Mowing New BX, first issue......

[csr0831]

Dealer dropped tractor off today while I was at work. Said there was nothing wrong with pulley alignments and everything is tight. He put the belt back on properly and ordered a new guard.

I think he is going to handle it as a warranty claim, but if he is right, then it really should'nt be handled like that. I'll call him tomorrow and at least offer to pay him for his trouble. He has always treated me well, never charges me for pick up and delivery and in general has been great about everything. I should at least offer to pay him for his trouble......however, I doubt **** take it...we'll see.

 

[csr0831]

As I suspected...dealer refused to charge me for picking the machine up, inspecting and correcting the belt, returning it, or for ordering a new cover. His claim that a pine cone or gum ball got under the belt and derailed it sounds a little strange as it has never had that happen on any other mower I've had here....but, I do have lot of both, so who knows. In any case, I'm a happy camper : )

 

[TripleR]

I am glad you got the issue taken care of it and it was nothing related to quality or setup; never had it happen to me either, but I guess it can.

 

[Steve in MT]

It sounds like you have a good honest dealer and I buy the idea that something got sucked up in between the belt and pulley. I dont think that he will file a warranty claim either, he will simply eat the time and parts to keep you happy. Happy customers return when its time to upgrade or replace, unhappy customers go to another dealer.

 

[bigtiller]

Things like that happen. I had a walnut get in the right spot on one of my fairly new JD mowers and popped the belt off.

It never happened before or after that.

 

[csr0831]

Yes I suppose they do.....the way that belt is designed it would take a substantial "pine cone" or gum ball to derail it. However, that said, I can't say it didn't't happen and the dealer has certainly treated me fairly (more than fairly) over the whole incident, so I am a happy camper and that dealer will surely get any of my future business. : )

 

[J F]

:thumbsup:

 

[Coolerman]

I have lurked here forever reading valuable information daily. I had to post to make a comment about your dealer. Your dealer is a keeper for sure. If he won't take payment, at least find out what he drinks and buy him a case of it!

Back on topic:I have had my BX2230D with a 60" deck for a couple of years now. The deck has the metal covers over the outer pulleys. The belts are exposed in the center where the gear box is, but though grass can get in there, I have never had a stick, walnut or anything bigger than a blade of grass under the cover when I pull them off to clean. I mow under trees (yes a walnut tree or two) and along overgrown fence lines with large weeds and saplings sticking out everywhere. I just don't really see how anything could get in there large enough to derail that huge belt? It would have to fall in from the top... Granted it happened in your case as there is no way the belt just jumped off the pulleys by itself!

 

[csr0831]

I have several areas I have to drive stright in and then back out of because there is not enough room to turn. Lots of pinecones flying around at that point and the only thing I can figure is that one of them bounced over the back side of the deck as I was backing up, as the top of it is lower to the gorund then the leading edge is. Go figure.....

 

[Nooodles]

Readable form

Does you or your pappy own a tractor

 

[David_Kb7uns]

Have a friend with a BX25 and he has had problems with the pulley bolts loosing up and getting wallered out 2 seperate times. The older deck that I have on my BX2230 has more bolts and a circular flange and has not loosened up any like the 4 bollt newer crossed flange spindles. Think Kubota needs to go back to the old style spindle as there is some type of harmonics building up on the newer cross type spindle assemblies.

David Kb7uns

 

[CobyRupert]

I'm tempted to take the guards off my JD LX280 mower, all they do is catch and store dried grass, a small stick or two. Did the OP check the spindles for looseness , alignment or a bad bearing without any belt tension on them?

 

[Coolerman]

I have several areas I have to drive stright in and then back out of because there is not enough room to turn. Lots of pinecones flying around at that point and the only thing I can figure is that one of them bounced over the back side of the deck as I was backing up, as the top of it is lower to the gorund then the leading edge is. Go figure.....

Yeah, OPEN pine cones would be light enough to fly around everywhere, but they are so fragile seems like they would just get pulverized if they happened to get between the belt and the pulley. On the other hand, green UNOPENED cones would be very hard just like a walnut. They could potentially derail a belt.

 

[Illini22]

Sounds like u have a great dealer.

 

[Coolerman]

Yeah they have made a few changes to these decks over the years. Here is a pic of my 2003 60" deck pulley. The deck probably has 300 hours on it and I have never had anything fail or come loose in all that time. (I have two decks [PO had them, one for rough fields, one for his "lawn"] and swap them out so neither deck gets a whole lot of time on them)

 

[csr0831]

Yep...dealer is a good one for sure. Probably doesnt hurt that the service manager is the same guy who sold me my GR in 05 and is awear of all the problesm I had with it. The gave me a really good deal on the trade in for this unit.

Coolerman: your pullys appear to ahve 6 bolts and mine only have four...although they appear to be larger then yours. Not sure if one has an advantage over the other in this application......

 

[TripleR]

I've never derailed a belt other than as mentioned previously by loose bolts, but we have cleaned sticks pine cones etc. out. The belt is big, strong and the spring on the idler pulley really strong, so while it is not likely, it is possible. I have lost track of the times we have thrown belts on our John Deeres; easy to put back on though.

 

[TripleR]

Yeah they have made a few changes to these decks over the years. Here is a pic of my 2003 60" deck pulley. The deck probably has 300 hours on it and I have never had anything fail or come loose in all that time. (I have two decks [PO had them, one for rough fields, one for his "lawn"] and swap them out so neither deck gets a whole lot of time on them)

We have an 03 and 08 and I prefer the 03 as it just seems more sturdy and I prefer the metal belt covers and chute on the older ones.

 

[bigtiller]

We have an 03 and 08 and I prefer the 03 as it jut seems more sturdy and I prefer the metal belt covers and chute on the older ones.

I like the old metal ones too. They didn't have a warning on them saying "Not A Step" ,,, and didn't they even cover the center of the deck?

 

[csr0831]

That's kinda like my Gravely......the guards are metal and you actually drive the front of the tractor over them in order to get the deck under the machine......