problem with Cub Cadet 48" riding mower
- Thread starter lefluers
- Start date
- Views: 4533
TedLaRue
Gold Member
lefluers,
Welcome to the TBN forums!
The standard causes of a belt being thrown are:
1) missing or bent guard for the belt (which is meant to help hold it in place)
2) bad bearings in the spindles (shafts that hold the blades) causing them to wobble
3) belt tensioner has a stiff pivot or weak/broken spring
4) misaligned pulleys
The belt tensioner is probably an idler pulley on a spring-loaded arm that pivots. If the pivot needs lubricated or the spring is broken or weak, the belt won't be under enough tension.
To check for bad spindle bearings, remove the belt and see how much the blades wobble.
The belt guards could be a stiff wire "finger" or some other metal part to prevent the belt from flopping around or coming off the pulley. They can get bent, especially if you pick up a stick or something, or if someone forces a belt on in the wrong way.
Welcome to the TBN forums!
The standard causes of a belt being thrown are:
1) missing or bent guard for the belt (which is meant to help hold it in place)
2) bad bearings in the spindles (shafts that hold the blades) causing them to wobble
3) belt tensioner has a stiff pivot or weak/broken spring
4) misaligned pulleys
The belt tensioner is probably an idler pulley on a spring-loaded arm that pivots. If the pivot needs lubricated or the spring is broken or weak, the belt won't be under enough tension.
To check for bad spindle bearings, remove the belt and see how much the blades wobble.
The belt guards could be a stiff wire "finger" or some other metal part to prevent the belt from flopping around or coming off the pulley. They can get bent, especially if you pick up a stick or something, or if someone forces a belt on in the wrong way.
jdsafeman
New member
I am not sure if this is good advise or not. Maybe others will see this and chime in... But...
Recently a dealer told me to run the engine up to full throttle before engaging the blade clutch. This was contrary to what I have always done. His reasoning was that at low speed the tensioner would allow the belt to wobble a bit and this was what was causing belts to come off.
Recently a dealer told me to run the engine up to full throttle before engaging the blade clutch. This was contrary to what I have always done. His reasoning was that at low speed the tensioner would allow the belt to wobble a bit and this was what was causing belts to come off.
Probably was looking forward to selling you a new clutch.
Capt. Bob
Bronze Member
That don't make sense to me. I got 18 yrs. out of my last blade clutch by doing just the opposite. JMTCW
I have tried both engaging the blades at lower throttle and at higher throttle. I found that it popped off at higher throttle and never popped off at lower throttle.
I was told by a mechanic to replace the bolt that holds the tensioner on, because it was becoming loose. I put some loc-tite on the bolt. It has not become loose anymore.
The belt still comes off.
I was told by a mechanic to replace the bolt that holds the tensioner on, because it was becoming loose. I put some loc-tite on the bolt. It has not become loose anymore.
The belt still comes off.
jdsafeman
New member
TimS and Capt. Bob, yes I agree, full throttle engagement sounds like a bad idea. This is the first time I have ever heard of it.
LeFluers, TedLaRue has it right. Something is worn or out of adjustment. Keep looking. Troubleshooting these things can be a pain.
LeFluers, TedLaRue has it right. Something is worn or out of adjustment. Keep looking. Troubleshooting these things can be a pain.
daBear
Gold Member
I have a JD 285 garden tractor and I was having a heck of a time with the deck belt coming off. I checked all items mentioned above without any luck. I had recently loaned the mower to my son for a few months while we were building and did not need the mower. He needed to replace the deck belt while he had it and got an off brand. When I got it back I put a OEM JD belt on it and the problem went away. Something about the angle the belt was cut and fit on the pulleys that made the OEM belt work and the aftermarket belt fling off.
2manyrocks
Super Member
- Joined
- Jul 28, 2007
- Messages
- 8,639
Yes, engaging and disengaging the clutch at high speed is the sure fire method of prematurely killing your clutch.
Hasn't this problem been talked about in the cub cadet forum before because this seems like a familiar question that was asked maybe about a year ago? Seems like someone else was having the same problem.
Hasn't this problem been talked about in the cub cadet forum before because this seems like a familiar question that was asked maybe about a year ago? Seems like someone else was having the same problem.
MrWoodChips
Bronze Member
- Joined
- May 23, 2008
- Messages
- 76
I'll bet another cause is a belt that has sat under tension for a period of time. A belt might develop a kink in it after a while sitting in one spot. Then when you fire it up, that kink adds vibration to your mower and more of a tendency to hop off.
So if you will leave your mower over the winter, release the tension. If you will think of it, do it after each mowing.
John
