JD X324 mower deck belt question

[Ray52]

My deck uses the more expensive belt (around $120). Does anyone have good experience with off-brand belts and if so, which brand do you use? Thanks.

 

[Rivets]

JD tractor, off-brand belts, only if you have extra money in your pocket. My experience tells me I’ve wasted too much money trying to go cheap. Normally don’t match and don’t last.

 

[StarTech]

Are you looking at the M153160 Double V-belt?

 

[Ray52]

JD tractor, off-brand belts, only if you have extra money in your pocket. My experience tells me I’ve wasted too much money trying to go cheap. Normally don’t match and don’t last.

Thanks for your response. This is my third JD belt this summer. My last one lasted about two months before it broke. It was installed correctly and was not hanging or rubbing on anything. The spindles and belt rollers spin smoothly. I don't need to keep buying these belts at over $120 each if an off-brand will do the job.

 

[Ray52]

Are you looking at the M153160 Double V-belt?

No. I have a John Deere X324 mower with the 48" deck, non-rotatable deck wheels. The JD part number is M155368. My question is: Does anyone have good experience with off-brand belts and if so, which brand do you use? Thanks.

 

[StarTech]

JD-M155368

Stens 265-359 would be good choice as an after market belt.

 

[Hammermechanicman]

I have installed dozens of stens OEM replacement belts with no issues.

 

[Deleted member 97405]

Generic belts are not made for their specific task. OEM belts are made for the specific job. i.e., a deck belt will be manufactured different than a traction drive belt or fan belt because it's going to have a heavier load and will need to withstand more heat as well. OEM belts have different cords and coatings on them depending if it's a high heat/load application or not. Generic belts are just made to length and width, not application. I do not recommend generic deck or transmission belts for this reason. In a pinch, ok, but over the long term, you will spend more and have more frustration by going through more belts versus buying the correct OEM belt. I have seen this scenario play out more times than I can count here at the dealership where a customer put on a generic belt and had issues more frequently versus putting the right part on the machine. Shade tree mechanics may disagree with me, but I've been here over 20 years, and could have saved many a customer an extra service call or shop bill if they had just put the Deere belt on. Hope this helps!

 

[StarTech]

Generic belts are not made for their specific task. OEM belts are made for the specific job. i.e., a deck belt will be manufactured different than a traction drive belt or fan belt because it's going to have a heavier load and will need to withstand more heat as well. OEM belts have different cords and coatings on them depending if it's a high heat/load application or not. Generic belts are just made to length and width, not application. I do not recommend generic deck or transmission belts for this reason. In a pinch, ok, but over the long term, you will spend more and have more frustration by going through more belts versus buying the correct OEM belt. I have seen this scenario play out more times than I can count here at the dealership where a customer put on a generic belt and had issues more frequently versus putting the right part on the machine. Shade tree mechanics may disagree with me, but I've been here over 20 years, and could have saved many a customer an extra service call or shop bill if they had just put the Deere belt on. Hope this helps!

Well I have been only doing for 13yrs. If the after market belts is of correct specs they are fine. Oh I know OEM will give you a lot hype why theirs (brainwashing their employees I call it) are better but the truth is known many of their belts comes from the same manufactures as some aftermarket suppliers, just paying for name at times.

So far I only had one problem with Stens belts and that was a batch of mislabeled belts.

Now deck belts do need to be Kevlar (Aramid is JD term for the same cordage), polyester (plastic cordage) will melt under the heat generated by deck usage.

 

[Deleted member 97405]

Well I have been only doing for 13yrs. If the after market belts is of correct specs they are fine. Oh I know OEM will give you a lot hype why theirs (brainwashing their employees I call it) are better but the truth is known many of their belts comes from the same manufactures as some aftermarket suppliers, just paying for name at times.

So far I only had one problem with Stens belts and that was a batch of mislabeled belts.

Now deck belts do need to be Kevlar (Aramid is JD term for the same cordage), polyester (plastic cordage) will melt under the heat generated by deck usage.

What you speak is true, except for the brainwashing bit. I will agree to disagree on that terminology. But the OP probably doesn't want to get into all that heavy detail when hunting for a belt for his mower deck. I'm not going to play who know more than who. Just go OEM and rock on or take your chances on a subpar part.