Craftsman tractor trashes belts WHY???
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Cargo Master
Joined: Apr 2001
Posts: 2,466
Likes: 4
From: northern kentucky
Craftsman tractor trashes belts WHY???
I have a craftsman riding lawn mower that likes to eat the belts. They either snap or stretch to the point that it is useless. Probably on the eighth belt in the past 2 maybe 3 years. THis is the belt that spins the blades coming off the motor.
Does anyone have an idea or clue as to why? My dad and I have seen nothing that would cause this. Thought I would ask you guys before I spent $100 for sears to make a service call.
Does anyone have an idea or clue as to why? My dad and I have seen nothing that would cause this. Thought I would ask you guys before I spent $100 for sears to make a service call.
New User
Joined: Dec 2003
Posts: 24
Likes: 0
From: Georgia
On My Craftman I Have Larger Than Stock Tires So It Has A Higher Ground Clearance Than Stock. I Had To Take The Pulley That The Belt Goes Around Before Returning To The Motor Pulley And Raise It Up By Putting A Nut With A Longer Bolt Thru It To Help With The Alignment Because I Going Thru So Many Belts.
Check The Alignment Of Your Pulleys Also That The Bearings Are Turning Freely.
I 'ave Used My Sears Garden Tractor To Put In A Garden For The Last 7 Years. It Works. I Have Tractor Tires With Water In Them On Mine.
Check The Alignment Of Your Pulleys Also That The Bearings Are Turning Freely.
I 'ave Used My Sears Garden Tractor To Put In A Garden For The Last 7 Years. It Works. I Have Tractor Tires With Water In Them On Mine.
Posting Guru
Joined: Apr 2005
Posts: 1,290
Likes: 1
From: Edgerton, WI
Perhaps one of the pulley bearings is starting to sieze. Also make sure that you have the belt on right. There are usually more than one way that the belt CAN go on, but that doesnt mean its the way it is SUPPOSED to go on.
Octane
Octane
Freshman User
Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 39
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From: upstate NY
Misalignment #1 cause of belt failure, slightly bent pulley or pulleys #2, agree with octane, any bearing in the setup that's on it's way out will put undue stress on, the belt is the weak link in the whole deal. If or when it fails again, ck everything by hand and spin by hand every bearing'd pulley, also be sure to ck. side load by hand. hope this helps
Logistics Pro
Joined: Nov 2004
Posts: 4,562
Likes: 2
From: Southern MD
Ditto all of the above, plus, are you SURE you're getting the right belt?
(Meaning correct replacement part. Not just a belt that fits.)
The reason I ask. . . . my Dad has a tractor that he bought from 'Southern States' a few years back. His blade belt broke after 5 years. We pulled the book out, ordered one, and man, that belt was TIGHT. Burned it up within an hour of starting to cut grass. Smoke!!!!!!!!! Whew!
Bottom line, we went through 3 belts, before we decided to go to another supplier.
This guy was 'on his game.' He looked at the serial #. . . got on the computer, and lo and behold, we had the WRONG book, and every part for the deck was wrong!!!
He got the right belt, the right manual, the whole nine yards.
My 2¢.
(Meaning correct replacement part. Not just a belt that fits.)
The reason I ask. . . . my Dad has a tractor that he bought from 'Southern States' a few years back. His blade belt broke after 5 years. We pulled the book out, ordered one, and man, that belt was TIGHT. Burned it up within an hour of starting to cut grass. Smoke!!!!!!!!! Whew!
Bottom line, we went through 3 belts, before we decided to go to another supplier.
This guy was 'on his game.' He looked at the serial #. . . got on the computer, and lo and behold, we had the WRONG book, and every part for the deck was wrong!!!
He got the right belt, the right manual, the whole nine yards.
My 2¢.
Postmaster
Joined: Mar 2001
Posts: 4,968
Likes: 3
From: So Cal
Also make sure the belt drive path is clean and check under the pulley cover if you have one.
On my Craftsman 44 inch deck the belt goes to a single pulley on top. BUT, there is a steel cover with bumps on top where the pulleys would be. Take off the cover and check to make sure that the insides are not all gummed up with old grass etc or that you have a belt that is binding in there.
Mine hass had the inside of the cover full of enough trash that it stopped the mower. This only happens once in a great great while, but worth looking if you have a cover. Usually held on with a hand full of bolts.
Also like the otherr guys said, check your pulley bearings, one of them might be tight. And the easiest goof is to put the belt on the wrong path, easier to do than you would think.
In mowing 4 acres every spring summer weekend for 6 years and 1 acre a few times every summer for 7 years, I only threw the belt 2 times. Once was a bad bearing and the other was too much trash under the cover. One time that didn't count was me using the wrong belt.
Good Luck,
Jim Henderson
On my Craftsman 44 inch deck the belt goes to a single pulley on top. BUT, there is a steel cover with bumps on top where the pulleys would be. Take off the cover and check to make sure that the insides are not all gummed up with old grass etc or that you have a belt that is binding in there.
Mine hass had the inside of the cover full of enough trash that it stopped the mower. This only happens once in a great great while, but worth looking if you have a cover. Usually held on with a hand full of bolts.
Also like the otherr guys said, check your pulley bearings, one of them might be tight. And the easiest goof is to put the belt on the wrong path, easier to do than you would think.
In mowing 4 acres every spring summer weekend for 6 years and 1 acre a few times every summer for 7 years, I only threw the belt 2 times. Once was a bad bearing and the other was too much trash under the cover. One time that didn't count was me using the wrong belt.
Good Luck,
Jim Henderson
Post Fiend
Joined: Jun 2002
Posts: 13,873
Likes: 3
From: Atlanta GA
On a lot of lawn mowers they have an idler pulley that pushes against the belt when you put it into gear. If it seizes or does not turn freely, it will nuke the belt. Just like on a car, if you look for shreds or streaks of rubber, you can usually find the sticking idler or pulley.
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Fleet Mechanic
Joined: Jul 2003
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The belt is probably on the wrong side of the idler. BTW Craftsman belt pulleys don't line up perfectly. I'll look at mine tomorrow, to tell you which way it is out of line and were the belt goes on the idler.
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Fleet Mechanic
Joined: Jul 2003
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You didn't say what size your deck was, but I think all two blade Craftsmans are the same. This is for a 42" 18 hp, Left is the left as you are sitting in the seat. The belt comes off the engine pulley, with the narrrow side against the pulley. It goes around a fixed, left side, idler pulley with the wide side against the pulley. It then goes around the left blade pulley with the narrow side against the pulley. The belt then goes to the right blade pulley with the narrow side against the pulley. It then goes around a spring loaded idler pulley with the wide side against the pulley. From there it goes back around the engine pulley for the full loop. If you look at the installed belt from the front it looks like a large, fat "T". When the deck is all the way up the engine pulley is slightly lower than deck pulleys. All the way down the engine pulley is higher than the deck pulleys. This puts the belt out of line and is normal, as a "Lawn Tractor" belt is made to take this. You cannot substitute another belt that is the same length and width, as it will not take the poor alignment. An electric clutch on the engine pulley, starts and stops the belt rotation.
Last edited by Aftrmidnite; Apr 26, 2005 at 08:53 PM.
Thread Starter
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Cargo Master
Joined: Apr 2001
Posts: 2,466
Likes: 4
From: northern kentucky
When I finally destroy this one in anger at the belts most likely I will be looking for a quality replacement. Thanks for the good belt description aftrmidnite. ONce it dries up around here I will take a look.
Laughing Gas
Joined: Apr 2003
Posts: 837
Likes: 2
From: Minnesota
Belt quality plays a big part in belt life in addition to all of the above. Regular "hardware store" V-belts won't stand up to the reverse flexing required in L&G applications. I only use Gates Green-stripe belts. A little more expensive but I get more life out of them.
Roger
Roger
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Cargo Master
Joined: Apr 2001
Posts: 2,466
Likes: 4
From: northern kentucky
I put a new craftsman belt on it. So far so good on that belt, it has mowed about two acres without issue. Now the drive belt has gone screwy. Not sure... dad was mowing the hill while I was at work and it went out on him. At least he didn't flip it like I did.
Fleet Mechanic
Joined: Jul 2003
Posts: 1,574
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About 3 to 5 years is all you are going to get out of the drive belt. If its operated in a dry environment you'll get longer, wet less life as the water lets the belt slide on the pulleys putting a glaze on it. Also do you blow your tractor out with compressed air? It'll run alot cooler if you do. Also last year when I took the Deck apart to paint it I made 3/32" black rubber gaskets for the Blade Mandrels, and put 3/32" rubber washers under the pulleys to correct the alignment. I placed homemade, big rubber "snuffing" washers under some of the hardware, made a difference in how much noise the deck made.