fan belts

[gravelman]

hi folks...gravelman here..i recently had some work done on my Kubota 2650... when i got the bill there was a note that said.. fan belts need replacing. I looked at them myself and even tho i am not a mechanic..they look fine. No fray, no cracks and all tight. I have 600 hrs on machine. Do any of you think they should be changed because i have 600 hrs??? that seems very strange to me...fan belt is not something i think of ...hardly at all. thanks for advice...

 

[RNeumann]

It’s rare they fray these days. Most of the time they get shiny from a little slippage. If they look glazed that may be what was noted. Otherwise, I think belts typically can go 5-10 years- you aren’t putting enough hours on it to base it on that.

 

[gravelman]

It痴 rare they fray these days. Most of the time they get shiny from a little slippage. If they look glazed that may be what was noted. Otherwise, I think belts typically can go 5-10 years- you aren稚 putting enough hours on it to base it on that.

ok that is good to know..thanks much

 

[Rebeldad1]

You trusted the mechanic to do the repairs..... Shouldnt you trust him on the belts.

You cant look at belts and truely know the condition. Easy to replace compared to other parts and inexpensive.
What if you break a fan belt and dont realize you are overheating??? Could be motor replacement time then.
30 years as a mechanic has tought me to just replace them....
When in doubt... throw them out

 

[gravelman]

well that is interesting... yes, i trust my mechanic... im just cheap i guess. good point ...if im in the middle of a job and they let go...then im in trouble BUT...i have yet to hear anyone ever having trouble with fan belts .......at 600 hrs.. i will buy a fan belt some day and if i need to replace it..i will have it in my back pocket.

 

[RickB]

Ask the mechanic why he recommends belt replacement. I find it a highly unusual thing to specify at those hours. If it was truly that bad you should have been given an opportunity to authorize the replacement while the machine was in the shop. In the absence of that, I am skeptical.

 

[dangier_VA]

I just had a fan belt give up the ghost at 1695 hrs on my l3130. New one was $8.00 from a local auto parts supplier. Probably should have replaced sooner, but looked good during each maintenance. Alternator light caught my attention-thank god, was on its way to hot!

 

[gravelman]

i am skeptical also...will do

 

[gravelman]

i can see that possibility more so than mine... thanks for that.. years ago fan belts were a big concern...not so much these days... but of course, there are other things now..

 

[5030]

My M9000 is due for a new belt. I'll have the dealer replace it when they have it this winter, I need the overhead run as well. She has a tad over 3500 hours on the meter, original fan belt. I'd do the hoses and the charge air hoses as well but they seem fine. Just changed the antifreeze at 3500 and looked over all the hoses carefully. Fan belts get glazed and then slip, exactly what my 3500 hour belt is doing. Most owners don't put on the hours I do but most owners don't farm with them either. I do.

 

[gravelman]

well said...good job thanks

 

[3Ts]

It痴 rare they fray these days. Most of the time they get shiny from a little slippage. If they look glazed that may be what was noted. Otherwise, I think belts typically can go 5-10 years- you aren稚 putting enough hours on it to base it on that.

I agree with this, however, my car was in the shop and had a belt replaced as part of the work. A few days later it had broken and was laying on the driveway, so although they seem to last a very long time, some have early failures. I think the belt on my Kubota is coming up on 35 years old now, I probably should replace it.

 

[gravelman]

35!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! has the tractor been sitting in the barn:cool2:

 

[3Ts]

35!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! has the tractor been sitting in the barn:cool2:

Yeah, once I wrote that I had to stop and think before I posted. I do not remember ever changing it and it's only been in the shop once to have a ROPS installed, so the shop hasn't replaced it. It's only spent about half it's life in a barn.

This tractor (the Kubota) has been pretty much free of problems. I've pulled the radiator twice to really clean the cooling system and replaced the thermostat one time and the water pump another. Otherwise pretty much just routine maintenance.

 

[gravelman]

that is excellent...good for you i love my Kubota 2650 with factory cab....only problem IT IS VERY LOUD IN THE CAB i checked every possible way to quiet it down..no luck Other than that..ive used it like a D-8 bulldozer