Belt replacement

[Mr. Shamrock]

I looked up the prices of my belts from a Snapper dealer and they are quite expensive. Has anyone taken their belts to an auto parts store and just matched them up? Is there a place to order an aftermarket belt?

 

[dougand3]

I took my deck pulley belt to a cheapo auto parts shop. It was standard V-belt. They put on a 2 pulley gauge and measure it. IIRC, I bought 1/2" shorter cause it had stretched so much. Works fine.

 

[reynoldston]

I looked up the prices of my belts from a Snapper dealer and they are quite expensive. Has anyone taken their belts to an auto parts store and just matched them up? Is there a place to order an aftermarket belt?

Don't do it pay the extra money and get the belts from the dealer. I have ran into more problems with aftermarket belts then any other problem. Not worth the savings. I think that a automobile belt is different then a mower belt for some reason. It just seems the sizes are different and they don't stay on the pulleys for some reason. I find if I get my belts from the mower dealer I never have a problem with them.

 

[Carscw]

I get mine from napa and advance they are not automotive belts they are mower belts. On my MTD the belt is $45 at advance I pay $18 I have used both and I get about 115 yards out of each belt. I do bank owned homes so the grass is over a foot on most. I did try the MTD belt twice just to make sure. I did the test on both drive belts and both deck belts and the cheap belt is the best buy

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[reynoldston]

I get mine from napa and advance they are not automotive belts they are mower belts. On my MTD the belt is $45 at advance I pay $18 I have used both and I get about 115 yards out of each belt. I do bank owned homes so the grass is over a foot on most. I did try the MTD belt twice just to make sure. I did the test on both drive belts and both deck belts and the cheap belt is the best buy

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It must just me me or my NAPA dealer because I have nothing but bad luck with NAPA or Advance belts. I buy from both places. I have been stung too many times with aftermarket belts and wouldn't use them anymore. I just pay the price and buy them from the dealer. I know they tell me they are all made by the same company and are the same belt. It hurts when I have to change belts for free the second time. For some reason I have never had problims with the dealer belts.

 

[Carscw]

I looked up the prices of my belts from a Snapper dealer and they are quite expensive. Has anyone taken their belts to an auto parts store and just matched them up? Is there a place to order an aftermarket belt?

I use the cheap belts but I did try the dealer belts first. So I think for you you should go with the snapper belt and next time try the cheap belt then you will know. I am sure your not as hard on your mower as I am I cut yards with mine that I know my mower should not be able to handle. Let me brag about my MTD garden tractor it is like a ride on bush hog

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[snapsstorer]

Most belt used on a mower are made with side to side and inside to outside flexibliity in mind. some cheap belt only have the inside to outside flexiblility in mind. Also most mower belts are now made with a kalavar wraping on them. it increases the bite the belt has, and reduces the wear on the belt

 

[reynoldston]

Most belt used on a mower are made with side to side and inside to outside flexibliity in mind. some cheap belt only have the inside to outside flexiblility in mind. Also most mower belts are now made with a kalavar wraping on them. it increases the bite the belt has, and reduces the wear on the belt

There has to be a have a reason they are a lot more money other then dealer profit.

 

[Carscw]

The dealer belts cost so much more because they know you will buy it they are not made Any better.

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[Mr. Shamrock]

Most belt used on a mower are made with side to side and inside to outside flexibliity in mind. some cheap belt only have the inside to outside flexiblility in mind. Also most mower belts are now made with a kalavar wraping on them. it increases the bite the belt has, and reduces the wear on the belt

I think you put it in a nut shell. The automotive belts I looked at were very stiff in the side to side direction as compared to the belts I removed. So I went to a local Snapper dealer that I haven't been to before and bought both belts for just under $100. Very steep for 2 belts, but it seems to be the going rate and I help support a little mom and pop mower shop. One of the belts was 119.25" long so there is alot of material there. Plus I got right at 6 years out of the first set (and they still had a little life left) so it isn't an item that requires frequent changes. I had a squeal when turning the PTO off that looks like it was the bolt on the tensioner. It is a shoulder bolt that the shoulder started wearing so the pulley was sitting at a little bit of an angle. I ended up getting the new shoulder bolt at Lowes for a couple dollars.
Thanks for all the input!