60" MMM belt problem

[mozark]

I have a BX2350 and the belt on the mower looks like it has started flopping real bad and hit itself as it passed by the idler wheel causing severe wear to the belt. If anyone else has had this problem, I would appreciate knowing what causes it and how to keep it from happening. Its only 8 months old and already needs a $60 belt.

 

[TGD]

I don't have an answer for what happened to the belt, but I have noticed that the long side of the belt whips pretty bad on my deck while it is running. I can't find anything wrong though I think the distance between the outside spindles is a little much for the belt to transverse without support.

That said, I guess I'm going to be looking for mine to eat itself one day.

PhilD

 

[KennyV]

Phil has got it… “a little much for the belt to transverse without support”. I had noticed that same type problem on my 84” Land Pride RFM. At PTO speed the longest belt run whipped around so bad it was invisible… It didn’t look like this was a good thing so I mounted a couple idler pulleys on a bracket, mounted it, no more belt disappearing act…
On yours you could mount a guide pin up from the deck, centered on each side of your spring loaded idler. That would let the belt touch that when it started ossilating, but would prevent it from kissing itself on the idler… KennyV.

 

[mozark]

I agree, I think the spindles are too far apart (about 40") for no support. Appears once they kissed, it self sustained with it getting worse after each kiss. You can see the movement on the idler pulley bracket where it has oscillated better than 1 1/2" hitting all of the brackets for the cover mounts. I am thinking about bending a piece of rod in a "U" shape and welding the bottom of the "U" across the idler pulley bracket so a pin comes up in each side of the pulley to keep the belt from contacting each other.

 

[The Gardener]

I circled, in blue, the area that I am guessing would be about right for a set of guides to keep the belt from flapping.

Is this where you were thinking about welding that "U" bracket???

 

[milkman]

My 60" deck has the original 6 yr old belt, the idler arm also has the shiny spot where the belt obviously is doing the same as shown in the original pic, but my belt doesn't have any of the wear marks that are shown. I would assume that all the 60" mowers have the same distance between the outter spindles and I would bet that all the 60 " belts do the same oscillation on the long run. This is the first post here about short belt life on these decks, so I think something else is responsible for the wear marks shown in the original post. Just my first impression.

 

[Dusty]

The damage that you show clearly looks like the mower deck blade stopped spinning, and the belt was slipping on a pulley. Possible causes of this are hitting an object that stopped the blade dead in its tracks, such as a large piece of wood or a rock. My deck is 5 years old, and the belt looks as good today as the day that I purchased it. I mow about 3 1/2 acres at least once a week. I suggest that you take a look at the bottom side of the mower deck and check the blades for damage. If it isn't what I suggest, then I think that you need to take the machine and deck to the selling dealer and let them have a look at it. The mower deck is still under warranty, isn't it???? Dusty
PS..... my final thought is it possible that something got wedged into the top side of the deck while the belt was engaged?

 

[mozark]

I have checked everything I can think of, the spindles and idler have been checked to make sure there wasn't a bearing problem, the idler arm was checked to make sure it moved freely, the pulleys and idler were checked for run out, there is not even any nicks in the blades (which is surprising). To my knowledge there has never been anything caught in the belt or top mechanism. If something had got wedged in the top, I think the wear would be on the sides of the "V" (which should indicate a spindle had stopped spinning) or continuously along inside flat of the belt as the belt kept passing over the object. Instead there are about half a dozen deep wear places spaced along the inside flat of the belt which normally should not make any contact with any other surface. I have rotated the belt by hand and have been able to identify times when as a worn spot in the belt passes over the idler pulley there is a corresponding worn spot in the belt where it passes in the opposite direction between the two outside spindles.
The dealer is 100 miles away, and I don't have any way of transporting the tractor to them. I guess, I'm trying to figure out if this is a problem that I should just bite the bullet and order a new belt, or that I could argue over the phone that it is a failure of the equipment and get the belt replaced under warranty. Even if they don't fix the problem under warranty I would like to ensure the problem doesn't happen again. My original thoughts were bend a rod in a "U" shape and weld it perpendicular across the idler arm so the posts of the "U" came up on either side of the idler to keep the belt from slapping itself on the idler as it passes by in such close proximity. Gardeners idea to put a "U" shaped guide at the location he indicated may be a easier and better idea.
I want to thank everyone for their suggestions and input. Any others would be appreciated also. I will let everyone know the outcome.

 

[Volfandt]

I'm on my 3rd season of finish mowing 4 acres w/my BX23 and the deck belt looks as good now as it did new also.
I have some thick over grown fence rows in the back and when I get into them mowing it's not unusual to get a stick up into the belt/spindle assembly. I haven't gotten any damage yet but have heard it when the branch/stick rubs on the pulley and/or belt.
Other than a pulley/spindle comeing to a compete momentary halt causeing the belt to slip, a stick could have pushed the belt up against the tension pulley whilst mowing and backing up.

 

[milkman]

I suppose it could be possible that you just got a defective belt, seems you've checked everything, sure anxious to know the conclusion to this mystery.