I have a Kubota T1700 and aquired a two stage snow blower for free. I have no idea of the make or model and there was no way to attach it to the tractor. So I fabricated a sub frame and I now have it mounted on the tractor. I am using an electric winch to raise the blower up and down for travel / operating, and the final step is to install a belt. This is my first tractor, first snow blower and first attempt at a project like this. I need guidance on how tight to set the belt.
The belt I have is a B175, its a few inches long but I have some idlers toward the back of the subframe that I can move to set up the tension.
There is a lever on the T1700 that engages the mower deck by allowing an arm with an idler to put tension on the drive belt to the deck. This idler is whats going to apply tension to the drive belt for the blower too, but at all times the belt is wrapped around the sheave on the bottom of the engine. It's held in place by a semi-circle bracket.
When the drive to the snowblower is not engaged, I don't want too much tension otherwise the belt will get hot, but my idler needs to be able to pull it quite tight. What sort of tension should I be shooting for when it's not engaged?
The other problem is that I don't know if my idler can apply enough tension to make the belt turn when there is a load on there.
Any thoughts appreciated.
The belt I have is a B175, its a few inches long but I have some idlers toward the back of the subframe that I can move to set up the tension.
There is a lever on the T1700 that engages the mower deck by allowing an arm with an idler to put tension on the drive belt to the deck. This idler is whats going to apply tension to the drive belt for the blower too, but at all times the belt is wrapped around the sheave on the bottom of the engine. It's held in place by a semi-circle bracket.
When the drive to the snowblower is not engaged, I don't want too much tension otherwise the belt will get hot, but my idler needs to be able to pull it quite tight. What sort of tension should I be shooting for when it's not engaged?
The other problem is that I don't know if my idler can apply enough tension to make the belt turn when there is a load on there.
Any thoughts appreciated.