Lawnmower drive belt heating up .

[micpwelsh]

Hi I know this isn't a car but hopefully someone can help . My ride on lawnmower recently had a v belt fly apart . I ordered the new belt and fitted it , it was tight to fit . When I start the cutting deck I can smell the belt getting hot + it's hot to touch after 2 minutes of use . Any idea what could be wrong ?

 

[Burnerman]

For belts to get as hot as that, it's either way over tight or way out of alignment.....however, do check all of the pulleys, guides or whatever to see that there isn't a seized bearing in the way.
Normally these belts are pretty slack, and tightened up by tensioners - either spring loaded or otherwise - so that concerns me a little.
Which machine is it, and is it the transmission belt or the blade drive belt that's giving the worry?
John

 

[micpwelsh]

Thanks for your reply John it's stiga park 540 dpx . It's the pto drive belt and it was unusually hard to put it on , like you said it's usually easy

 

[Burnerman]

Wow, that's a serious bit of kit.....Hatz diesel, rear steer and maybe 4WD? Very similar in layout to the Husqvarna Rider series.
Anyway, do check that the magnetic clutch hasn't seized, and the belt runs on the right side of the tensioner. Have a lie down at the belt price, but the genuine one is best - but there are two different sizes so get the right one!
John

 

[micpwelsh]

Yes it's 4wd , I was thinking they could of sent me the wrong belt . I'm sure I got it on the correct side of the tensioner . It's only 2 years old but how do I check the magnetic clutch ?

 

[micpwelsh]

https://www.worldofmowers.co.uk/sti...stiga-park-540-dpx-2f6236281/power-take-off-2 that's the belt in question

 

[Burnerman]

I can't see the magnetic clutch on that drawing, but if it isn't engaged it should freewheel.....when engaged it should drive the PTO assembly.
For the belt to heat up like that it does sound like it's skidding around something solid!
John

 

[Harry Bloomfield]

Hi I know this isn't a car but hopefully someone can help . My ride on lawnmower recently had a v belt fly apart . I ordered the new belt and fitted it , it was tight to fit . When I start the cutting deck I can smell the belt getting hot + it's hot to touch after 2 minutes of use . Any idea what could be wrong ?

What ever it is driving, has a tight bearing. Is it a propulsion belt, or a cutting deck belt? If its propulsion, maybe the brake isn't releasing properly.

I just had a similar problem with mine, propulsion belt burning when I tried to drive. One of the cutting deck brackets had come adrift, set the deck at the highest cut and it would completely jam a propulsion pulley. Trying to drive, there would be an immediate smell of burning belt and smoke. It took me a while to figure it out.

 

[Burnerman]

PTO belt Harry, not sure what it drives but it's usually a lawn sweeper.
John

 

[micpwelsh]

It drives the pulley that drives the cutting deck

 

[Burnerman]

Aha, that's me looking at the drawing the wrong way round
It does sound like the belt is slipping around a seized pulley or tensioner though.
John

 

[micpwelsh]

Had the mower on the ramp , all pulley's are good and nothing touching the belt . Is it possible that it's running hot because it's a new belt ? Or is that not possible

 

[Burnerman]

All belts get hot, but if its smoking or too hot to touch after a couple of minutes, there’s something wrong I’m afraid.
Are you sure the blade brakes on the cutter deck are releasing? Something is giving the belt a hard time, and probably why the original belt called it a day in the first place.
John

 

[micpwelsh]

It gets hot if I run the belt with the cutting deck removed