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Liberty Z Drive Belt Issue - Crazy!

#1

A

aceofks

Has anyone had this problem? It's happened to me twice, all of a sudden it will not move, but the engine is still running and blades will engage and work. Dealer has picked it up and repaired it twice - says they've never seen this happen before in 50+ years! The drive belt is tearing right through the fan! Bought this mower new about 3 months ago, and this has happened twice - needless to say I'm not happy and am concerned about the durability of the mower moving forward.

IMG_20170402_144810.jpg


#2

BlazNT

BlazNT

No belt should be touching that plastic fan. Something is ran incorrectly or was engineered wrong.


#3

A

aceofks

BlazNT said:
No belt should be touching that plastic fan. Something is ran incorrectly or was engineered wrong.
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Upon further review of the manual, this is the transmission belt that attaches to the clutch and transaxles. I still have no idea why this would be ripping through that fan, though?
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#4

BlazNT

BlazNT

Yes but the belt should be running on the metal pulley under the plastic fan. the plastic fan connects to the top of the pulley and does nothing except go around in circles when the pulley is spun. Like I said no belt should touch that plastic fan.
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#5

A

aceofks

BlazNT said:
Yes but the belt should be running on the metal pulley under the plastic fan. the plastic fan connects to the top of the pulley and does nothing except go around in circles when the pulley is spun. Like I said no belt should touch that plastic fan.
View attachment 32488
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AH, ok. I obviously don't know a ton about this. It must be slipping off the pulley onto the the bottom "cone" of the fan, where it does down towards the pulley in your diagram? What could be causing this belt to slip off the pulley? Something I may be doing, or a malfunctioning part, or something that just needs adjusting? Thanks for your help!
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#6

BlazNT

BlazNT

aceofks said:
AH, ok. I obviously don't know a ton about this. It must be slipping off the pulley onto the the bottom "cone" of the fan, where it does down towards the pulley in your diagram? What could be causing this belt to slip off the pulley? Something I may be doing, or a malfunctioning part, or something that just needs adjusting? Thanks for your help!
View attachment 32489
Click to expand...

You saying that reminded me of an issue I had with my first belt. I was mowing tall cattails and somehow one got into my belt path and when it pulled it toward the pulley it cut off a perfect v pulley size peice of cattail and it wedged into the pulley. 2 broken belts later I found that little peice of cat tail that I had to almost chissel out of the pulley. Now with that being said there are other things it could be like bad tensioner pulley bearings. Bad tensioner pulley spring. So while the belt is off spin everything and listen for noises and look for stuff in the v grouve of the pulley.


#7

A

aceofks

BlazNT said:
You saying that reminded me of an issue I had with my first belt. I was mowing tall cattails and somehow one got into my belt path and when it pulled it toward the pulley it cut off a perfect v pulley size peice of cattail and it wedged into the pulley. 2 broken belts later I found that little peice of cat tail that I had to almost chissel out of the pulley. Now with that being said there are other things it could be like bad tensioner pulley bearings. Bad tensioner pulley spring. So while the belt is off spin everything and listen for noises and look for stuff in the v grouve of the pulley.
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If it happens again I will definitely check out those areas! I'll be wary of any very tall grasses as well. Thanks for your input!


#8

P

Peter Lohs

We have had the same machine only 175hrs old. this exact problem has happened 3 times. each time the dealer has said never has he seen this issue with them. He claims its a stick dislodging the belt. we have had them replaced at our cost each time. Its on average every 50 hrs. I think its a fault from the get go. We are going to SCAG directly for some answers


#9

B

bertsmobile1

Have close look at the mower from the back
Most likely you will see the wheels cambered in or out.
There was a big problem with earlier models where the trannys could come loose & twist.
It was fixed by fitting heavier brace between them.
Your problems have exactly the same symptoms


#10

W

Weekendwarrior2000

I realize this is an older thread.... but I had the exact same thing happen to me yesterday, belt came off and sliced through that plastic fan. Mower wouldn’t go anywhere. Purchased my mower in 2017 and this is the first time it happened.

Has anyone discovered more about this issue? Obviously it’s happening to multiple machines, mine is a 2017 Liberty Z 48”. Is this warrantied? If not, a fix that can be done DIY, or highly complicated? Thanks!


#11

H

Honda Tech

Weekend Warrior2000 - What is your serial number?


#12

O

OldSeaWhiskers61

I had this issue one time. It destroyed one of the hydro fans.
I have tried and tried to remove the nut holding the hydro fan in place, but it is so tight and jammed I can not get it off.
I heated it, and busted my knuckles trying to get it off. Any suggestions? Thanks in advance.


#13

H

Honda Tech

OldSeaWhiskers61 said:
I had this issue one time. It destroyed one of the hydro fans.
I have tried and tried to remove the nut holding the hydro fan in place, but it is so tight and jammed I can not get it off.
I heated it, and busted my knuckles trying to get it off. Any suggestions? Thanks in advance.
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Get yourself a good cordless impact driver. You won't regret it!


#14

H

Honda Tech

Make sure the drive and driven pulleys are aligned. This is a constant tension system, but if you have sticks and pinecones in the yard, they can pop up and derail the belt.


#15

R

Richard E

Weekendwarrior2000 said:
I realize this is an older thread.... but I had the exact same thing happen to me yesterday, belt came off and sliced through that plastic fan. Mower wouldn’t go anywhere. Purchased my mower in 2017 and this is the first time it happened.

Has anyone discovered more about this issue? Obviously it’s happening to multiple machines, mine is a 2017 Liberty Z 48”. Is this warrantied? If not, a fix that can be done DIY, or highly complicated? Thanks!
Click to expand...
I have a 2017 Liberty Z 48" and have had the same problem three times. The first two times were in the first year and under warranty. Just happened again yesterday 7/5/21 and dealer says I'll have to pay for any repairs and pay for pick up and delivery, $158.00 each way. This sounds like an alignment issue or a design flaw. I like the mower when its running but with this repeating problem I would not recommend this mower.


#16

B

bertsmobile1

The usual reason for the pulleys getting out of alignment is the bracing straps between the hydro units coming loose or even cracking along the welds .
Because they are stand alone units left & right they tend to spread apart


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