Whyyyyyy is everything such a secret?
- Thread starter Jenlynne
- Start date
For not much more $, a Kevlar belt should outlast a standard rubber belt. Once you know that actual generic belt #'s it's easy to price check the belts made from different materials.
Belts are not all the same...
there are hundreds of options to look at.
Often if you put all the "options" (sheath vs none, width, kevlar vs not, vee angle, etc) into an aftermarket replacement, it costs the same or more than the kubota belt.
--been through this when I worked at the dealer. I did find a replacement for another belt (not a kommander) with the exact specifications and it was $7 more on Amazon than the Kubota belt. Go figure.
there are hundreds of options to look at.
Often if you put all the "options" (sheath vs none, width, kevlar vs not, vee angle, etc) into an aftermarket replacement, it costs the same or more than the kubota belt.
--been through this when I worked at the dealer. I did find a replacement for another belt (not a kommander) with the exact specifications and it was $7 more on Amazon than the Kubota belt. Go figure.
I'd at least buy a Kevlar belt. It may not be quite as good as OEM, but it'll be much better than a standard belt.Yahooo! First, thank you! Second, I don’t even care that you are being condescending, I’m just thrilled to have my answer
I believe the answer you are trying to give, and that would be helpful to everyone else as well is this rotarycorp website. What an awesome resourceI found a half dozen similiar websites but that pesky k5559-36710 part number was not listed. Thanks again, and I will be sure to work on my googlefoo!
They don't share this info so you can be thankful your dealer is there for you and stocks parts at a reasonable price even for older machines.I’ve been looking online for longer than I’d like to admit to just find the SIZE of the deck replacement belt I need to buy for my Z122r zero turn. I don’t want to pay 70 bucks plus shipping and I need it faster than most websites can provide. Please what is the belt size so I can just use Amazonwhy isn’t this information just opening listed on the Kubota site.
AND you don't have to ship stuff back to amazone because the mystery-fly-by-night vendors lied in their ads and ship you the wrong or sub standard chinesium stuff.
The other nice part about using my dealer is when I ask for a new mower belt they don't show me 500 unrelated items including womens underwear, jewelry, and other wrong sized and profile belts that I have to sort through and spend my time trying to figure out if it fits.
Amazone search sucks.
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It's your mower and you should do as you like but mower belts are items that usually justify OEM replacement expense.I’ve been looking online for longer than I’d like to admit to just find the SIZE of the deck replacement belt I need to buy for my Z122r zero turn. I don’t want to pay 70 bucks plus shipping and I need it faster than most websites can provide. Please what is the belt size so I can just use Amazon
GreensvilleJay
Well-known member
Equipment
BX23-S,57 A-C D-14,58 A-C D-14, 57 A-C D-14,tiller,cults,Millcreek 25G spreader,
kinda curious about the difference in belt sizes....as I went to K online, model info, 1st page of 'common bought stuff....only one belt
also Aramid is same as Kevlar, some form of reinforced belt material....
also Aramid is same as Kevlar, some form of reinforced belt material....
On both points, this.
I'll just add this..
I've experienced outer separation of both OEM and 3rd-Party deck belts. It did not hinder or cause the belt to explode. Generally speaking, if a belt is bad, bad will happen in short order. There are several factors in the mix. Spindles, pulleys, tensioners etc. They all need to be true, at the same plane of height and 90° to the deck and spindle to function optimally. That's not always the case. In my research I've read and seen a lot of decks spindles and pulley systems should have not passed testing, yet they were.
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Prices are good until you add in shipping.
Recently paid CDN$21 for a BX58 belt from my local industrial supplier. Free same or next day pick up of course.
vbelts4less.com wants US$12.20 for the belt (decent price) and US$13.69 for shipping = US$25.89 before exchange and duties
Amazone wants anywhere from CDN$31 to $100 for the same belt. Amazone isn't usually the best price for name brand stuff IMHO unless you are buying cheap dollar store crap.
Runs With Scissors
Well-known member
Equipment
L2501 TLB , Grappel, Brush Hog, Box Blade, Ballast box, Forks, Tiller, PH digger
I'm glad I'm not having to deal with what the Canucks have no choice in the matter. Your choices are far too regulated.
Amazon likes to portray to be the One-Stop Online-Shopping experience. They are not. Their monitoring and regulating product is near NIL. They tend to allow a lot of sub-par items through. On another note, Made In China isn't necessarily bad. On Amazon, the "ratings" are rigged just like the Elections.
Do your research.
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UnEasyRider
Active member
Equipment
L3302 LA 526 loader, Box Scraper, Grappler, Forks, Rotary mower, Big Tool Rack.
"Amazone wants anywhere from CDN$31 to $100 for the same belt. Amazone isn't usually the best price for name brand stuff IMHO unless you are buying cheap dollar store crap".
Thats been my experience also. Amazon counts on their shoppers being lazy and just clicking on the item they want when found. Not this fat ass! I google many Amazon items I'm shopping for and usually find it cheaper, even with shipping.
IMO. As others have said..
Buy an OEM belt from a K dealer.
Measure it, length, width, depth and pattern or V shape when you get it. Keep it on record. Problem solved. Later, when the new OEM one dies... Buy from anyone anywhere and roll the dice.
Buy an OEM belt from a K dealer.
Measure it, length, width, depth and pattern or V shape when you get it. Keep it on record. Problem solved. Later, when the new OEM one dies... Buy from anyone anywhere and roll the dice.
NCL4701
Well-known member
Equipment
L4701, T2290, WC68, grapple, BB1572, Farmi W50R, Howes 500, 16kW IMD gen, WG24
At one time I had a Cub ZTR that came an OEM 1/2” belt driving the deck. Bought it new and that’s what came on it. It kept breaking the belt so some research revealed the belt was running on 5/8” pulleys and was rated at 9HP despite being hooked to a 20HP engine. If you were mowing 1/4” off fescue you’d probably never notice but anything much tougher and it would stretch the belt and eventually break it.
So I swapped it for a 5/8” belt and discovered the “engineers” had solved the problem of the belt forever popping off due to not being in the same plane unless the deck was set at precisely the right height by putting an undersized belt on oversized pulleys. Mower had an electric deck clutch so clutching wasn’t a requirement for the belt. Next step was installing belt keepers at all the problem points. Now it sort of worked but it was still toasting the 5/8” Gates about every 50 hours. More research indicated there are some belts that fit and have sufficient HP rating but they’re not designed for applications where an idler has the belt in a back bend situation. In my scenario, the Gates I was using were the right length, right size for the pulleys, and sufficient for the power BUT when I contacted Gates I found out they weren’t designed to handle the backbend the tension idler was putting on it. Subsequently found a Kevlar belt that was OEM for a similar size Grasshopper mower, designed for back bend applications. I’ve changed it only once in the last 400 hours and that was due to a stump strike.
Moral of that long story is I got a decent education in mower belts and just because it fits doesn’t mean it’s the right belt or that it will perform adequately. If you go with A/M, at least get a Kevlar belt if there is any back bending in the belt routing. They’re generally designed to handle the back bend and heat associated with mowing. Not all belts are.
Edit: I have also purchased a tractor and now use a bush hog on grass higher than my waist. If my old Cub could talk I’m confident it would thank me.
So I swapped it for a 5/8” belt and discovered the “engineers” had solved the problem of the belt forever popping off due to not being in the same plane unless the deck was set at precisely the right height by putting an undersized belt on oversized pulleys. Mower had an electric deck clutch so clutching wasn’t a requirement for the belt. Next step was installing belt keepers at all the problem points. Now it sort of worked but it was still toasting the 5/8” Gates about every 50 hours. More research indicated there are some belts that fit and have sufficient HP rating but they’re not designed for applications where an idler has the belt in a back bend situation. In my scenario, the Gates I was using were the right length, right size for the pulleys, and sufficient for the power BUT when I contacted Gates I found out they weren’t designed to handle the backbend the tension idler was putting on it. Subsequently found a Kevlar belt that was OEM for a similar size Grasshopper mower, designed for back bend applications. I’ve changed it only once in the last 400 hours and that was due to a stump strike.
Moral of that long story is I got a decent education in mower belts and just because it fits doesn’t mean it’s the right belt or that it will perform adequately. If you go with A/M, at least get a Kevlar belt if there is any back bending in the belt routing. They’re generally designed to handle the back bend and heat associated with mowing. Not all belts are.
Edit: I have also purchased a tractor and now use a bush hog on grass higher than my waist. If my old Cub could talk I’m confident it would thank me.
Things are secrets because the manufacturers want you to have to buy from them.
Specialty tools from many manufacturers, especially in the automotive industry is an example. Torx bolt heads. And even security bolt torx heads...
Specialty tools from many manufacturers, especially in the automotive industry is an example. Torx bolt heads. And even security bolt torx heads...
fried1765
Well-known member
Equipment
Kubota L48 TLB, Ford 1920 FEL, Ford 8N, SCAG Liberty Z, Gravely Pro.
If you think Kubota is bad, try a certain green brand which loves to use that double-sided V belt on their mower decks.
Yes there are will-fit equivalents on the Internet. And after trying one you'll end up at the dealer getting the OE belt anyway.
Yes there are will-fit equivalents on the Internet. And after trying one you'll end up at the dealer getting the OE belt anyway.