mower deck keeps spitting belts

[Mean Jean]

Troy Bilt mower with a 42 inch deck. Motor is good and strong but the mower deck belt is getting chewed up and falls off.
I've since replaced a pully and the belt.

The 2 pullies at the back of the deck have a metal L for keeping the belt on.
What is the proper position for these?

Thanks all.

Also a bit early but...
Happy Independence day America!

 

[Wyobuckaroo]

If the belt is being chewed up on the side that faces the deck, (bottom, if you think of it that way)
Move the belt guide I see in the picture from the left side of that angled pulley to the right side.
Should keep it from trying to climb over the flange on the pulley ?

Good luck

 

[Mean Jean]

I'm not entirely sure where the belt is rubbing.
I'm also not sure where it decides to cut loose.

The good news is that there aren't many options for the position of the 2 L's.
Left side is currenlty sitting at roughly 10 o'clock
Right side shows 3 o'clock.

I'm hoping someone can look at their similar mower deck at home and help a guy out.
I would be happy to get this darn thing figured out.

 

[leonz]

Holy crap on a cracker!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Lucy you go some splainin to do; I think you belt is ready for the circular file as it should not look stretched like this.

Purchase a kevlar belt of the same length and you will not have the stretch problem you have now which is why the belts are jumping off.

 

[Mean Jean]

It's a brand new belt so it is not stretched...yet.

I looked into to kevlar belts but can't find a local source for kevlar in 158 inch.

 

[leonz]

It's a brand new belt so it is not stretched...yet.

I looked into to Kevlar belts but can't find a local source for kevlar in 158 inch.

The only thing I can think of with belt runs is the belt tensioner pulley spring has
weakened or you need to move the belt retainers about 90 degrees to solve this.

I have these things on my JD 44 inch snow blower to hold the belt in place and the
2 retainer arms are at 9 oclock and three oclock, I would move them a bit downward
to prevent the belt from bumping against them when the belt bounces as this wil
prevent the belt from being gouged.

All V belts and bearings are Metric thank goodness.
Do you have a WW Grainger outlet in your area?

Another good option would be Kaman Bearing or www.McmasterCarr.com
and you can find V belts through Internet retailers.

 

[Don87]

The pulley on the left, with the screw knob........I think that is another tension adjustment. Look at the diagram..........the other tensioner pulley is at a 90 degree angle. With the deck installed, be sure your deck looks like the diagram, otherwise the belt will rub the spring holder on the tensioner and cut it up.

 

[Mean Jean]

Thanks all for the feedback.

Belt tensoner spring apprears to be in good shape
I did replace one pully and the bushings, this did take a bit of wobble
out of the set-up, hopefully enough to make a difference.

I considered moving the retainer L's but that's not where the belt is throwing off.

The belt tensioner on the right did rub against the belt.
The new pully is a half inch larger in dia. And now clears the right arm.