Drive belt and disengage handle hopping on GT -1848

[davem1111 1,953]

Not sure this belongs here or in the general WH Tractor forum.

 

Trying to figure out why my drive belt keeps slapping the side guard, and the disengagement handle that moves the idler keeps hopping. First suspect is the idler spring maybe not providing enough tension, but also the belt is vibrating sideways too. Pulleys look okay. Disengagement handle mechanism is very sloppy.  Thoughts?

 

[Rick3478 384]

The curve in the belt looks like you could use a bit more idler tension.  Disengagement handle doesn't have to be particularly tight, its bouncing around is probably effect rather than cause.  V-twin will have different harmonic content than the opposed twin it replaced.  Make sure your natural fiber engine base hasn't let things slip a bit out of alignment.

[davem1111 1,953]

24 minutes ago, Rick3478 said:

The curve in the belt looks like you could use a bit more idler tension.  Disengagement handle doesn't have to be particularly tight, its bouncing around is probably effect rather than cause.  V-twin will have different harmonic content than the opposed twin it replaced.  Make sure your natural fiber engine base hasn't let things slip a bit out of alignment.

 

Yeah.... that last one - it's on my to-do list.  I think I need to get some square tube steel and make a proper engine mount for this. 

 

In the meantime, I put a few washers between the belt guard and the frame so the belt isn't slapping as much.  I think I'll get a new spring for the idler soon. Thanks!

[Jeff-C175 7,196]

1 hour ago, davem1111 said:

handle that moves the idler keeps hopping

 

Fairly common actually Dave.  Both my C-125 and my C-175 have 'issues' like that.

 

I bought some 'wave washers' (if you try this, make sure you get actual spring steel wave washers, and not simply bent stainless steel ones.  Amazing the lengths that people will go to to try and make a buck) and installed them between the bouncy parts.  It didn't completely cure the issue, but improved it quite a bit.  I'd like to figure a way to install an 'anti-rattle spring' because it's VERY annoying to me, even with my hearing protection in place.  So much so that I will often hold that handle while mowing to stop the annoying rattle.

 

 

[Handy Don 10,828]

1 hour ago, Rick3478 said:

natural fiber engine base

Good eyes!

 

19 minutes ago, Jeff-C175 said:

Both my C-125 and my C-175 have 'issues' like that.

 

Grateful that both the 520-H and 312-H setups with the Eatons eliminated the "tension release" handle. They use only an idler tensioner (stronger spring & larger pulley) and no rattling lever. 

[Jeff-C175 7,196]

13 minutes ago, Handy Don said:

eliminated the "tension release" handle

 

I've actually thought about eliminating that silly contraption many times. 

 

I can't think of a reason for it's existence... except for maybe lightening the load during starting, but I've started mine many, many times with the tension applied without a problem so I don't think it would be an issue.

 

Edited July 13, 2022 by Jeff-C175

[gwest_ca-(File Mod) 10,600]

An idler pulley bouncing around is usually caused by a worn belt. Since it is the sides of the belt that do the driving when a narrow spot on the belt gets to a V-pulley the belt is suddenly longer and an inch or two later it is shorter and it rides higher in the pulley. The spring loaded idler is trying to keep up to the changing effective length of the belt. 

[Jeff-C175 7,196]

2 minutes ago, gwest_ca said:

usually caused by a worn belt

 

Or low quality new one I suppose.

 

Except mine rattles on a new OEM belt...

 

 

[davem1111 1,953]

43 minutes ago, gwest_ca said:

An idler pulley bouncing around is usually caused by a worn belt. Since it is the sides of the belt that do the driving when a narrow spot on the belt gets to a V-pulley the belt is suddenly longer and an inch or two later it is shorter and it rides higher in the pulley. The spring loaded idler is trying to keep up to the changing effective length of the belt. 

It's a brand new belt but the cheaper black one since Rural King didn't have the good one in the size I needed. The pulleys look to be consistent- if I put manual pressure on the idler it seems to smooth out.

 

2 hours ago, Jeff-C175 said:

 

Fairly common actually Dave.  Both my C-125 and my C-175 have 'issues' like that.

 

I bought some 'wave washers' (if you try this, make sure you get actual spring steel wave washers, and not simply bent stainless steel ones. 
...

 

now that you mention it, it seems that I remember a reference to a spring washer in the IPL.  Maybe it should be in there and I lost or misplaced it...  I was thinking that if I drilled a hole a the bottom of that lever I could add another spring down to the frame somewhere. 

[Handy Don 10,828]

3 hours ago, Jeff-C175 said:

I've actually thought about eliminating that silly contraption many times. 

As long as your hydro is pushable without releasing the tension, I'd say it'll work. There is definitely an extra load on the starter to spin the pump, even when motion control is neutral, but unless you have a weak battery or stubborn engine or some other constraint I don't see that as an issue.

[Jeff-C175 7,196]

1 hour ago, davem1111 said:

add another spring down to the frame somewhere. 

 

My thoughts exactly... except I could not locate any place on the frame to hook the spring.  Some sort of bracket would need fabrication.

[davem1111 1,953]

10 hours ago, Jeff-C175 said:

 

My thoughts exactly... except I could not locate any place on the frame to hook the spring.  Some sort of bracket would need fabrication.

 

Does yours have this lower bit of frame below where the trans attaches?   This isn't a very good picture - it's from when I was replacing the idler pulley so the disengage arm is not in its upright position.  But I thought, from the bottom of that arm to the lower frame might work. Attaching an "L" bracket down there might be even better.

 

[Handy Don 10,828]

2 hours ago, davem1111 said:

Does yours have this lower bit of frame below where the trans attaches?  

That "lower bit of frame" is known as the F plate--the transaxle bolts to it and it extends downward. The lowest holes were used for an implement (a tiller?)

That's where the spring on the 520 attaches--directly to a small hole drilled in it. I'm sure someone has a tractor open and can grab a picture to illustrate.

[c-series don 7,969]

Here’s some pictures, not sure if it helps. Plus a couple of extras, because I know how much we all love pictures!! These were taken when I restored my Work Horse in 2018.