exmark metro belt slipping on wheel pulley - help!

[ericfox]

I just replaced all the belts on my exmark metro. The right hand drive belt used to slip on the pulley that is attached to the transmission... now that I replaced the belt it grabs on that pulley but slips on the larger wheel pulley... it only does this when I am on a hill and I stop and then start again...

Brakes are all adjusted properly...

I have tried cleaning the pulleys and even roughing them up with a little 80 grit sandpaper... also I have moved the spring to the highest tension position.

The belt grabs sometimes, but not with the grabbing power of the belt on the other side... I cannot hold back the mower then I let the left wheel go, but when I let the right wheel go I can hold the mower back if I pull hard and the belt will start slipping

Any ideas? Thanks!

Eric

[MASTERMOWER]

Adjust the rods. The brake has nothing to do with it. Put levers in drive position, remove rods from lever, adjust until the rod's end is one-half of the rod diameter past the hole in the lever (towards you). You may have to adjust the brake rods after you've adjusted the drive rods.

[GeeVee]

Pulleys (sheaves) don't last forever. I used to change the pulley every two belts.

[ericfox]

I think you may be right about the sheaves... I talked to a guy at the mower shop close to my house this morning... he said the belt just has to "break in" so I guess I'll give it a couple weeks and if it still does it then I will buy 2 new sheaves for that side... thanks a lot!

[GeeVee]

Buy sheaves in pairs- don't buy just one side. Thats like taking a shower and putting your dirty underwear back on. You bought two new belts, buy two (FOUR) new sheaves. Roughing them Up? Considfer they come with a light epoxy paint and their fresh stamped and smooth as wifey's cooter (Mine is) a belt doesn't grip on that sort of friction, its a different friction altogether.

Sheaves and belts have a relationship. Go to the dealer and ask to see both new parts. Put the belt in the sheave and see how it fits, when yours doesn't fit the same way, (new belt still rides low in old sheave, its the worn part. Conversely, take your old belt and slap it in the new sheave) Belts shouldn't ride all the way down in the sheave when new. Research a little, but just trust the flat "outside" of the belt should be higher than the tallest part of the sheave flange.

As a belt wears on the "sides" it rides deeper in the sheave, effectively shortening its length and tension loosens, thats why they make idlers and tensioners spring loaded. Another thing not to overlook. Springs don't consistently wear evenly and lose "springy-ness". Ultimately the mating surface of a sheave is worn, and the new belt has to match it to make surface friction. Same for the sheaves, you put squared off new belts in a worn sheave (as your dealer mentioned) it doesn't mate well. He failed to mention you will be sacrificing the belt life as it WILL wear down and fit the sheave. Congrats, you made your new belt as un-Square as your old one.

Ask an OLD guy about drum brakes and brakes shoes, something most of us under fifty know nothing about. Its a geometry thing. Radius and diameter. Very complicated. Too illustrate this, cut your old belt in half and then you can see a real cross sectional view, and you'll be thanking old GeeVee for fully explaining this relationship.....

Ultimately, you should be making adjustment to the tensioners about once or twice a season when you run it 4 hours a day (on the hour meter) five days a week in southern climates, (36+ cuttings a year) maybe less in cool seasons, two hours mowing time a day, 20 to 25 cuttings, for five day work weeks.

Mister Mower is a fine tinkerer, your mower shop guy is not a dummy either. I am just taking it a bit further for you, as most Jockeys ride it hard and put it away wet. How do you think I know so much about how to troubleshoot and ultimately, how it really works? I did the same thing. Really, most won't fix it because it aint broke. Regular maintenance prevents repairs that still don't fix the problem. Hacks use "replace parts til it works" mentality, MECHANICS troubleshoot, find the problem and fix the problem, AND everything thats broken because of the problem. (you heard it here first, a GeeVee original.)

Really, you don't know its weak, cause you use it every day. You just want it to work again, and are happy if it goes back to work with a new belt. Doesn't mean its optimal.

For example. I dirve my wife's 4 Runner about four times year, or her Buell. If I don't, she'll drive that thing into the ground and I have a big issue to FIX, when all I had to do was be unfamiliar, get in it, and realize she needs brakes, or she probably has been running 87 octane. Foerst for the trees kind of thing. Familiarty breeds contempt.

Hope this helps, I haven't had a meaningful post around here for years....

[Sammy]

You were overdue.....;o]

[GeeVee]

probably overdue for a good flame too. Where's Jack'D when no one needs him?

[MASTERMOWER]

Where's Jack'D when no one needs him?

Burning in the pits of hell after rolling his Titan while yelling out his window at riff-raff. He tossed his can of ****ty canadian beer at same mentioned riff-raff but instead hit an oncoming car which in turn hit Jack D in his rear quarter panel causing him to loose control. Good news is the Rhino lined trailer came out ok with no dents! :alien::alien::alien: