1977 B80 8 Speed

[chalky493@yahoo.com 10]

Need a little help on belt part numbers ,or length . Have a 1977 B80 8 speed with a 36" mower deck side discharge ,8hp .Looking for transmission drive belt and  mower deck drive belt .Thanks

[953 nut 51,929]

Your drive belt part number is 7473 which is a 5/8" by 82"  (5L-820) belt. Tractor Supply Kevlar belts work well.

The deck belt should be one of the ones listed in this group, just look for your deck's model number.  https://www.wheelhorseforum.com/search/?&q=36in SD B 80&type=downloads_file&search_and_or=and&sortby=relevancy

[Ed Kennell 35,916]

2 minutes ago, 953 nut said:

Tractor Supply Kevlar belts work well.

                         And if it doesn't fit for any reason, you can take it back for the correct size.    No charge...just keep the sleeve and belt clean.

[chalky493@yahoo.com 10]

I put a 7473 5/8" X 82" pretty tight , my question is the belt keeper on the clutch pulley , when you push down on the clutch pedal ,the belt gets in a blind .?

[stevasaurus 22,237]

Can you tap the belt keeper to one side or the other so it does not bind??  

[chalky493@yahoo.com 10]

Is that belt tab on idler clutch pulley ,suppose to put pressure on belt to stop it ?

[Ed Kennell 35,916]

2 hours ago, chalky493@yahoo.com said:

Is that belt tab on idler clutch pulley ,suppose to put pressure on belt to stop it ?

yes, it should clamp(bind) the belt to stop movement for a smooth gear shift.

[stevasaurus 22,237]

I disagree with Ed.  I think it is just suppose to keep the belt on the pulleys.  It has been my experience that if the guide on the tension pulley is rubbing the belt, it tends to tear into it and rip it up.    The belt guard should have the means to stop the drive belt from moving when the clutch pedal is depressed, by funneling the slack toward the drive pulley.  If your belt is not stopping when the pedal is depressed, it is because the belt guard is missing a guide.  That tab on the tension pulley just keeps the belt from leaving the pulleys.

Edited August 18, 2023 by stevasaurus

[Handy Don 10,656]

On both the 310-8 and 854 in our stables, the tab touches the belt when the clutch is fully disengaged and is clear of the belt otherwise.

[stevasaurus 22,237]

OK Ed...show me where the manuals talk about adjusting the tab on tension pulleys to stop the drive belt...or the mower drive belts on early 1960's rear discharge decks.  

[Ed Kennell 35,916]

8 minutes ago, Handy Don said:

On both the 310-8 and 854 in our stables, the tab touches the belt when the clutch is fully disengaged and is clear of the belt otherwise.

I no longer have any gear drives, but on the dozens I have had, the belt tab on the idler was always close to being perpendicular to the tangent point of the belt on the idler pulley when the clutch was engaged and it made contact with the belt helping to stop it when the clutch was disengaged.

 

23 minutes ago, stevasaurus said:

I disagree with Ed.  

We'll just have to agree to disagree on this one Steve.

[stevasaurus 22,237]

Not a problem Ed, but bad information is just that.  

[rjg854 10,762]

Maybe a picture might help 

[stevasaurus 22,237]

I know, but that is not what it is for.  It is just to keep the belt from falling off the pulleys.  It's a fine adjustment to get what you guys are using that tab for...and it may work.  It will rip up a good belt if not adjusted correctly, and some of them are welded.  How do you adjust them??  I still say...show me in any manual where they use this tab as an adjustment to stop a belt.    You can't...it is not there in any manual.

[Handy Don 10,656]

17 minutes ago, rjg854 said:

Maybe a picture

Thanks for putting this up!

[Handy Don 10,656]

5 minutes ago, stevasaurus said:

I know, but that is not what it is for.  It is just to keep the belt from falling off the pulleys.  It's a fine adjustment to get what you guys are using that tab for...and it may work.  It will rip up a good belt if not adjusted correctly, and some of them are welded.  How do you adjust them??  I still say...show me in any manual where they use this tab as an adjustment to stop a belt.    You can't...it is not there in any manual.

Can’t dispute that the tab stopping the belt doesn’t appear in the manuals I’ve seen.

Can’t dispute that that the tab appears to help keep the belt on the pulley (although I’ve not seen that mentioned either! )

IMHO, it serves BOTH purposes nicely and is another example of clever engineering.

[Ed Kennell 35,916]

35 minutes ago, stevasaurus said:

Not a problem Ed, but bad information is just that.  

That we can agree on Steve.      I don't have model numbers or pictures, or manuals, but I do remember some of my gear drives had adjustable belt tabs and some were fixed (welded) to the pulley lever and they all made contact with the belt when the clutch was depressed   And I recall at least one that also had a tab welded on the belt guard that the belt was pushed down against by the pulley tab when the when the clutch was depressed.  So, I am certain the pulley tab serves in helping to stop belt movement.   And yes, I am aware the lower flange on the belt guard is  necessary as are the guides around the engine drive pulley to help in stopping the belt movement.  

As far as wearing the belt,  I remember the tabs were bent up on the front edge so they had a smooth curved surface to contact the belt.  

Edited August 18, 2023 by Ed Kennell

[stevasaurus 22,237]

Not looking for an argument...just saying what I know and what I have run into and what I think.  Let's leave it there??  

[chalky493@yahoo.com 10]

Well I didn't know , is why I asked .I took the bolt loose to install the belt under the L shape clamp . When the clutch is released the belt is free to go  acroos over the pulley. When you push the clutch pedal down the the idler pulley moves down , but the L shape bracket is on the belt . This is why I thought the belt wasn't long enough , to get some slack. .When i first saw the L shape bracket I did think it was to keep the belt on the pulley. ???? The bracket is all one peice , I thought if it was split at the bolt you could rotate it , back ,but all one peice welded to clutch shaft.I looked around for a picture of an idler pulley on a B80 ,no luck. It really doesn't look like its good for the back of the belt .

[Ed Kennell 35,916]

1 hour ago, chalky493@yahoo.com said:

. It really doesn't look like its good for the back of the belt .

I think what is being missed here is, as soon as the clutch is depressed, the tension is removed from the belt and disengaged from the engine pulley causing the belt to slow and the supporting flange on the bottom of the belt guard and tabs and guides correctly positioned around the engine pulley should prevent the belt from contacting the engine pulley causing the belt to stop.    

 The further depression of the clutch until the tab touches the belt will insure it is stopped and will stop a slowly moving belt allowing an easy shifting of the gears. This contact should not cause damage to a belt as the belt stops moving when the tab makes contact.   

I have made several "customs"  using an idler pulley tab to stop the disengaged belt without experiencing any belt wear.

 

 

I hope we are not confusing you chalky, but I really don't think you need to be concerned about the tab contacting the belt.    Make sure there are no burrs or sharp edges on the tab, and know the belt is stopped or only moving slowly when the tab makes contact.

9 hours ago, chalky493@yahoo.com said:

I put a 7473 5/8" X 82" pretty tight , my question is the belt keeper on the clutch pulley , when you push down on the clutch pedal ,the belt gets in a blind .?

Can  you confirm the belt is not contacting the tab when the clutch is tensioning the belt.      A picture of the pulley/tab/belt with clutch fully engaged and disengaged would help determine if there is a problem.

 

 

 

 

 

[Ed Kennell 35,916]

Here is one of the custom clutches I built.  There was no belt guard or guides around the engine pulley.   There are two 1/2" diameter pins supporting the lower belt loop. You can see the ends of these pins on each side of the pulley lever.

  As the clutch pedal is pushed, the tensioner pulley rotates forward and down, releasing the tension and pushing the belt forward away from the engine pulley.    As the clutch is pushed further, the pulley tab contacts the belt and locks it between the pulley and the tab stopping any belt movement.    

 

 

 

 

I never had a problem shifting the 8 speed or saw any sign of belt wear on the back side with this arrangement.

 

 

 

[chalky493@yahoo.com 10]

Well  I have a problem , this 5/8"  x 82" belt is way to tight . I went to TSC this morning got the Kevlar  5L -820 , to tight  .What I didn't tell you was the belt I took off was 1/2" , That is why I thought it was slipping , the belt fit way to far down in the pulley . The 5/8" fits nice in pulley . Don't know my problem ,do 4 speed and 8 speed take the same belt? Which I think they do, has someone change my rear axle pulley ? It measure 6 and 3/8 " . My horse is 1977 B80 8 speed 08K801 . Any help appreciated .I"m doing something wrong .

[Ed Kennell 35,916]

5 minutes ago, chalky493@yahoo.com said:

has someone change my rear axle pulley ? It measure 6 and 3/8 "

It has happened before.    Maybe someone can check the factory pulley size on thier tractor.      Could the engine or engine pulley have been changed?

 

6 minutes ago, chalky493@yahoo.com said:

I went to TSC this morning got the Kevlar  5L -820 , to tight 

That's the great thing with buying at TSC.  You can take it back and exchange it for one that works.

 

When I am building customs, I will buy the length I feel I need plus one on either side.     Then keep the one that works best and return the others for a complete refund.

[Racinbob 10,370]

It's not uncommon for someone putting an engine pulley from a hydro on an eight speed. They are a bit larger meaning a longer belt would be needed

[Ed Kennell 35,916]

If an engine or transmission pulley has been replaced with a larger size and you do use it with a 5/8" belt length that works,  make sure the bottom flange on the belt guard has proper clearance with the belt.    The bottom loop of the 5/8" belt will be lower than the 1/2" belt that you removed.