Jump to content

Unofficial Home of Old Simplicity & Allis-Chalmers Garden Tractors

Simplicity Belts - Not What They Used To Be??


PhanDad

Recommended Posts

I've been a believer in the quality of Simplicity OEM belts. They lasted for a long time over the years as can be shown on this pic from my B-110 deck arbor drive belt that lasted a few decades and was still going when the pic was taken:

IMG_4540a.jpg

IMG_4539a.jpg

Put this new deck drive belt on this spring; you can see it has little backside wear:

IMG_8478a.JPG

When I engaged the PTO yesterday, heard a pop and no blade noise; I figured the belt jumped a pulley. Not the case:

IMG_8472a.JPG

Maybe a manufacturing defect? Only 1 cord appears to be frayed where it broke:

IMG_8473a.JPG

IMG_8476a.JPG

I don't know if the cord ends are supposed to be tied off or un-tied and distributed around the belt circumference. Never had a Simplicity belt fail like this before. The belt that failed was manufactured in the USA; the replacement was manufactured in Mexico. Sure hoping this event was a one-off.

IMG_4540a.jpg.110be74f80a2fe17454c4f9cd95faac2.jpg

IMG_4539a.jpg.eca7c808d15ec1ec71e83f9fdda27c56.jpg

IMG_8478a.JPG.ea6fed655b31e4ecbd9855245fdacb13.JPG

IMG_8472a.JPG.49c6c3c76d47e11e015654449c33028c.JPG

IMG_8473a.JPG.74904ced9b03bd28811bea562a999548.JPG

IMG_8476a.JPG.71e8d87ee0d52b1d53d741fb4e551786.JPG

Link to comment
Share on other sites

My original drive belt on the Prestige last 10 year. Two years ago I bought a new one, like your brown OEM belt. It lasted 2 years. I changed it last month, but I am rough on drive belts. I guess, I don`t drive the Prestige like grandma drove here car.

Gates probably are not the ones making the belts for Simplicity no more. Briggs probably farmed it out to the cheapest bidder.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I too have always bought simplicity belts. Two summers ago my pto-mower belt broke mid mow. No dealers within driving distance so I went to TSC and bought one of the huskee brand "kevlar" belts in the proper size. Still working for me as we speak.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I've never bought an OEM belt...I've never broken a belt either. I have burned notches is a few, by locking up the Weedcutter.

I have plenty of OEM belts around, looking much like your first picture above. I just keep on using them.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I bought 2 sets of kevlar belts made in India about 10 years ago. Can't find the second set, the first is still on the Landlord used for everything from the front yard to 2-3 foot tall grass. I bought the second set thinking the first would likely be useless.

O'Reilley's and other vendors sell a Gates green utility tractor belt that will go for a while on most mowers, but nothing lasts "like it used to"

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Bill when belts snap clean like happened to you, it generally comes from idling engaged or engaging belt at idle with high inertia loads like a mower deck. There is an internal slapping back and forth that will cause the belt break clean. I learned that from my Gates rep in my former life. I have had happen to me a couple of times. It also happens when the idler pulley on the mower deck starts to seize up.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Bob,

Thanks for the tip.

I wasn't at idle when I engaged the blades, but probably not half throttle. The belt was on my Homelite with electric PTO, so that probably increases the shock load.

I'll keep the rpm's up from now on. But with CRS, I don't know for how long!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

×
×
  • Create New...