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LT160 slow after changing the traction drive belt.

8K views 8 replies 6 participants last post by  gordon mcgregor  
#1 ·
I just completed changing the drive belt on my LT160. It was the original factory belt which lasted for 11 years. I researched on line following the same instructions posted on here of disconnecting the front steering rods, loosening the brake pulley, and the other two idler pulleys to get the belt off and back on. I put the new belt on,reconnected and tightened everything up. I put it in reverse and it went really slow. I then circled the driveway which the tractor was slow and had trouble going up the minimal grade in the driveway to get back into the garage. Any idea on what is wrong or I didn't adjust something correctly. Thanks....
 
#3 ·
If it was working fine with the original belt It sounds like the belt is slipping. Did you check the new belt to ensure it is exactly the same size as the original?

Is the new belt an OEM JD belt or a third party replacement?
 
#5 ·
Hopefully in 6 years he's got it figured out or moved on 😉
 
#6 ·
Agree. I fall into this pitfall every now and again. I hit "what's new" and a discussion pops up on my list and I don't look at the date at the top of the page. :)
 
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#8 ·
Recommended reading, at the bottom, causes that problem as well.

(on forums using this software version)

Not sure if it always did this, but the 'recommended reading' entries DO now show the 'updated' date - when the last post was made.
 
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#9 ·
I just ran into similar issues with my LT 160 and had some good learning to share.. I bought a generic transmission drive belt that was sold as a JD replacement. It was too loose and the tractor didn't move. I looked at the drawing on line for how the belt should run throught the pulleys. I found in the drawing that one of the pulley closest to the big spring could be adjusted to make it tighter. To do this, You first take the nut off that holds the bracket which keeps the belt on the pulley. Then there is another nut under the bracket that if you loosen this you can shift the pulley to make the belt tighter. After tightening the pulley the tractor moved but it still slipped going up hills. I then bought a genuine JD replacment belt. Comparing the generic belt to the JD belt, the JD belt was about an inch shorter. I put this belt on and the tractor runs great. So...two learnings, there is an tensioning adjustment but for this situation, buy the JD belt in the first place.