Mower deck to much slack in the troybilt pony cutting deck belt.

[bertsmobile1]

I used to have a belt tool 20yrs ago but it was in one of my tool boxes that was stolen from my van.
I wish I had it measured, I saw 96", 104" & 103" stated for this MTD belt length when looking it up? That old belt may have just stretched enough to fall off but 2 seasons is awful fast for as big as it was? May been marked wrong at factory & both belts are supposed to be 96" but Im not sure myself?

Ive not measured a new belt in yrs but Im not surprised you found different sized stens belts since quality control has never been they're strong point.

Why I love my old Wheel Horse decks belt design. It has about 5" of belt adjustment with a turn of a hand knob on front so this amount wouldnt even matter on it.

so you do't have a 1 yard / 1 meter steel rule ?
Gave up using the belt measurer a long while ago as they are too sensitive to the amount you stretch
OK for old belts but next to useless for new ones

 

[StarTech]

Considering most Kevlar belts has a maximum stretch of 1% my tool is has been very close the spec of the OEM belts received. But now aftermarket belts are all over the place. The aftermarket belt that works are usually with the same OEM specs. Now storing the tool is somewhat of a problem as it is over 8 feet long now with the three 30 inch extensions that because I am dealing with belt up to 180 inches longs now. The tool originally only went to 110 inches which is useless here.

Since I got every aftermarket belt get measured before installation or storage that way if they are shorter or longer than spec they get returned. Measuring before install saves a lot wasted time when a belt is the wrong length.

Stens claimed the tool was inaccurate even they sell the same tool for the purpose of measuring the belts. That was the very first comment when I though them the 103 inch belts I received were 104 inches.

 

[bertsmobile1]

Well perhaps you have a lot stronger wrists than me or use a mechanical tensioning arm
I find getting enough tension to pull all of the kinks out of a new belt near impossible
And then when you do get the belt strait. you have to read the scale while maintaining the same pressure on the slider to prevent spring back
Absolutely fine with used belts.
Where as a white marking pen and a 4' steel rule overcomes the kinks in the belts.

 

[MowManMow]

Do I have a steel measuring stick?

Nope not anymore!
I downsized a few yrs ago & sold/gave away/hauled off the biggest portion of 55+yrs of cra# gathering.
My 3 car garage, 1 pole barn, 2 outdoor buildings (1 car garages) & 1500sq ft basement worth of this, that and the other mostly all vanished.
Some things Ive had to go buy again, a few things I miss owning yet I still have stuff I wish I didnt own today...lol

 

[bertsmobile1]

Well what can I say
My work shop is exactly the same to the point that most work is done outside
Buta long steel rule is very cheap and hangs on a nail so not a big investment and is never wrong even with a broken belt .

 

[StarTech]

Well what can I say
My work shop is exactly the same to the point that most work is done outside
Buta long steel rule is very cheap and hangs on a nail so not a big investment and is never wrong even with a broken belt .

But I bet it is wrong when the belt has a six piece missing as to the correct length of the original belt.

That like the fellow using a measure that has one or two inches broken off. Which what I think is the Indians are using when making belt for A&I as every belt is one inch short on the 1/2 belt and two inches short on the 5/8 belts.

Yes it cost me $200 to put together a 200 inch v-belt/rib belt measurer but it has been very useful in proving incorrect belt lengths were installed.