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Tractor Talk Discussion Forum

Slipping Belt off deck?

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robert boyko

11-06-2005 15:08:12




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Aloha! My name is Bob Boyko; I live in Hawaii. I own A JD STX38. I bought the machine Brand New in 1990. It is in Excellent Shape. I use it 2 times a month on Average. In the Beginning of this Year I had JD Dealer Put on New Tires,New Battery, Hour Meter, Drive Belt. In the Last 5 Months the Drive belt has com off and the Idler Spring is just Sitting there on the Deck. This happened again Last Week. I was just Sharpening the Blades and as I turned the Blades by Hand The Idler Spring Snaped off again. It Cost Me $193.00 Last Time to put the belt back in Position. Was A RIP OFF. I am Disabled and Cannot Do this Kind of Work. Can SOMEONE PLEASE TILL ME WHAT THE REASON IS WHY THE BELT IS SLIPPING OFF? Thank You Very Much !

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robert boyko

11-09-2005 21:00:00




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 Re: Slipping Belt off deck? in reply to robert boyko, 11-06-2005 15:08:12  
Aloha! this is Hawaiianbob here. I just want to thank all of you for all your Help wi my STX 38 Belt slipp off. I called JD Dealer service dept. and took My Mower in on Tuesday Morning. I also took in some of tyour EMails about what and How To Fix This Problem. They unloaded My mower from my truck and drove it into the service area. I also told the Sec. that I wanted a Mechanic to work on it this time. After I had Paid $193.00 just for a 15 minute job I was Not too Happy, But I am a Christian and Most stay humble. She didNot write a Service order up so I guess the Fix is on the House. I will check to see if I can Rotate the blades foward and backwards by hand before I leave that Shop. I think that they may have an attitude Problem. I have been going to them for 15 years. They DO NOT LIKE People that take care of their equiptment. I am DISABLED I Cannot afford $2000.00 every 5 years. If I do NOT have good service I will Complain to the People Upstairs. Plus I will Buy A Sears 38 with a Kohler engine like mine. THANK YOU VERY VERY MUCH FOR YOUR HELP, AND GOD BLESS YOU ALL. Aloha! Hawaiianbob

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TIMBO

11-07-2005 07:00:34




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 Re: Slipping Belt off deck? in reply to robert boyko, 11-06-2005 15:08:12  
Bob, I have seen many of these mower decks. What happens is after many hour of use, the deck belt idler arm wears an "egg" shaped hole in it where it contacts the mounting bushing, and it also wears a groove into the bushing itself. To do the job right, you should replace the idler arm and bushing. If you want to cheat you can loosen the bolt for the bushing and turn it a little so the arm won't contact the groove worn into the bushing. Then take a long screwdriver or pry bar and bend the idler arm so that the belt runs in the center of the flat idler pulley surface, this should do the trick. I've installed new arms and bushings and still had to bend the new idler arm a little. It is common for the belt to come off when you spin the deck backwards when those two parts are worn like that.

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Kelvin

11-06-2005 19:04:58




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 Re: Slipping Belt off deck? in reply to robert boyko, 11-06-2005 15:08:12  
That must be a common problem. Some of the JD/Sabre mowers produced about then have a retrofit kit for the idler arm on the deck. Have to replace the pulley and the arm. The idler pulley has a wide flange on the upper side and the arm is notched to match it. (Hopefully that is all you will have to replace.)

If I recall correctly, The one I worked on 2-3 months ago also the deck was also bent around the bolt where the arm mounted.

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Hermit

11-06-2005 17:53:16




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 Re: Slipping Belt off deck? in reply to robert boyko, 11-06-2005 15:08:12  
Here's an old message that talks about the same type of problem. Hope it helps.

http://www.ytmag.com/cgi-bin/viewit.cgi?bd=jd&th=132941



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john d

11-06-2005 17:38:03




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 Re: Slipping Belt off deck? in reply to robert boyko, 11-06-2005 15:08:12  
I have no experience with that particular model of tractor and mower. I would suspect any of the following, as all have happened to me with other mowers.
1) Belt is twisted, possibly has some internal breakage.
2) Idler pulley bearing is bad, causing idler pulley to set at an angle
3) If the mower has lots of hours on it, the pulley sheaves will begin to wear and cause the belt to not track properly.
4) If the blades are spun in the wrong direction on some mowers, the belt will come off.
5) Weak spring or some other reason why the idler pulley on the tensioning arm doesn't stay engaged with the belt.
6) Check to see if some debris is lodged in one of the pulleys. I lost a belt while mowing last summer, and found a piece of stick about the diameter of my little finger and only about 1" long stuck in one of the spindle pulleys. When it revolved to the point where the belt was on it, it came off. I lost that belt for the third time before I found the problem!

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RayP(MI)

11-06-2005 16:30:26




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 Re: Slipping Belt off deck? in reply to robert boyko, 11-06-2005 15:08:12  
If you're turning the blades by hand, make sure you turn the blades in the direction that they normally turn in operation. I've had the belt come off when blades are turned backwards. Don't know if this is your cause, but did it on my JD deck.



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chris sweetland

11-06-2005 16:43:40




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 Re: Slipping Belt off deck? in reply to RayP(MI), 11-06-2005 16:30:26  
i love my stx-38 but when it comes to the deck its the biggest pain in the a$$ ever mines a hydro with the 12.5 hp kohler black deck whats yours?



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robert boyko

11-07-2005 00:08:31




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 Re: Slipping Belt off deck? in reply to chris sweetland, 11-06-2005 16:43:40  
Hi Chris; I have a JD STX38 Yellow Deck. I have had it New Since 1990. Same Engine I think it says 13.5 Kohler. It Runs New and I use it only 2 or 3 Hours a Month. Dont you think that $193.00 is A little Steep just to put the Belt back on the rollers. I love this little Machine. I Put New tires, Battery, Hour Meter, and New Belt for the Deck about 6 Months Ago. It had the Same Belt All these years, Never Came Off. I will see if Turning it in the Opposite direction will make the Belt come off. I have Sharpened My Blades at Least a Dozen times in the past and Never had any Problem before. There is only ONE Dealer here in Hawaii, So WE GET Ripped Off. I Thank You Guys VERY VERY MUCH FOR ALL THE ADVICE. I AM DISABLED AND CANNOT DO THIS TYPE OF WORK. I HAVE SEVERAL FAILED BACK SURGERIES AND KNEE SURGERIES ELBOW AND A WHOLE LOT MORE. I AM A RETIRED MACHINIST FROM PEARL HARBOR NAVAL SHIP YARD, SO I KNOW ABOUT MECHANICS, MY DISABILITIES STOP ME FROM DOING THE WORK. I AM SURE IT IS SOMETHING SIMPLE. EVEN WITH THE ORIGINAL BELT IT NEVER CAME OFF, UNTIL I HAD IT CHANGED THIS YEAR. I WILL KEEP YOU ALL INFORMED. God Bless You Guys, Indeed!

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chris sweetland

11-07-2005 16:55:42




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 Re: Slipping Belt off deck? in reply to robert boyko, 11-07-2005 00:08:31  
mine just cost me $510 to get it back in working order $350 for the electric clutch another $75 to have the guy put it in because you need a special jd tool and $85 for a profesional tune up and i need a new battery another $35



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