company a chance.

Flip Mfg. makes a grille for the 755/855/955 that is almost a direct fit for the 430( needs a little modification) for under $200. I'll take an old 430 diesel over any of the new pieces of schitt that are being sold today. Go pay $16k or more for a plastic POS Deere X75x series mower. Then you've gotta deal with dealer incompetence with any brand. They all have lousy service and pre-delivery setup and inspection.

 

[beenthere]

Flip Mfg. makes a grille for the 755/855/955 that is almost a direct fit for the 430( needs a little modification) for under $200. I'll take an old 430 diesel over any of the new pieces of schitt that are being sold today. Go pay $16k or more for a plastic POS Deere X75x series mower. Then you've gotta deal with dealer incompetence with any brand. They all have lousy service and pre-delivery setup and inspection.

Simply not true dieselbob69.

 

[dieselbob69]

Whats not true? Enlighten me

 

[dj1701]

Here's is a pic of my dad's old 316. I recall him bitching about the price of a new muffler 30 years ago. This was his solution.
Pretty sure the thunderbird hood ornament gave it more power.

I don't remember him or myself wrenching on it much. It was a pretty damn good tractor. I sold it after 40 years.


This 430 I bought to mow my lawn. It was a beast and ran like a charm. However, it meandered all over the place. I needed a bushing for the front axle that I could not find at the time. I had it for about a year then I bought the BX2680 and have never been happier, except for the seat. That had to be replaced or my back. The seat was cheaper.

Dave

 

[bmg88201]

All I know is that JD belts last me a long time and fit. I’ve used other brands and they don’t last or come off. I got too much stuff to do to screw around with the belts on my mower. They aren’t that expensive either.