While mowing 2019 SD Raptor, I am getting a burnt rubber smell and see smoke, not from the muffler, but under the machine coming out of the grass chute. I have no way of looking while the blades are turning. When I stop the mower and check the belt pulley system, everything looks ok, although there is a very slight movement in the rear middle pulley. The one without the spring on it.The ones that have the blades or spring attached have no play at all. Is the slight play in the rear middle spindle causing the belt to rub and cause the issue. I can't think of anything else causing the smell and the smoke.
One of the pulleys is not turning causing the belt to burn
Double check by slipping the deck belt off and try to turn all of the pulleys and the blades .
I end up with the blade drive belt off the fixed idler pully. Learned to stop and re-route the belt as soon as I smell it. Seems when working with the pump drive belt I don't pay as much attention to the deck belt as I should!
#6
packy51
All my pulleys are fine. I still don't know why the belt slipped off. It is a little chewed up but will last this mowing season. I found it easy to put back on the pulley using the proceedure of the You Tube video I had attached.
#7
7394
Should be a deck belt routing diagram decal on the deck.. My former Toro Timecutter had one..
Little confused as you said the smoke was coming out of the grass chute. This would indicate the issue is down by the blades. Remove the blades and inspect for something rubberish wound around the spindle shaves. With the blades off, try turning them on and see if the smell still exist. The idlers should turn smooth and quietly and if plastic, the edges should not be worn. Make sure belt is on the right side of the belt keepers.
#9
packy51
Hi Freddie,
The reason why the smoke was appearing to come from the chute area is I found the cutter deck belt had slipped off the pulley on the right side blade and it was scraping agaisnt the plastic belt cover as it was spinning while mowing. I can't believe I was lucky enough that the belt didn't completly come off and jam up within the cutter deck somewhere causing serious damage. I still have'nt figured out how the belt slipped off of that one pulley but eventhough it got chewed up a little bit, I am able to still use it until mowing season is over. I will replace it this winter.
I've got a JD d140 that jumps the deck belt occasionally. It's usually caused by mowing in heavy grass or tough weeds and something like a stick or similar getting into the belt path and going into the pulley. The stick pushes the belt out of the pulley groove and pops it off. Another thing I've had cause it is a weak spring on the belt tension pulley.
#11
packy51
Tension is good. I do mow a 'wild' section of yard that has tall grass and branches. It may have come in contact with the belt. I probably should look into a DR Chipper for that area.
