deerhunter Posted May 2, 2005 Posted May 2, 2005 Just curious how long most people are getting out of the OEM deck drive belts for the 700 series machines. I was mowing yesterday and of course about 1/2 way into it I lost the belt on the 716H, no spares and it was Sunday. I bought this one about mid mowing season last year. It just seems that no matter which of my 2 716's it is, they both eat drive belts. And yes I always use OEM belts. If I try a green belt from NAPA they go even quicker
maxtorman1234 Posted May 2, 2005 Posted May 2, 2005 We have had our drive belt for 6 years, used hard for about 4 years, and still lots of life left. Its on a 917H. Are your bearings bad, or something mis-aligned? I have wore out gates belts on my 716H with a k341 within a couple minutes of putting one on, but the oem belts seem to last forever on both of my 716H. The best series tractor for belts, is the 300 and 400 series. Gates belts last forever on them.
HubbardRA Posted May 3, 2005 Posted May 3, 2005 Check the manner that the belt is tracking across the tension idlers while the mower is on the ground and engaged. If the belt does not track in the center, then take the idler loose and use spacer washers to align the idler so that the belt runs in the center. Also make sure the idler is the proper size. Sometimes the idlers have been changed and the size is not correct. Most of my belt problems have come from the tracking around idlers and pulleys. By the way, I get 2 to 3 years out of non OEM belts, on my 716H and my 713S which I just started mowing with last summer does not seem to be wearing the belt that I can see. Same mower that was on my 716H.
Tom45 Posted May 3, 2005 Posted May 3, 2005 When I first had my 912, the mower drive belts only lasted a few hours. I finally found someone had broken the tension spring and reformed the eye on it, causing the belt tension to be wrong. With a new spring and tensioned to the green mark on the arm decal, the belts last several years.
ikipp Posted May 4, 2005 Posted May 4, 2005 I get years of useage on my OEM mower belts. As said before check your pulleys and adjustments. I have tried top rated belts on my snowblowers. They don't last nearly as long as OEM belts.
WiscTom Posted May 6, 2005 Posted May 6, 2005 Improperly maintained pulleys and the like will radically shorten any belt life. Chances are that frequent blown belts are due to poor adjustment of the running gear, and not the belt itself. However, slapping in an xyz brand belt which may fit, but is not designed to flex backwards in use. Simply won't last. That said, the correct model of Stens belts seem to work every bit as good as the Simplicity brand here.
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