JD D160 Deck Belt replacement had twists from the store package

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retiredat44

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JD Lawn Tractor D160 Deck Belt replacement had twists from the store package. pull it out of package, pulled it a bit to get it ready to replace old broken deck belt. I am older and not very strong anymore. I tried and thought it was straight enough to start the process of putting it on all the pullys. Apparently it had a weird twist in it either from packaging or the factory. It threw it off when I started it. I took it off, did more pulling on it to see what was going on. Yes, it had a twist in it that was almost like it was formed bad or had a shipping or packing issue between the factory and the store. I finally got it to work and stay on. Is quality going down hill. My JD D160 Lawn tractor has 89 hours on it, bought it in 2015 at Lowes. Nothing has broken, except for a belt or 2. Change oil every year, store it inside. take pretty good care of it. Also, one more thing. I was at home depot getting the new deck belt, and al the packaging was different, as no more JD products, the oil is now PowerCare products for John Deere. Is quality still the same? I am just a home owner with an acre of grass. I searched here and no one else posts show, if any about JD belts, or new name change on OEM products.
 
Yes the belt is packaged with a twist in it. That is only way it will in the sleeve. The GX21833 [1/2 x 141.7] will appear to be three loops which has one twist. It is just a matter of removing the twist so appear to lay correctly before install. All of the inside edge must be on the inside.

The JD belt usually comes package as
1773867752898.png
Now someone may had the belt out of the sleeve and repackage with only two loops which one loop form an X. This can leave an unnatural twist in the belt until it get heat up.
 
there was a youtube a while back where belts would throw due to the pulleys not being in the correct location. The cause was a worn brake pad. It allows the pulley(s) to change location to where the belt wears poorly and/or tosses. I don't know if your mower is one of those affected by that geometry change.
 
retiredat44 said:
JD Lawn Tractor D160 Deck Belt replacement had twists from the store package. pull it out of package, pulled it a bit to get it ready to replace old broken deck belt. I am older and not very strong anymore. I tried and thought it was straight enough to start the process of putting it on all the pullys. Apparently it had a weird twist in it either from packaging or the factory. It threw it off when I started it. I took it off, did more pulling on it to see what was going on. Yes, it had a twist in it that was almost like it was formed bad or had a shipping or packing issue between the factory and the store. I finally got it to work and stay on. Is quality going down hill. My JD D160 Lawn tractor has 89 hours on it, bought it in 2015 at Lowes. Nothing has broken, except for a belt or 2. Change oil every year, store it inside. take pretty good care of it. Also, one more thing. I was at home depot getting the new deck belt, and al the packaging was different, as no more JD products, the oil is now PowerCare products for John Deere. Is quality still the same? I am just a home owner with an acre of grass. I searched here and no one else posts show, if any about JD belts, or new name change on OEM products.
Click to expand...
Quality in general for many products has gone down over the years.
Have not heard anything about John Deere changing OEM names, packaging, etc. on belts.
 
As for quality issues many generic belts have them. Even known good sources like Stens can have quality issues but at they will backup the products. Currently Stens, Rotary, and Pix do have testing facilities that try to ward off quality issues. So far in the last few years the only problem I had with these sources is belt length issues which they make up for me as a dealer.

Also you got to be careful that the deck belt you are buying are Kevlar corded. I had a run in with Sunbelt Outdoors selling me polyester belts for deck belts for Husqvarna mower. Every one was only lasting 10-20hrs and exploding. It was only when I asked them about construction that they told they were polyester corded. At that time I switched to a Kevlar corded belt and the problem was resolved. They started sending out belts that were 1-2" short that was when I closed my dealer account with them.

That was also when I brought my belt measuring tool and use it on any new belt to verify its length before I even try to install it. The first time I called about a belt length issue they tried to tell me I was measuring with wrong tool even they sold the exact same tool except mine now has three 30" extensions to go to 200" as I have ran into a couple 180" belts. They shut up when I told them it was the same tool they were selling.

A couple years ago it was the Briggs hockey puck fuel pumps. They were failing shortly after install. Oregon didn't want make them up blaming it on the fuels. Rotary meanwhile had already found the ones they were getting were also defective and stop selling them until the issue was resolved to their satisfaction and then they resume sales.
 
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