Deck Belt keeps breaking on 314-8

[MambaJack 0]

I have recently replaced a broken deck belt for a 314-8.  It lasted a couple of hours until, i  saw a big puff of smoke and it broke in half again.  Any ideas what could cause it to break.  The previous belt wasn't actually broken, but pretty skinned up and when i took off the deck was no longer on the correct spot on the pulleys

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

dave
 

[squonk 43,809]

Check the deck bearings and pulley alignment.

[Lane Ranger 11,395]

The  bar the idler pulley is on can be worn  and the nylon  washers underneath it too.   The  misalignment of the idler bar can cause belt damage too.    Squonk's post is also correct if the  bearings and pulleys are worn out they will not turn, lock up or run out of proper alignment.

[Don1977 605]

What size deck do you have? 

[MambaJack 0]

I believe the deck is 42"
 

[Don1977 605]

The 42" decks also have had cracking around the spindle mounts that cause the pulleys to not be line up.

[MambaJack 0]

Let me go take a photo of it, don' t know if that would help or not
 

[daveoman1966 3,839]

Best longevity comes from OEM belts.  However, even a low-grade after-market belt should last more that a couple hours.  The belt is PROBABLY dragging on a frozen (stuck) pulley...spindle pulley, the idler on the deck, or an idler on the mule drive.  It MAY be due to failure of the spring-tension action of the flat idler pulley bar.  If it doesn't 'FLOAT' properly, the belt might flop around loosely ...dragging on some other-wise ok pulleys.