Flippin' Belt

[Tom Z.]

I have 1957 Farmall Cub. It came with a lot of impliments, and I finally have gotten the C-3 mower working. I have a problem with the main drive belt that goes from the PTO pulley to the center spindle on the mowing deck.

It keeps flipping over on the PTO pulley so that the wide side is down. Is this a symptom of the belt being too tight or too loose?

I should also mention that the PTO pulley has a chip out of the rim (about 1" long" on the side away from the seat.

I love the way it mows. It looks a lot better than my regular lawn mower. It does use up about all the power my cub can provide. When I hit taller grass is really slows down, sometimes almost to the stalling point. I'm hoping that by adjusting the belt so it stays properly oriented, it might help.

Thanks,

Tom Z.

[capt jack]

Put one twist in the belt. The belt has to run v side down on the mower and on the pto wheel, it is okay to make a turn (hence the twist) over the two other wheels.
Good Luck...and try mowing higher when in deep grass, make two cuts to keep the tractor from stalling.

[George Willer]

Tom,

Bad news! The flipping is due to the fact the belt has been run enough to stretch one side... it will never run right, no matter how you tension it. I learned that lesson the hard way... by ruining a brand new $100 Woods belt by running it twisted sideways.

[capt jack]

Where you all buying these belts? I just replaced mine yesterday. The equivient belt is a BR-136 and it cost 21.00 at Glass Auto Supply here at home. I better take good care of it cause I don't want to pay that kind of money. Just measure the belt and the 'flat' side and go get one. The one that I replaced was only 8 years old. Guess they dont build them like they use to. By the way....George you on your way to the Cubfest. If so have a super time and drive carefully.

[George Willer]

Where you all buying these belts? I just replaced mine yesterday. The equivient belt is a BR-136 and it cost 21.00 at Glass Auto Supply here at home. I better take good care of it cause I don't want to pay that kind of money. Just measure the belt and the 'flat' side and go get one. The one that I replaced was only 8 years old. Guess they dont build them like they use to. By the way....George you on your way to the Cubfest. If so have a super time and drive carefully.

Jack,

The Woods belt was not at fault. It was a little too loose and I tried to make a complete round to end up by the shop to adjust it. It took too long.

I think the Woods belt (for an L-306) has kevlar cords so it can (and should) be run with more tension than most belts can stand. Run at the proper tension the single belt can transmit up tp 36 HP! I wouldn't consider a cheap belt... properly set up the Woods belts last practically forever.

I'll be making a road trip tomorrow to take a couple Cubs to Gary's place for a beauty treatment. It will be good practice for the trip to CubFest.

[Bigdog]

George, tell Gary there is a Cockshutt 30 for sale just about a mile from CubFests.

[evielboweviel]

Call me stubborn I bought 3 of the cheap belts ruined every one in less than an hour before buying another WOODS belt which held up and worked great. So 100 in 3 belts plus 3 trips 1 hour each way verus 82 for one belt and a 3 hour round trip to get it.
Ron

[capt jack]

I must consider myself lucky then. Because my last cheap belt lasted eight years, perhaps the word cheap only applies to the cost and not to the quality of the belt. But what the heck it would be a strange world ifn' we all did the same things the same way.
Everyone drive carefully up to the cubfest.

[Tom Z.]

Fellow cubbers:

Thanks for all the advice and opinions. If the belt is stretched, and I want to measure it for replacement purposes, how much should I subtract from the actual length to get the correct lenght?

Is there a rule of thumb here?

Thanks again.

Tom Z.

[Jim Becker]

If you have a C-3 on a Farmall Cub, with Fast-Hitch, it is part 477179R1,
21/32 wide, 122-51/64 outside circumference, 13/32 deep.

If you have a C-3 on a Farmall Cub, without Fast-Hitch, it is part 487046R1,
21/32 wide, 114-51/64 outside circumference, 13/32 deep.

[Matt Kirsch]

There should be some numbers embossed somewhere on the belt that can be used to cross-reference.