Raptor SD mower deck belt

[Tiger Small Engine]

Hi All,
I've got a relatively new to me Hustler. Raptor SD with a 60" mower deck and i'm still learning the ins and outs of the machine.
I just broke my second mower deck belt of the season, getting about 10-12 hours on a belt. Is this normal? My last mower was a John Deere and I'd typically get 3-4 seasons on a belt. I've got a big rural property so go through about two tanks of fuel for a single cut and don't have the time to cut it until grass gets 4-5 inches high...the machine works hard. That said though so did my JD and I never went through belts as fast as I do on the Hustler.
Further to the above, can anyone recommend a brand of deck belt that gives the best service life?

10-12 hours of belt life is pathetic actually. You should get several years of life on that belt. You can order an OEM belt, however, I would check and recheck the deck. Something is most likely not right.

 

[packy51]

I cut 3 acres and have longevity with OEM belts. The only time a blew a belt was when I started getting cracks around the transmission mounts and needed the reinforcement kit.

 

[MonoMel]

I had the same problem last year with my Ariens Zoom 2148. After checking spindles, pulleys, idlers and everything else I could think of, I noticed the engine would tilt back slightly when I would engage the blade PTO. I discovered that my engine mount bolts had worked themselves a bit loose, and when the PTO was engaged, it cocked the engine back enough that the PTO pulley was angled causing the belt to reach the edge of the pulley. I tightened down all of the mounts so that the engine could not move. Problem solved.

 

[outdoorpowermike]

Did the belt snap or start smoking then snap? That deck tensioner is just set by a large spring and slide type tensioner. Alway turn electric pto switch on at full throttle. Make sure the front deck support arm or arms are not broken. Check all pullies for broken stick stuck inside pullies.