V - Belt Problems

Red Dave · Jul 30, 2017

I have a Cub Cadet LT 2180. It's about 12 years old. 42" deck, 18 horse V-Twin. Lately the blade drive belt either jumps off, or just shreds. Today the $40 belt was 2 weeks old and on it's second mowing. About 10 minutes into mowing, it shredded again. Even if the belts were free, I'm tired of having to stop and replace the belt, knowing full well that it won't last long anyway.

I've checked all the pulleys, they are free, not damaged, not visibly worn, not out of alignment. Nothing is catching on the belt to damage it and it is tight. I don't know what to try next.

I've searched on-line for a solution and it looks like nobody else is having this problem.

Any suggestions?

WGM · Jul 30, 2017

For lack of additional information I'm assuming you are using aftermarket belts. I have never had any luck with anything but OEM belts.

Red Dave · Jul 30, 2017

I have used both OEM and aftermarket belts.

Same result.

Bob · Jul 30, 2017

Likely, you've got some sort of belt guide that's bent out of shape, not keeping the belt where it needs to be, or touching it and "killing" it.

Or, a guide that's missing altogether and allowing the belt to get where it's not supposed to be, only to be shredded.

ztrmowers · Jul 31, 2017

you said jump off this is alignment or guide issue, shredding always happens after belt has came off period. you lost guide or not inline. belt you sure you have correct length and width belt. if not that will cause your same issue. simple as that

T.R.K. · Jul 31, 2017

If the belt is OEM, Something else is killing the belt. check your pulleys again. Check for anything in all the pulley grooves. Spin them. If they rumble or have a gritty sound, there is no grease in them and they are probably binding up when hot. I am thinking that model has greaseable spindles. Have you lubricated your spindles? Can you rock any of the spindle shafts from side to side? A loose shaft in a spindle will kill a belt in short order.
Does that model use a stack pulley (With 2 v grooves) at the rear of the deck? How are it's bearings? do any of the idlers on the deck lean over at an odd angle? Check the 'mule drive' pulleys under the engine.

Red Dave · Jul 31, 2017

An Update:

Thanks for the ideas. I decided to punt this one. I took it back to the dealer I bought it from and asked them to figure it out and give me a price to fix it. Maybe I'll fix it, maybe I'll trade it in.

Here's why:
Last week I had arthroscopic surgery on my left knee. It's doing good, getting better every day, in fact it already hurts way less than it has for months.

But, crawl around on the shop floor on hands and knees, trying to figure out what is going on under a lawn tractor? Not happening. Not now, not for a couple months, if ever. I'm getting too old for this.

I hate to pay somebody else to fix things that I know I can fix and I really hate the going price of new replacement lawn tractors, but I hate the thought of the knee pain even more.

Thanks for the replies. I'll keep them in mind for other projects in the future.

willie in mn · Jul 31, 2017

Dave, & others who hate crawling around on the floor.
Do you have a flatbed trailer available? Drive the mower up on trailer, then depending on height, you can work standing up, or sitting on a chair, bucket, stool etc. I,m not as spry as when I was only 70 yrs old.
Recently had to change out transaxle on JD LT180. Drove it up on trailer, backed it into shop. Hooked up the overhead hoist, unbolted the transaxle, & lifted the tractor away,leaving the transaxle sitting on the wheels.

HTH

Willie

tractorguy2 · Jul 31, 2017

could be a hole or something in your yard you are driving over raising the deck up and causing the belt to come off.

I was a Snapper dealer for years. I sold a brand new 28" rider to an old lady. She brought the mower back with the belt shredded. I put a new belt on and mowed my yard. Found no problems. She took it home and was back again same problem. I replaced the belt and then went to her house to see what see was doing. She had brand new concrete sidewalks. Guessing they were 6" high. She was driving over the sidewalks and this is what caused the belt to come off. Sure was hard convincing here she had to stop at the sidewalk and turn around!

Stroby · Aug 6, 2017

My Dad had an older model Cadet that started doing the same thing after he had purchased a new belt from a dealer. After 3 belts got destroyed, he took the mower to a local repair shop for their advice. Believe it or not, the part number from the dealer was NOT CORRECT. The belt that was being sold as the OEM replacement was the wrong thickness and was riding too high in the pulley. The local technician was able to correct that by purchasing a smaller thickness belt (don't remember if it was 5/8 or 1/2, but it has worked flawlessly for more than one season. Food for thought.

Mule Meat · Aug 9, 2017

Sorry but I would not own a newer Cub Cadet due to belt problems. Cub has some of the worst deck designs that has ever been produced in the past 10 years or so. Especially the tractors that have two tension idler pulleys on the deck.

On the Z turn mower like [b:f35a5ba0bb]Storby[/b:f35a5ba0bb] stated. Sometimes using a 1/2 belt on a deck that is suppose to have 5/8" helps a lot. But doing so you must find the correct length belt that will not slip and you may try quit a few belts before finding one.

When it comes to Cub Cadet these days. All you are buying is a name, and if it came from a box store a name that has sit for who knows how long out in the weather waiting for a fool to but it.

Greenfrog · Sep 20, 2017

I have JD gt235 that had the belt chew-up, roll over and run on it side or back problem.
Finally took it back to dealer and they found that the rear drive pulley, a stacked pulley , had the bearings out.
Replaced and now have no problems.
No, I could not feel any movement in it to indicate worn bearings. That is why I didn't think that was the problem.

Brian G. NY · Sep 25, 2017

A friend of mine just had the same problem......turned out the "finger" that is mounted to the mule drive had broken off and let the belt jump out of the pulley groove when engaging the mower.
He picked one up at the local cub cadet dealer...was pretty cheap.
He had one other problem as well, the spacer that fits into the bearing on one of the mule drive idler pulleys wore so that the pulley wobbled. Bought a whole new idler pulley....not quite so cheap!

V - Belt Problems

Red Dave

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WGM

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Red Dave

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Bob

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ztrmowers

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T.R.K.

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Red Dave

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willie in mn

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tractorguy2

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Stroby

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Mule Meat

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Greenfrog

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Brian G. NY

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