Caroni flail smoking belts

Johnston Tilliryy · Dec 6, 2020

Picked up a new Caroni TM1900 from AgriSupply yesterday and tried it out this afternoon for the 1st time after greasing everything and cutting PTO shaft. Started smoking after the 2nd pass. The outside belt was 1/2 way off the tensioner. Set them back in line, tightened past where it was previously and tried again with the same results. Looks to me like the top pulley is too far out and causing the belt to slide off regardless of tension. What do yall think? Thanks for any help. Sorry if this is in the wrong place.

Beaver Cove Deere · Dec 6, 2020

THose belts don't look to be in proper alignment but it could be the picture angle.Run a straight edge between the faces of the pulley. With the straight edge secure is the idler pulley square to the other two pulleys?

Industrial Toys · Dec 6, 2020

My Dad smoked the belts off my Ford 917 once. He was proud as punch using the thing like a Harley Rake.

Replaced them with single belts, but that didn't last long and went with the combined multi belt, without further issues and Dad was banned from using it.

Johnston Tilliryy · Dec 6, 2020

Beaver - Looks like the top pulley is 1/2" out further than the bottom. I'll have to run and get a spanner wrench that will fit and see if I can bring it in.

Industrial - The salesman assured me this would be a multi tool that could double as a tiller :laughing:

Rusty · Dec 6, 2020

Johnston Tilliryy said:
- Looks like the top pulley is 1/2" out further than the bottom. I'll have to run and get a spanner wrench that will fit and see if I can bring it in.

Johnston - I was overheating and melting belts on my Caroni TL1500, which has only 2 belts. Tried better belts, tensioning, etc. Finally determined that top pulley was further outboard than the lower pulley. There is a spacer behind each pulley. Took measurements to determine the offset, removed pully and spacer, and had a machinist turn down length of the top spacer. Reassembled and problem stopped. Finished 2nd year on this set of belts. I run the flail about 30-40 hours per year. Best wishes.

Johnston Tilliryy · Dec 6, 2020

Thanks Rusty. Sounds like the same issue. I found the pn for the spacer and will have them measure one in stock. Have you had any other issues with yours? It mowed great before smoking but worried about other hidden qc issues

Rusty · Dec 6, 2020

Johnston - The link below might be interesting reading for you:

https://www.tractorbynet.com/forums...-tl1500fsc-flail-observations.html?highlight=

Hilbilly · Dec 6, 2020

I agree that the picture makes it appear that the pulleys are not in alignment and as already suggested, just run a straight edge on the face of the top pulley and extend it done to the bottom pulley. That will tell you if they are in line with each other.

It also appears that the idler is rubbing on the idler swing arm. Could just be the angle of the pic though. There are obvious black marks on the idler, suggesting it is not spinning or not spinning freely.

skipperbrown · Dec 7, 2020

I had one of these and I sold it because mowing with it was just too slow. You need to slow down and allow the drum to expel all the grass. Tightening the idler doesn't help much. Gates makes a tough heavy duty belt that is less prone to breaking. I don't remember the number, but you can find it here with a diligent search. You can get matched Gates belts so you get the same tightness on all the belts. I ran mine without the cover so I could visually tell when I reached the slippage moment and could slow down before smoking the belts. There is a risk to running it without the safety cover, but you know that. There could be something wrong with your unit, but if you were pulling it the same speed you were pulling your brush cutter, then I think that is the problem.