3204 Cub pto belt problem

[cc3204]

I have a 2003 3204 that has been popping the pto belts. Whenever I cut the grass, no matter the height, either during the cut or when I shut down the vacuum pto, the front belt will jump the pulley system and get caught. Has this happened to other users?
I had the belts replaced after 97 hours under the warranty last December, but the problem has happened all summer long. I would send it to a dealer, but the $25.00 pickup & return fee is more than the parts.
When I start the pto, I have the deck up, the throttle low. When I stop the pto, I lower the throttle, pick up the deck and turn it off. The brake seems to stop the pto immediately thus causing the belt to pop off, I guess.
Any suggestions appreciated.

 

[gamble77]

The deck being raised could be the problem. I have had several Cub techs tell me that on certain models when the deck is raised it puts the belt in an "akward" position, and this binding of the belt might be causing it to jump off. Try to engage & disengage the belt when the deck is lowered down and see if that helps any.

 

[ducati996]

I'm confused because the PTO belts go directly to the PTO shaft spindle that is mounted on the frame ( a tru-fame design) and isolated.
The raising and lowering of the deck would only effect the attachment drive shaft and its universal joints since there are no belts at that point on to the deck...

Is your PTO belts correct or mounted correctly? Is the PTO brake system working correctly? You will need to be off the tractor remove the sides, have someone sit on the seat, and activate and de-activate the PTO switch....it works as a rachet and should be tight while engaged, loose when not....vacuum hoses could have popped off as well

Good luck !! the answer is no that should never happen, and it is the first time I have heard of it -not a dealer but I talk to many 3000 owners

 

[gamble77]

Good point, I missed the whole "3000" series part of this post, my fault. Now I really don't have any suggestions!

 

[cc3204]

I called the dealer about the pto problem and he told me that Cub has replaced the brake bracket as of a year ago due to this problem. I am having them pickup the unit to see if the replacement from last December is the newer bracket and repair the problem.
I appreciate the responses.

 

[Mickey_Fx]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( I called the dealer about the pto problem and he told me that Cub has replaced the brake bracket as of a year ago due to this problem. I am having them pickup the unit to see if the replacement from last December is the newer bracket and repair the problem.
I appreciate the responses. )</font>

I hope I'm not confussed and hope the brake you mention is the PTO brake.

I have a twin to Duc's tractor and I took a look yesterday. There is a belt guard on the lead side of the engine pulley and it prevents the belt from coming off the pulley as long as it is in place. There are 2 standoffs at the PTO end of the belt located in the 4 & 8 o'clock postition. as long as they are in place the belt can't come off the pulley on the lower end.

The design of you tractor would have to be a lot different than on these 2 yr old models to be able to come off the pulley.

 

[Cub5k]

I had a 3204 and was having a problem with the 44" deck clogging. Once it clogged so bad that the deck jammed and caused the pto belt to burn before I could disengage it. If you have a 44" deck and have had this happen then that may be the source of your problem. Otherwise it has to be a wrong size belt, bent pulley or such. Good luck.

 

[cc3204]

Yes, I have the same setup with the two bolts at the location on the pto pulley and yes, the belt comes off. I do not know how it gets around the bolts, but it does.
The pto brake broke the first time I had to have the belts replaced back at 97 hours. It is a small flat item attached to the belt guide. As I mentioned before, I believe that the actual brake hits the pto pulley hard enough to stop the pulley and the belt comes off at this point. I am not a mechanic, but this is the way that I rationalize the problem.
I clean the deck once a month as a standard procedure and more if conditions require it. With the drought here in N Ky, I have not had to cut as often, but now with the weather change, the grass will not stop growing.
I hope to hear from the dealer soon.

 

[cyberkrazze]

Sounds like your belt guides are not close enough and not doing their job. The two bottom belt guides often have to be bent up towards the pulley so that they are just about 1/8 of an inch from the pulley. Put them as close as you can to the pulley without the pulley touching them when the unit is turned on. I've seen many of them like this. Also, there are two belt guides around the engine pulley. Make sure these are as close as they can be also.

 

[Gerryc15]

I have a CC3235 which I purchased in Early 2004. The first month I owned it the end broke the Brake Spring. I bent a new Loop on it and ordered a new one from the Cub Dealer. I have not replaced it yet.

This spring I began having a problem with the outer belt only poping off ocassionally, when starting mower deck. I had to loosen the Standoff Bolt to replace the belt, it did not break. This happened about 4 or 5 Times before I looked it and bent the Brake Bracket slightly and the problem has gone away for about 4 weeks now.

I have not heard anyting about a new Brake Bracket. Please advise, if this is available.

 

[ducati996]

I would be interested in hearing more about this and final conclusion. I have a 3204 (2003) model and I have yet had the need to replace any belts (Decks & PTO's) - I have 170 plus hard hours

The only way to see whats happening is to visually inspect the PTO in action....have someone on the tractor and all panels removed. At a safe distance observe the engaging & disengaging and see what dosent look right....

 

[Gerryc15]

My CC 3235 has 105 hours and also on the same set of belts. As I said earlier problem went away. I normally mow 2 lawns every weekend. I have the 44" deck with the bagger. I have been mowing at #5 on the Deck Stop. This morning I lowered the Deck Stop to # 4 1/2 which what I use to Bag the leaves and for the Winter Cut. The grass was about 4" tall and damp from the rain. The Tractor was bagging all the grass and leaves, no clogs or droppings, full throttle slow ground speed.

I begin my second lawn this afternoon and on the first pass, there is a small drop-off between my neighors property and my own. First I stop PTO for the mower deck, raise it, move the tractor to begin next cut. I drop the deck, engine at full throttle. I switch on the PTO and hear a thump, I smell burning belt. I shut it down and sure enough the Outer Belt only is off. Drive back to the garage and loosen stop bolts, place outer Belt back on. I adjust the Stop Bolts to with 1/8 to 1/4" away from the pulley.

I drive back out run mower for 2 more hours bagging leaves and grass with no other problems.

The belt popping off seems to happen in the same area of the yard? It is similiar to the Bermuda Triangle, but all of the failings have happened in the same 5 square foot area.

 

[cc3204]

I received the tractor back from the dealer and this is the response that I obtained. "We are not sure, but the bottom pto pulley seemed to be bent and could have come from the factory that way." The pulley, belts and brake/belt guide were replaced under warranty. I have not used the unit yet due to the weather (rainy and cold all weekend in N KY). As soon as it clears up, I will get the grass cut and see if the problem is repaired.

 

[ducati996]

Its not out of the rhelm of possibility that you could bend the PTO pulley by hitting an object....its placement can be vunerable to low objects that you can see...a bent pully can throw belts....You need to see it in action to see if it has a wobble

 

[Gerryc15]

Duc and Others,

Thank you for the update.

I will speak with the Dealer on Wednesday 10/26/05, and update.

 

[Gerryc15]

Update

Dealer did not hear of the problem before.

He told me to adjust the bolts in closer and that should solve the problem. He said the belts deflect on start and stop. I have an additional 10 hours on it sucking up leaves and have had no additional problems. These are the original belts with 115 hours mowing and snow blowing. I have an addtitional set of new belts, just in case.


Regards,

Gerry C

 

[bobcox]

I recently purchased a Cub Cadet GT3204 Garden Tractor with Power Take Off apparently gear driven. I previously had a clutch-type felt driven PTO but this tractor seems to be a gear driven PTO. It cuts fine, hydraulic lift works fine but I have two concerns. When the PTO switch is turned off, the sound is horrible. It's as if the brake shoe one a brake drum is grinding into the drum. Second, the hydraulic steering has what I think is excessive play, difficult to steer on rough ground in in straight line. Any suggestions?