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I have a 2006 Super Bronco.
I burned up the belt (mowing over rose bush trimmings) and played a merry chase getting a replacement.
It came from Lowe's, not MTD - but correct dimensions
Girl Mechanic got the belt on, deck mounted, ready to mow. RIght? WRONG
At the lowest deck position, the blades are still. Raise it up (PTO in OFF) and the blades spin
Belt is routed correctly ... and I am chasing an actual MTD belt, but it is a maddening search.
What am I looking to fix now???
Thanks !!!

Get the model number from underneath the seat....there is tag there with the number, then you can find the correct belt.
another thing, do you push a button to engage the PTO or do you push a lever?

Even with the picture on my phone of the model and serial #'s and the old belt in hand ... I was sold the wrong belt three times ... and finding the right one in stock in Rural OK is ... interesting & a lot of driving.
I use a lever on the left side of the steering wheel.

What part number belt are you buying?
What's the model number of the mower?
We need this to properly help you.

Even though it may be routed correctly, is it in all of the belt guides properly?

RooWalk said:

I have a 2006 Super Bronco.
I burned up the belt (mowing over rose bush trimmings) and played a merry chase getting a replacement.
It came from Lowe's, not MTD - but correct dimensions
Girl Mechanic got the belt on, deck mounted, ready to mow. RIght? WRONG
At the lowest deck position, the blades are still. Raise it up (PTO in OFF) and the blades spin
Belt is routed correctly ... and I am chasing an actual MTD belt, but it is a maddening search.
What am I looking to fix now???
Thanks !!!

Click to expand...

Did you actually measure the belt and compare it to the MTD specs. There are problems with aftermarket belt not being the length stated on the packages.

As being from Lowes is it the Sunbelt version of the 954-04045. If so many of the Sunbelts 1/2 belt are nearly an inch shorter then stated or at least for the last two years the ones I received from have been. I threw away nearly $1000 in belts I got from them. BTW A&I belts are the same way. I already got burn on two of them this year so quit completely buying any of them.

Lowe's sold me a 109" Sunbelt (for a 46" deck ... mine is 42") ... which I questioned, but the mower came from them originally
The Super Bronco is a model 6605 (60TG in many of the searches)
Yes. It is routed and in all the proper guides. That much I can do correctly

It is exactly the length of the belt I took into the store, and fell on just like the MTD

The first belt they sold me was a deck drive belt for a 42" deck at 99.7" ... useless for the deck. and the second was for a 42" deck,but only 96.5 inches

That is one of the harder decks to get things works right especially with the double pivoting idlers. Either one binding can cause problems. For me it is one that I must put my hands to straighten out.

We need serial number off mower and also,on engine, but I bet it's the Same as my 42 inch bronco it uses 954-040608, don't just go by that number we need the info from your mower.

Actually the model number off the serial number tag would help too.

[Q

gainestruk said:

We need serial number off mower and also,on engine, but I bet it's the Same as my 42 inch bronco it uses 954-040608, don't just go by that number we need the info from your mower.

Click to expand...

Sure
You have me at a disadvantage ...the mower lives at my place - 18 miles from where I am staying. We were flooded last year and I am just now getting recovered ... whew!! I travel there every day to work and mow and fix.

The model is 6605
The number above the bar code, below the model is13AX60TG766
And the serial number is listed as 1E116H10398
It is a Kohler engine ....

Okay, the correct belt part number is MTD 954-04045 and it's a 1/2"x109" belt , https://www.partstree.com/parts/troy-bilt-754-04045/
diagram---
It sounds like star tech may be on to something if the pulleys are binding. Then again someone else said they had trouble with the aftermarket brand belts too... if the MTD is too expensive, get a Stens or Rotary belt. they're also good quality

Scrubcadet10 said:

Okay, the correct belt part number is MTD 954-04045 and it's a 1/2"x109" belt , https://www.partstree.com/parts/troy-bilt-754-04045/
diagram---
sounds like star tech may be on to something if the pulleys are binding. Then again someone else said they had trouble with the aftermarket brand belts too... if the MTD is too expensive, get a Stens or Rotary belt. they're also good quality

Click to expand...

Thank you!!
I played with the deck today and low, it belt is slack, but it tightens as you lift.
I keep reading that this mower HATES anything but an MTD, so that is what it will get. I need the machinery to work. Having the mower AND the tractor down at the same time is difficult.
Off to shop... again! Give Lowe's a piece of my mind ... again!! And drop the deck ... again!!! Urrrgh

IN the posted Item 48 will rust in place (seize) in item 57. Also item 37 can rust in place on item 2. I am leaning toward 48 and 57 as they don't move as mush as 37 and 2 though the later to wear a lot.

StarTech said:

IN the posted Item 48 will rust in place (seize) in item 57. Also item 37 can rust in place on item 2. I am leaning toward 48 and 57 as they don't move as mush as 37 and 2 though the later to wear a lot.

Click to expand...

With the belt off, I played with and sprayed all the pulleys/spindles with silicone spray. They all rotate free and easy
This mower was purchased used (older couple; he wasn't allowed to mow any more) and the only issues I've had are the frikking belts and the gas cap falling apart. We have an oil leak, but that will be fixed after the season is done and I'm ready for storage.

RooWalk said:

With the belt off, I played with and sprayed all the pulleys/spindles with silicone spray. They all rotate free and easy
This mower was purchased used (older couple; he wasn't allowed to mow any more) and the only issues I've had are the frikking belts and the gas cap falling apart. We have an oil leak, but that will be fixed after the season is done and I'm ready for storage.

Click to expand...

Kohler courage? leak from the valve cover, i assume?

If it's loose after putting 954-04045 belt on check idler pulleys mine is famous for bending idler up and making it loose, look at all pulleys and make sure they are all even and spin all pulleys the make sure no rumbling sound, next would be check cable that runs from fender to tighten belt, make sure nothing broken or loose.

Gotcha.Had a problem with a replaced pulley that lost its bolts ... not tightened properly by a repair shop out of business. Neighbor fixed that for me, but it made the belt very unhappy, and the rose branches did it in.
... online searching with the part number you gave keeps bringing up the deck drive belt that is 96"
Google and I are gonna have words next!!

RooWalk said:

Gotcha.Had a problem with a replaced pulley that lost its bolts ... not tightened properly by a repair shop out of business. Neighbor fixed that for me, but it made the belt very unhappy, and the rose branches did it in.
... online searching with the part number you gave keeps bringing up the deck drive belt that is 96"
Google and I are gonna have words next!!

Click to expand...

parts tree and MTD list it at 109" so Google is wrong , not surprised.
If you order from parts tree it would probably make it to you in less than 4 days, as they're located in Austin,tx

While you are waiting for the belt to turn up whip the blower housing off and check the bolts on the closure plate for tightness, in particular the 4 at the front
Kohler USA had a problem with them working loose and the crankcase splitting down the exhaust side of the block, near the cylinder joint.
DON"T LEAVE IT TILL THE END OF THE SEASON.
A little loose & leaking can be sorted wit a 1/4 turn on the 4 bolts
A cracked block is a major repair.
Kohler China are still making that engine, but the problem has ben fixed by using BLUE Loktite on all of the top plate bolts ( that you can do in the off season ).

As for the belt,
Make sure the brake pads are stopping the pulley spindles from turning.
This will cause all of the slack in the belt when the blades are turned off to accumulate at the engine pulley
If the left is working & the right is not then the slack ends up between the left pulley & right pulley so the belt runs too close on the engine pulley & burns

If you want to know the real size of a belt then go to GATES and drop the belt part number in there
They keep changing the web page, but click on the red ( vehiccle identification search ) buton and that brings up a search box .
Click on the INTERCHANGE box then type the Original part number in there.
That will bring up the gates equivalent and if you click on the ( now red ) Gates part number it brings up the page below with the details on it.
This is what the people who make belts say the size is ( scroll down the page )

Like everything in life, the lazy way ( google ) is rarely reliable because it knows about searching , not what you are searching for.

bertsmobile1 said:

Like everything in life, the lazy way ( google ) is rarely reliable because it knows about searching , not what you are searching for.

Click to expand...

Over the years, I have gotten to be Google Queen and can ferret about everything I need out of it. I'm happy to turn to experts when I cannot get what I want.
I check oil and gas (and coolant for the tractor) each and every use ... but I'll take a peek!!! Have wrenches will mechanic LOL

Off to shop Gate ... Thank you!!!

I did it!!!
109" belt on today and she is running great!
Thank you all

Scrubcadet10 said:

Get the model number from underneath the seat....there is tag there with the number, then you can find the correct belt.
another thing, do you push a button to engage the PTO or do you push a lever?

Click to expand...

I have a Troy built Mustang zero turn, it has a PTO switch but when i bush it in the deck is still fully engaged, i changed the switch and it still doesn’t recognize it . The deck fully engages as soon as you start the mower.