Deck belt shredding

[dustycarter 3]

Hello. Last year I bought a new Gates A136 belt from O'reilleys. I mowed with it maybe 2 times and I started to see little shreds and cracks in the belt.Then maybe after 2 times after it had proabably 10 little slashes on it and broke. I have no clue why it is doing this. Do I need to go to a 5/8" or keep the 1/2"? Is it the pulleys or the belt? Any help is greatly appreciated. Thank you. Dusty

[WH nut 553]

I would say go with an OEM belt and make sure all your pulleys are in proper alignment. I have never had and luck with aftermarket belts

[squonk 43,459]

You have either a pulley/spindle out of alignment or a spindle or idler bearing going bad. I sold Gates belts for 10 yrs. whenever a "deck" belt came back with a complaint we gave them another but we told them "you're not getting another until you bring us the deck/tractor. A shredded belt means something rubbing it. Found something wrong with the deck drive every time. Hate to see you spend the extra money on an OEM belt only to have it come apart too.

[Don1977 604]

As spuonk says check all spindles, pulleys. idlers, and belt tighter on the deck for free movement and that the spring tightens the belt properly.

[dustycarter 3]

First of all thank you for your replys. And I will try to see if the bearings are bad. It doesn't have any springs or anything. Just 2 idlers up front then teh blt turns outward and comes back. I tension the belt with front TachOmatic. And squaonk, where was the most common place for the bearings to go bad? Since it only has 4 pulleys then it shouldn't be hard to find. But again thank you for all the responses and your help. It is greatly appreciated. Dusty

[squonk 43,459]

First of all thank you for your replys. And I will try to see if the bearings are bad. It doesn't have any springs or anything. Just 2 idlers up front then teh blt turns outward and comes back. I tension the belt with front TachOmatic. And squaonk, where was the most common place for the bearings to go bad? Since it only has 4 pulleys then it shouldn't be hard to find. But again thank you for all the responses and your help. It is greatly appreciated. Dusty

The most common thing I saw on the decks were:

Spindle bearings. Spin each one by hand. Feel for any roughness listen for any rumbling

Idler pulleys. same thing

Alignment. Check spindle pulleys for squareness to the deck. I've seen a lot of times the deck weakens were the spindle mounts and the spindles start to tip in as the belt is tightened.

[WH854 45]

First of all thank you for your replys. And I will try to see if the bearings are bad. It doesn't have any springs or anything. Just 2 idlers up front then teh blt turns outward and comes back. I tension the belt with front TachOmatic. And squaonk, where was the most common place for the bearings to go bad? Since it only has 4 pulleys then it shouldn't be hard to find. But again thank you for all the responses and your help. It is greatly appreciated. Dusty

Are you saying you are tightening your blade drive belts with your Mule Drive

This is your mule drive!

This is your blade drive setup!

I had a new OEM belt get chewed up because the pully was rusted up real bad

I would check the center pully on your deck. It should be a double pully

Chas

[dustycarter 3]

Thank you squonk. I will check those and hopefully all is fine. BUT if I do happen to find a bad one, wheres a good place to find some at?

Also, chas I was talking about #31 turning #34. Sorry I should have been more specific about that. I put the belt on and just tension it from there. :thumbs:

[TT-(Moderator) 1,162]

:thumbs: An A136 belt is 138" long. It's also really not the correct type of belt to be used in outdoor power equipment applications.

Exactly what deck do you have on your 312 - a 37" two-blade / side discharge?

That deck uses a single belt routed from the PTO pulley, through the front-mounted tensioner, around two idler pulleys near the front of the deck shell, and around both spindle pulleys.

Is that what you have???????

The belt for that type of deck is a hair over 140" long, and most of them were six-sided. (P/N 111178)

[squonk 43,459]

If TT's info is correct (111178 belt No.) then an A136 belt will not work. There is no gates cross number for that WH number. My info that I have given only applies to belts that directly cross to A,B, 3L 4L ect. If some has guessed at the length,width, and style of belt then all bets are off. An A belt will work fine as long as the belt it was replacing is a direct cross .

[dcrage 630]

I am confused by the 6 sided belt for the 37" SD deck -- That is the deck that I have and I have replaced that belt several times (with WH belt) and never had a 6 sided belt -- What is the deal?? -- I know that you guys have always added qualifiers to your statements about the 6 sided belt (i.e. TT saying 'most' are 6 sided)

[TT-(Moderator) 1,162]

The last year (or two?) the 37" deck was used, the deck-mounted idler/guide pulleys (and one on the front tensioner - or as some people say "mule drive") were changed to allow a conventional four-sided V belt to be used instead of the six-sided belt.

The six-sided belt required both front tensioner pulleys AND the deck idler pulleys to be V type.

The change to a conventional V belt meant changing one tensioner pulley and both deck idlers to flat pulleys.

Although I have never owned one, I have seen a few in real life. :thumbs:

[dcrage 630]

Thanks for the explaination Terry

[dustycarter 3]

An A136 belt is 138" long. It's also really not the correct type of belt to be used in outdoor power equipment applications.

Exactly what deck do you have on your 312 - a 37" two-blade / side discharge?

That deck uses a single belt routed from the PTO pulley, through the front-mounted tensioner, around two idler pulleys near the front of the deck shell, and around both spindle pulleys.

Is that what you have???????

The belt for that type of deck is a hair over 140" long, and most of them were six-sided. (P/N )

Yes. That is correct. I have found a number I wrote down a long time ago. 110265. It's 141'' long.

My deck is a 37'' S.D. I can't find the model # on the deck. I just have a manual here with 4 decks on the front.

Heres one I came up with from my numbers(which are more than likely wrong)

Question is will this one work or should I just get the genuine Toro belt?

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewI...d=p5197.c0.m619

Here is TT's #'s which I should proabably get.

http://cgi.ebay.com/Genuine-Toro-Wheel-Hor...=item19bfa75184

So heres my question. What's wrong with the gates belt? Is it just not the right thing for the purpose? Thanks to all who have replyed. Dusty

[squonk 43,459]

There is no direct cross to the 110265 from Gates. There must be something about that OEM number that's special such as it's a so many inches long plus a 1/2" o r the side pitch is special ect. Gates does not make an A series belt 141". A Gates belt will work fine on a deck as long as it's the correct length,width and side pitch. I use a green Gates belt on my 37" deck on my 90 210H. It's been on there over 5 years and it's still in fine shape. I use a green Gates belt on my 210-H Allis snowblower conversion. It's a vertical engine connected to a horizontal drive blower. It's 65" long and it has a single twist in it. It will flip over backwards and drive off of the back of the belt and not come off or slip. There is nothing to tear the sides of the belt up. I get 3 seasons out of one. There is nothing wrong with Gates belts.

[zieg72 209]

Are you using the inside grove on your PTO? My first rookie mistake was that with my 520H which led me to this forum. My $.02

[dustycarter 3]

Are you using the inside grove on your PTO? My first rookie mistake was that with my 520H which led me to this forum. My $.02

Yes I am. When I got it he never really told me how to hook it up. SO I just winged it completely. My first belt I had on I put it on both grooves in the PTO. Then I got reading the manual and it said it needs to go on the first one. So your definetly not the first. Thanks Dusty

[dustycarter 3]

There is no direct cross to the 110265 from Gates. There must be something about that OEM number that's special such as it's a so many inches long plus a 1/2" o r the side pitch is special ect. Gates does not make an A series belt 141". A Gates belt will work fine on a deck as long as it's the correct length,width and side pitch. I use a green Gates belt on my 37" deck on my 90 210H. It's been on there over 5 years and it's still in fine shape. I use a green Gates belt on my 210-H Allis snowblower conversion. It's a vertical engine connected to a horizontal drive blower. It's 65" long and it has a single twist in it. It will flip over backwards and drive off of the back of the belt and not come off or slip. There is nothing to tear the sides of the belt up. I get 3 seasons out of one. There is nothing wrong with Gates belts.

So basically what you are saying is I have a glitch somewhere in my pulleys and it just doesn't want to be found. I havent did what you have told me yet. Haven't had time. But thank you for taht information. I have heard some people say gates is horrible on G.T's. Then I've heard they are the same. But the thing is you have had one on for 5 years so it must be the same thing. One more question if you don't mind answering. Above I posted to links to belts that I found. Could you tell me which one I should purchase? Thank you for all of your help. Dusty

[squonk 43,459]

Gates doesn't sell an A139 belt at least through Napa. Any belt that twists and turns I use a green belt. The 1/2"X 65" belt I use for my blower for instance is a 4L650W. I would try to find out what the correct belt # is for your deck. Maybe you could get the tractor model #, go to the toro site and maybe find out what deck model goes to that tractor and then get the OEM #. If that belt is 141" long I think you are better off going to Toro for it. That belt you linked looked cheap to me. Check all your pulleys first or you might just be throwing money away.

[squonk 43,459]

My 210H has the vertical engine so there is no mule drive. The deck drives right off the electric PTO. Are you shredding the mule drive belt or the deck belt?

[squonk 43,459]

Just another example: My 210 came with a side discharge 37" deck. The Gates green belt is on that. I got a rear discharge deck off of a 210-5 for it that uses a much longer belt. Gates does not make a belt for this deck. Since I plan on using this RD deck more I will go to Toro for the belt.

[TT-(Moderator) 1,162]

Are you shredding the mule drive belt or the deck belt?

The 37" two-blade deck only has one belt. (even when used on GARDEN tractors)

If both pulleys in the front tensioner and both idler pulleys on the top front of the deck have V grooves, the correct belt is the 111178. (six-sided)

If the deck idler pulleys and one of the front tensioner pulleys are flat idlers, then you need the 110265 belt. ("normal" V belt)

[WH854 45]

If both pulleys in the front tensioner and both idler pulleys on the top front of the deck have V grooves, the correct belt is the 111178. (six-sided)

If the deck idler pulleys and one of the front tensioner pulleys are flat idlers, then you need the 110265 belt. ("normal" V belt)

That is worth a Thanks TT

Chas

[dustycarter 3]

Hello. I have got around to getting everything to be mowed with the mower. The deck has 2 flat idlers and 2 v spindles. The mule drive or front tensioner has alos the v's. I did find an offset spindle so thank you squonk. I am going to fix it this weekend. So is the 11178 belt still ok to use? Thanks dusty

[mcwh1950 2]

dusty i hope this help you .

this a picture of my 37 inch deck.

if it got two v pulley like this on the deck

and the front tensioner look this

two v pulley

use the 111178 belt.

If your deck had two front flat idler like you said your front tensioner should look like this one flat pulley and one v pulley.

use belt 110265.

the two flat idiers on the deck and two v pulley on the front tensioner will not work.

hope this help some. also didn't put the 111178 belt on upside down if you use it.