I have a John Deere L 130 with a kohler engine. I am having problems
with the mower belt. I bought a new one about a month ago. It is
already chewed up and came off a few times.



I spent several hours checking it out yesterday. Nothing is rubbing
that I can tell. The only thing that seemed odd is it seems the idler
pulley is at an angle, and the belt could possibly run the top of the
idler pulley when it leaves the pulley and goes to the pto. Also with
the mower on the back of the belt at the rear deck seems to bounce
alot.



I took the pulley off, the pulley seemed ok. There is a large washer
that seems to “pivot” the assembly. It is doing it’s job. Spring seems
tight.



I spun all the pulleys by hand and nothing is locked up. I will say
when the blades are engaged I can hear a slight roar like the bearing
in the spindles are making noise but when I spin them by hand they
spin freely.



I have a large yard of about 3 acres I mow. I mow it at about a 2 inch
height.



Is there anything I should look for or parts that need to be ordered?

I'd call the closest dealer and ask their repair dept.
I collect a certain range of old Cub Cadets, not John Deere. But on
these Cubs, there is a place in the lifting mechanism adjuster that
wears a LOT with age. It allows the deck to tilt at an angle that
creates the very same issue that you have there. On my tractors, I
simply (well not THAT simply) take the parts off, weld up a 3/4" shaft
that has had a 1/2" notch worn in it, and rebuild the fork (bar stock
and welding) that rubs on it.
We, too have several acres to mow. We use 2 12hp hydrostatics to do
the job.

Pete Stanaitis
-----------------------

stryped wrote:
I have a John Deere L 130 with a kohler engine. I am having problems
with the mower belt. I bought a new one about a month ago. It is
already chewed up and came off a few times.



I spent several hours checking it out yesterday. Nothing is rubbing
that I can tell. The only thing that seemed odd is it seems the idler
pulley is at an angle, and the belt could possibly run the top of the
idler pulley when it leaves the pulley and goes to the pto. Also with
the mower on the back of the belt at the rear deck seems to bounce
alot.



I took the pulley off, the pulley seemed ok. There is a large washer
that seems to “pivot” the assembly. It is doing it’s job. Spring seems
tight.



I spun all the pulleys by hand and nothing is locked up. I will say
when the blades are engaged I can hear a slight roar like the bearing
in the spindles are making noise but when I spin them by hand they
spin freely.



I have a large yard of about 3 acres I mow. I mow it at about a 2 inch
height.



Is there anything I should look for or parts that need to be ordered?

spaco fired this volley in news:j7-
:

We, too have several acres to mow. We use 2 12hp hydrostatics to do
the job.



I'm really DONE with consumer mowers. In this sandy, Bahaia/Bermdua mix,
they last three to four years, max, and they are completely totalled.

So, I broke down last Monday and bought a low-time (800hr of a useful
2500hr) used Scag Turf Tiger with a 61" deck. It's really a beast,
cutting my mowing time for 4 acres from about four hours to under two,
and with better finish than any mower I've owned. It will cut clean at
10mph in 5" deep dry Pensicola Bahaia; one of the toughest-to-cut turf
grasses around.

Weird thing, though -- I've mowed the 4 acres twice now (re-starting my
mowing cycle on Saturday), and have used a scant 3.2 gallons of fuel so
far. Damn! That's with a 23HP Kawasaki V-twin OHC. My Briggs Vangard
14HP mower with the 45" deck was burning just under four gallons
_per_mowing_.

LLoyd

On May 17, 9:25*am, spaco wrote:
I'd call the closest dealer and ask their repair dept.
* *I collect a certain range of old Cub Cadets, not John Deere. *But on
these Cubs, there is a place in the lifting mechanism adjuster that
wears a LOT with age. *It allows the deck to tilt at an angle that
creates the very same issue that you have there. *On my tractors, I
simply (well not THAT simply) take the parts off, *weld up a 3/4" shaft
that has had a 1/2" notch worn in it, and rebuild the fork (bar stock
and welding) that rubs on it.
* We, too have several acres to mow. *We use 2 12hp hydrostatics to do
the job.

Pete Stanaitis
-----------------------



stryped wrote:
I have a John Deere L 130 with a kohler engine. I am having problems
with the mower belt. I bought a new one about a month ago. It is
already chewed up and came off a few times.

I spent several hours checking it out yesterday. Nothing is rubbing
that I can tell. The only thing that seemed odd is it seems the idler
pulley is at an angle, and the belt could possibly run the top of the
idler pulley when it leaves the pulley and goes to the pto. Also with
the mower on the back of the belt at the rear deck seems to bounce
alot.

I took the pulley off, the pulley seemed ok. There is a large washer
that seems to “pivot” the assembly. It is doing it’s job. Spring seems
tight.

I spun all the pulleys by hand and nothing is locked up. I will say
when the blades are engaged I can hear a slight roar like the bearing
in the spindles are making noise but when I spin them by hand they
spin freely.

I have a large yard of about 3 acres I mow. I mow it at about a 2 inch
height.

Is there anything I should look for or parts that need to be ordered?- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

I have been investigating parts and noticed on the later models of my
same mower there is a different idler pulley and bracket. Everythign
else on the deck is the same. This pully according to the specs is
wider and larger diameter. The only thing different is the belt number
and that idler and bracket. Everythign else is the same. I wonder if
this was an improvement for the problem I am having?