X330R deck belt

   / X330R deck belt #1  

BiXLL

Bronze Member
Joined
Apr 15, 2006
Messages
53
Just lost my deck belt today. In looking it up, I need part M155096. OEM replacement belt is $98.00! Are these belts better then other "compatible belts? Would you go OEM, or is there another quality belt I can get for a more reasonable price?
 
   / X330R deck belt #2  
JD is infamous for 'special' parts dimensions. Their belts and pulleys for example often use non standard dimensions and angles. Motivation is to drive you to their branded products telling you that others are not compatible and won't work, at least not as well.

Now, with that out of the way, I use compatible belts with no issue on my X300 deck. Go for the general width and length with the knowledge that it won't be exact and may not set properly into the pulleys and sheaves. They will usually work just fine.

Look for blue wrapped Kevlar belts if possible. The wrapping helps when belts run against a backside idler pulley/tensioner. I use either Jason or D&D Powerdive.
 
   / X330R deck belt #3  
Get the JD belt.. or let us know how a substitute works for you. Pls let us know how much less cost it will be for the non JD belt.
Believe there is "extra" stuff in the JD belt, but am not willing to try to find out differently.

Learned years ago with my '68 Wheel Horse mower that all belts are not created equal. Kept trying to get a replacement belt to work, when it turned out WH had special belts made for them to their own specs. And the WH belts worked.
 
   / X330R deck belt #4  
I have an X300 and my experience has been poor outcomes with belts other than JD, including so called Kevlar belts. I think it’s true, as mentioned above, that JD tweeks belt and sheave sizes and mounting angels of said sheaves so you will buy their parts.
 
   / X330R deck belt #5  
Get the JD belt..

Learned years ago with my '68 Wheel Horse mower that all belts are not created equal. Kept trying to get a replacement belt to work, when it turned out WH had special belts made for them to their own specs. And the WH belts worked.
TBH I've always gone with the specific JD belt for my D110, and I've always got a spare belt on hand 'just in case'.

I got about 7 years out of the original belt. When it finally 'went', I had a spare ready to go as it's a 4 hour round trip to my JD Dealership. The next time I was in the area, I picked up a new spare. With OEM there's no "I hope this fits" worries.
 
   / X330R deck belt
  • Thread Starter
#7  
I decided to go with the JD belts (deck and drive)and ordered a new set of high lift blades. Should be good to go for a while
 
   / X330R deck belt #8  
JD is infamous for 'special' parts dimensions. Their belts and pulleys for example often use non standard dimensions and angles. Motivation is to drive you to their branded products telling you that others are not compatible and won't work, at least not as well.
I'm a retired JD engineer... my name is on a lot of belt drawings. Sorry, but creating 'special', non-standard parts (whatever that is) is not a motivation.... lol.

Deere has very high life goals for it's components... especially belt drives. So first, the drive is modeled on CAD and hand calculations are made to determine what loads/speeds the drive will see. In CAD you can move sheaves around to be certain that the belt clears other components. It's not important at all that any of the components match "standard" components. It IS important to try and use components that 1) are already in the Deere system (with a proven track record), 2) already stocked on the assembly line (avoids assembly mistakes), and 3) lowers costs by increasing volumes on existing JD parts.

For belts, I always looked in the system to see if a similar part could be used. Maybe a sheave(s) could be shifted to get an existing JD belt to work. Great! If not, you are working with an application engineer (from the belt supplier) that will review the design and make exactly what you need for that application: belt section, raw edge or wrap, cord construction, length, etc.

Make sense why the belts/sheaves hanging in Tractor Supply are not a consideration?
 
   / X330R deck belt #9  
I'm a retired JD engineer... my name is on a lot of belt drawings. Sorry, but creating 'special', non-standard parts (whatever that is) is not a motivation.... lol.

Deere has very high life goals for it's components... especially belt drives. So first, the drive is modeled on CAD and hand calculations are made to determine what loads/speeds the drive will see. In CAD you can move sheaves around to be certain that the belt clears other components. It's not important at all that any of the components match "standard" components. It IS important to try and use components that 1) are already in the Deere system (with a proven track record), 2) already stocked on the assembly line (avoids assembly mistakes), and 3) lowers costs by increasing volumes on existing JD parts.

For belts, I always looked in the system to see if a similar part could be used. Maybe a sheave(s) could be shifted to get an existing JD belt to work. Great! If not, you are working with an application engineer (from the belt supplier) that will review the design and make exactly what you need for that application: belt section, raw edge or wrap, cord construction, length, etc.

Make sense why the belts/sheaves hanging in Tractor Supply are not a consideration?
Your claim that the belts and pulleys are not specific to JD doesn't pass the smell test.

From reading you post, I see that you did not necessarily design any pulleys or belts, but just used what has been used in past designs.

And from your own post, you stated, that if you need a new length belt, you ask the belt mfg to make a belt that fits the existing pulleys. I don't see anything in your post that denies that the JD makes a uses pulleys and belts that are not common in the industry.
 
   / X330R deck belt #10  
Make sense why the belts/sheaves hanging in Tractor Supply are not a consideration?
No. Not at all. What it does say is that JD wants customers to buy JD parts and ONLY JD parts. This gets into the while 'right to repair' issue. I'm not intersted in feeding JD's coffers. I'm interested in getting the best value for my money. I'll buy generic parts.
 

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