Serious vibration while mowing with my Tiger Cub

[Mad Mackie]

Hi fellow Scag operators,
Was mowing yesterday with collection and a nasty vibration came on quickly. Checked out my machine today and two conditions were found. 1st, the deck drive belt had lost a 2" long chunk out of it and the inner bearing on the collection blower was going bad.
As I keep these parts in stock, I took care of both problems, now back to normal operation. While under the machine, I inspected the pump drive belt and I will replace it this fall or sooner. This is the 2nd pump drive belt and 740 hours on the machine. I maintain my machines, but I run them hard!!:laughing:

 

[mechanic mark]

Good post & information.

 

[Carscw]

Belts are the number one thing I always carry with me.
My pump belts last around 300 hours.

 

[tigercat]

Mad Mackie do you need a person on top to turn the idler out of the way to drop the pump belt or can it be done from underneth? I know it has a square hole to turn it so the belt loosens up, but it seems like a 2 person job...

I lifted mine up last week to inspect the under carriage and pump belt. Mine looks fine, but I was toying with the idea of replacing it, but decided to wait a bit longer.

 

[Mad Mackie]

I have a 2nd person when I replace the drive belt. I use a 24" breaker bar and a long 1/2" drive extension.
This fall I will replace the drive belt as the machine will have around 800 hours and I will replace the tensioner spring as it is a three piece spring and it vibrates and rattles which is bugging me!!! Somewhere I read that Scag recommends 400 hour or 24 month drive belt replacement, but I don't remember where I read this. I will also replace both pulleys which I keep in stock. The smaller pulley gets noisy and rough and almost always needs to be replaced when a pump drive belt is replaced.
Of course the deck drive belt has to be released from the clutch and moved down out of the way.
I also need to do the same to my Hustler X-ONE this fall, probably will need deck belts, blades and a hydraulic filter replacement. I'm behind on the Hustler maintenance as it stays at a local cemetery and I don't play with it very often.

 

[tigercat]

Thank you Mr Mackie. Your posts are most helpful. :smile: