• Advertisement

Heads up on belts...

Use this forum to discuss small engines, and the equipment or machinery that they power. This is the main section for any technical help posts and related questions.

Heads up on belts...

Postby KE4AVB » Wed Aug 23, 2017 10:59 am

Well I have in less than week ran into after market belt length problems. Both of them were from Sunbelt/A&I Products. The first was labeled as being 35-1/4 actually measured 34-3/4 and most know how picky MTDs are. Of course now they are showing their B17540241A as being 35.8". Well while repairing DYIer's mower that couldn't get the drive belt on I ran into another bad belt. Well the 1/2 x 95" belt he was using to replace a 1/2 x 95-1/4" on an AYP wasn't 95" but instead was 94". No wonder he couldn't get it on.

I called my vendor and asked if they came out with a new version the measuring tape; where inches don't measure inches. Maybe those Indians broken the end of tape off and kept measuring with the broken tape. Or maybe they are doing the same as the fastener companies are doing. I ordered some 7/16-20 x 4-1/2 hex bolts. Well they are not 4-1/2 but are 4-3/8". Good thing I was needing them on a project that needed 4-1/4" bolts.

Either way now I got to check every new belt against the specs before I put them away; more wasted time. Come on vendors we depend on the parts we're ordering are as described and not something just to fill an order.

I reckon it is just being a bad month for me with the parts screw-ups. Delays because of re-ordering is going over well with the customer either.
User avatar
KE4AVB
Forum Pro
 
Posts: 5999
Joined: Mon Nov 04, 2013 11:23 am
Location: TorLand

Advertisement

Re: Heads up on belts...

Postby bgsengine » Wed Aug 23, 2017 12:11 pm

KE4AVB wrote:
Either way now I got to check every new belt against the specs before I put them away; more wasted time. Come on vendors we depend on the parts we're ordering are as described and not something just to fill an order.


And people wonder why AM belts are so much cheaper than some OEM's .. OEMs have better quality control - a lot of the cheaper aftermarket stuff is just "make it, bag it, tag it, ship it" and they have no idea if their product is within spec or not. OTOH, there's also frequent parts catalog screwups (thanks to ARI, usually) and OEM typos and mis-labelling (such as the 75.4 inch belt listed in price file as 74.5 inch, although the actual belt is indeed correctly sized)

Then there's the supplier warehouse people (packing head gaskets loose in the box and then putting mower blades on top!) - more and more the manufacturers and distributors are simply foisting quality control on the dealer.
How poor are they who have not patience. What wound did ever heal, but by degrees? - Iago (Othello Act II, Scene 3)
bgsengine
Briggs MST
Briggs MST
 
Posts: 3296
Joined: Sun Nov 03, 2013 10:07 pm
Location: Northcentral P.A.

Re: Heads up on belts...

Postby KE4AVB » Wed Aug 23, 2017 12:42 pm

Until this year I haven't had an y problems with my Sunbelt/A&I belts and I been ordering from them since 2009. Somewhere along the distribution line, I thinking the point of actual labeling of the belts themselves is where the hang up is. Anyway it is just a big headache and I don't need anymore add to my constant cluster heads I have without the problems. I seldom get several days in a row without them.

I had quit Rotary belts years ago on the account of way out spec belts. Some belts I know just to order OEM especially those 7/16 belts Cub uses. Many vendors are pushing 1/2 as replacements but there is just not enough clearance at the engine pulley with the frame retainers.
The truest measure of society is the how it treats its elderly, its pets, and its prisoners.
User avatar
KE4AVB
Forum Pro
 
Posts: 5999
Joined: Mon Nov 04, 2013 11:23 am
Location: TorLand

Re: Heads up on belts...

Postby hanz63 » Wed Aug 23, 2017 3:18 pm

Have you checked in to getting set up with a MTD distributor? I'm not a dealer, but mine gives me fair enough pricing on MTD, Kohler AYP. Non MTD belts in the majority of what I work on just don't cut it. Some aftermarket applications are OK. I liked the Stens belts- which are thermoid I think, good belts. My customers probably figure I mark them up anyways, but in my neighborhood all the dealers do. The pricing matrix that the local Deere dealer has is more or less 20 above list.
hanz63
Forum Pro
 
Posts: 467
Joined: Thu May 26, 2016 3:07 am

Re: Heads up on belts...

Postby KE4AVB » Wed Aug 23, 2017 5:53 pm

Yes and I couldn't even get Gardner / Dixie Sales rep to even come out. The worst of it the salesman lives only 20-25 miles from me and is based out Fayetteville, TN. May be my 5,000 in part purchases this year so far isn't enough for them.

As for JD I have manage to secure a 10% off their list price for the JD stuff so that helps some.

As for markups that normal business practice as we got to cover our costs.
The truest measure of society is the how it treats its elderly, its pets, and its prisoners.
User avatar
KE4AVB
Forum Pro
 
Posts: 5999
Joined: Mon Nov 04, 2013 11:23 am
Location: TorLand

Re: Heads up on belts...

Postby Mr Mower Man » Wed Aug 23, 2017 6:59 pm

When it comes to AYP and MTD, I always stick with OEM belts. Also for Country Clipper, since I'm a Country Clipper dealer. I used to use aftermarket belts all the time on AYP and MTD, and usually it was OK. But there were a handful of times when that belt was just not working right, and I thought there must've been something wrong with the deck or something. But I tried an OEM belt, and the problem magically went away. So I've been sticking with OEM's since, when I can get them easily enough. I'll still use aftermarket belts on brands I can't get OEM belts for: John Deere, Great Dane, Hustler, Woods, etc. The majority of the ones I get are Oregon brand, and I consider them pretty good.
Mr Mower Man
Forum Pro
 
Posts: 267
Joined: Thu Jul 24, 2014 10:28 am
Location: Scottsburg, Indiana

Re: Heads up on belts...

Postby hanz63 » Wed Aug 23, 2017 10:18 pm

I've read lots of your posts. You have no shortage of talent and certainly have the desire to complete a good repair. You look out for your customer. Those are attributes of a great tech. Sometimes it pays to be a little more tenacious. Call someone else at the distributor. That one step can make a world of difference. Hopefully you can foster a a better working relationship and increase the margins. It is in their best interest if you buy more parts. Admittedly I am prejudiced against aftermarket V/S MTD belts. I think that it is my customers best interest and that they get a better repair. Your results may vary of course. I wish you luck and will stay tuned.
hanz63
Forum Pro
 
Posts: 467
Joined: Thu May 26, 2016 3:07 am

Re: Heads up on belts...

Postby Arkie » Thu Aug 24, 2017 7:21 am

I was buying MTD v belts from a vendor (I'll reluctantly refrain from mentioning their selling name) on ebay for last 3 years with good results and within last 6 months all at once I noticed in their listings that using the same MTD part number they had different width and length of belts scattered around in their listings plus the same size of belts, same part numbers and same lengths but different prices.

When I sent them a kind email about their errors in their listings they said they would correct such and they never did correct anything. I'm no longer using that vendor.

I also have to really keep a heads up buying belts and have found several of the auto parts stores cross reference using manu parts numbers v belts is not even in the ball park.

I've had real better luck if I use Kevlar belts once I find the correct size.

Cannot just simply order a v belt going by manu part numbers now days W/O doing some re-search as to the correct size from vendors.
Arkie
Forum Pro
 
Posts: 1041
Joined: Sun Nov 10, 2013 5:58 pm

Re: Heads up on belts...

Postby KE4AVB » Thu Aug 24, 2017 8:09 am

I know it driving me nuts that I can't even fix my own mower right due to belt problems. I didn't have a bit problem 5 yrs ago when I re belt it. I simply just worn the belt from use on 6 acres.

The Bolens IPl is showing 754-05040 (5L x 35) which I can't even get on. An alternate shown was the 754-0241A (5L x 35.25). I can get it on but is still a little too tight as I can't shift to high without having to manual pull the clutch pedal back with my foot.

I did manage to find a 5L355 belt and have order 4 of them. My Am vendor is now saying that 754-0241A is now 5/8 x 35.8 (previously shown as 35.25) which I suspect that is because 5L and 5/8 are slightly different so I reasoned that the 5L355 should be right. I know in a week; meanwhile, I still got to cut my grass so I just going use the short belt as I won't need high in the tall crabgrass. Just pain that I got to drop the transmission every time to change belts.

In this application Kevlar isn't needed but it was deck belt then I always try to use Kevlar belts especially those under high tension loads.
The truest measure of society is the how it treats its elderly, its pets, and its prisoners.
User avatar
KE4AVB
Forum Pro
 
Posts: 5999
Joined: Mon Nov 04, 2013 11:23 am
Location: TorLand

Re: Heads up on belts...

Postby 38racing » Thu Aug 24, 2017 8:22 am

and bad ipls don't help. MTD really seems to have screwed up on a white that I have. IPL shows 42" and 46" deck drives side by side. In pic labelled 42", the belt is ref 65 shown with electric pto and 1 idler. In part list ref 65 says it's belt for 46" with electric PTO. In pic for 46" , the belt ref is 55 shown with manual PTO and double idler and list says it's belt for 42" deck with manual PTO. Kicker is that mine is 42" deck, looks like their picture labelled 46", belt listed is same length as mine but I have electric PTO not manual. So my actual setup is not shown. I was looking up a similar CUB cadet model on partstree and it seems to have the same error when looking up the deck drive belt.
38racing
Forum Pro
 
Posts: 2287
Joined: Thu Nov 07, 2013 10:12 pm
Location: Ontario Canada

Next

Return to Technical Discussion Forum

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 5 guests

cron