Understanding and Troubleshooting V-Belt Wear

Understanding and Troubleshooting V-Belt Wear on Your John Deere

Breaking belts can be frustrating for tractor owners to identify, remedy, and avoid at times. What feels like a simple fix, can have a variety of different probable causes, and therefore different solutions as well, which can lead to a lot of wasted money on replacing belts without realizing the root issue. We put together this quick guide and infographic to help you identify the symptoms of your unit's v-belt wear, and determine the probable cause and solution. 

PROPER TENSION AND ALIGNMENT ARE THE MOST COMMON CAUSES OF BELT WEAR

Too little tension causes slippage or slip-and-grab, causing the belt to break. If the belt does not break, slip will cause excessive cover wear, burned spots, and overheating.

Too much tension causes belt overheating and excessive stretch as well as damage to drive components, such as sheaves and shafts. The extra tightness will also place heavier loads on the bearings.

Remember that V-belts should ride on the sides of standard sheaves, not on the bottom of the groove.

WATCH THE TENSION ON A NEW BELT DURING THE FIRST 24 HOURS OF OPERATION - This is when the initial seating and stretch occurs.

Sheave alignment is important. Be sure that the shafts are parallel and the belt aligns with each sheave.

We're here to help! If you have additional questions about issues with your v-belts or your equipment in general, give your local hometown experts a call at one of our four locations in Fairmont, WV, Buckahnnon, WV, Uniontown, PA, or Washington, PA. We are conveniently located near Pittsburgh, PA, Morgantown, WV, and Elkins, WV and are always excited to see how we can help you get the most out of your John Deere equipment.