[IanW]

Hi,

I'm in the UK and have just bought myself a 'new' Toro ride on, but could use some advice please.

Its a 260HE (2001) with a 48" deck - picture attached - although for the time being I've taken the blower off and am using it side-discharge. I've been servicing and setting it up last few days, and have a problem with uneven cutting. The middle blade doesn't seem to like to cut longish grass and I suspect that the belt is slipping, but of course, being the middle blade, this is under the tractor, and very difficult to see when running. I have had the blades off and sharpened them - still have the scars to prove it! In fact they look practically brand new.

The standard Toro belt is a 142.7" x 1/2", which here in the UK is going to cost me about £88 ($140!!!). The guy I bought the mower from gave me a couple of spare belts, but they are 144" x 1/2", and not, I guess Toro originals. I guess he didn't like to pay that kind of money for a belt either!

At the risk of answering my own question, will the 1.3" difference in the belt length make that much difference to performance? How tight should the belt be? Is there anyone making belts that are direct replacements or good alternatives that do not cost the earth? - or - do I just bite the bullet and pay the $140?

Best Regards

Ian

 

[Mark / Ohio]

...At the risk of answering my own question, will the 1.3" difference in the belt length make that much difference to performance? How tight should the belt be? Is there anyone making belts that are direct replacements or good alternatives that do not cost the earth? - or - do I just bite the bullet and pay the $140?...

Welcome to the forum Ian!

Wow, and to think we grumble about belt prices at times here in the US.

General rule of thumb for any V-belt is 1/2" deflection. More deflection and they start to slip, less then that and the belt wears faster and can wear pulley bearings faster.

1.3" is a lot of difference in my book for belt length. But whether it will work would depend on the amount of adjustment available by the back tension idler.

Generally I stay with OE belts but I'm not paying that much for them either. I don't know what belts/companies you have over there as far as alternatives to the OE belts. I've run Gates belts in the past that I bought locally and had good luck with them.

V BELTS FOR BACK IDLER AND CLUTCHING APPLICATIONS - ruflex & PowerRated - V-BELTS FOR BACK IDLER AND CLUTCHING APPLICATIONS | Gates Corporation

 

[IanW]

Hi Mark,
Thanks for that.
Since my post I've done some further checking. The belts that the guy gave me are type A144, which I assumed to be 144". Actually checking the belt spec, they are 3704mm outside length x 13 mm which translates to 145.826" x .51". This means the difference on length is 3.1", and from your comment, that would be way too much additional length for the tension idler to take up effectively. It's a spring tensioned by flipping a lever to a stop, so there is no adjustment available, just the tension of the spring once set.
The belts are sitting quite low in the pulleys so it's possible that I also have some wear. When the deck is running I see that the belt is flapping around quite a bit.
I'm going to try one of two options. I can get an A140 belt which is 141.8" x .51w x .31d" and a B140 belt which is 142.55" x .66w x .43d". If the 1/2" (.51") belts are bottoming out due to wear, I can use the bigger belt. Both should fit within the tensioning ability of the idler spring.
In any event, I can get both these belts together for a quarter of price of the Toro belt, so I reckon its worth a try.
I'll let you know how it goes.

BR Ian

 

[Mark / Ohio]

...This means the difference on length is 3.1", and from your comment, that would be way too much additional length for the tension idler to take up effectively. It's a spring tensioned by flipping a lever to a stop, so there is no adjustment available, just the tension of the spring once set....

Yeah, I think especially with a spring tensioner that 3.1" extra would be asking a awful lot of it. If it was a fixed tensioner and you had the room/enough adjustment to pull it tight would be one thing. But with a spring the tighter you have to pull it to the lock position, the tighter the belt. The engineers no doubt have the belt size and the spring size calculated together to match for the proper tension.

 

[mau mau]

Hi mate

I am also based in the UK and have the same model Toro so no suprise with the cost of parts - we changed belt recently (will dig out receipt but remembered wasnt cheap) Will ask the mechanic his opinion on your problem with uneven cut and get back to you.

 

[IanW]

Ok - so I've tried both belts.

The 'B' profile belt turned out to be too short. It sat higher in the pulleys, which I had hoped for, but wasn't then long enough to fit comfortably. I guess I may have pursuaded it to fit with a lit more effort, but didn't want to unduly stress any bearings.

The 'A' belt on the other hand fits quite well. It is an inch shorter than the standard Toro belt , but this difference is made up in the jockey spring tensioner. Most importantly, it now cuts the grass.

We'll have to see how it lasts, but right now, I'm happy to have spent £12 as opposed to the £88 it was going to cost me to get hold of the Toro belt, and if do I need a replacement, I can get one next day.

BR Ian

 

[Mark / Ohio]

Thanks for letting us know what you found out Ian.

If it mows and does not smoke and squeal that's the most important part.