Sears 42" Deck Belt too short

[bertsmobile1]

The only cross I trust is the Gates interchange site
They used to list all of the applications for each belt but apparently dissabled this to make it harder for back yard ebay/amazon vendors to pretend they know what the are selling .
A 4L belt length will be slightly smaller than an equivalent A section belt .
The key to it is the "effective length ".
Now the OP did not mention if they were in the USA ( outside circumference measurement ) , or the rest of the planet , ( inside belt circuumference ) .
If the latter then his belt will be 1.825" too short which on a belt under 100 " long is more than enough to cause premaure failure.

 

[ILENGINE]

I suspect the OP ordered a 1/2 x 82 generic off the shelf standard length belt, which will actually measure 81 1/2 if measured

 

[StarTech]

I suspect the OP ordered a 1/2 x 82 generic off the shelf standard length belt, which will actually measure 81 1/2 if measured

That is if he is lucky.

To be honest here nearly every generic v-belt has up to one inch short in the half inch width and nearly two inches in the 5/8 widths. IT got so bad that I now primary order and install OEM belts.

And Gates I have received 1/2 inch width belts that were two inches short using the same spec as the package indicates.

The size I posted is OD. And even a half inch short than spec'd for the mower will cause problems. Small the OD the more it causes problems.

 

[TheBishop]

Can you link to the belt you bought?
How did it fail? Pic?

Usually when someone brings me a mower and say the new belt failed within minutes of installing i usually find belt was routed wrong or on the wrong side of a belt guide. If it was the correct belt and it seemed too short and it failed quickly i would double check how installed

I was cutting the grass for at least 20 minutes before it failed.

 

[TheBishop]

I might order a Kelvar deck belt 88.5"

A little longer might a difference

 

[TheBishop]

I mean 82.5 Kevlar