LT-40 alternator belt question

[Dan_Shade]

Is the alternator belt supposed to be on the first pulley groove nearest the engine?  

Do you have to remove the drive belt to replace the alternator belt? 

[Dan_Shade]

I found it in my engine manual. 



 

[barbender]

I've been able to snake the alternator belt under my drive belt iirc, but my alternator uses one of the flat multi-v belts. It looks like a serpentine belt but it's approximately the same length as yours.

[Crossroads]

With the clutch disengaged, you should be able to slip the drive belt off, so you can install the A-33 alternator belt. 

[Magicman]

Engage the clutch, loosen or let the brake drop down, disengage the clutch, and you will have plenty of room. 

[Dan_Shade]

I'm always looking for the shortcut....

I didn't want to have to adjust the brake.

But it was time to adjust the belt tension anyway, so I loosened it up.

My mill eats way too many alternator belts.

[Jim_Rogers]

Are the pulleys aligned?

Jim Rogers

[Dan_Shade]

Nothing seems bent or out of alignment. 

I'm not sure how to check it or to what tolerance. 

[ladylake]

I'm always looking for the shortcut....

I didn't want to have to adjust the brake.

But it was time to adjust the belt tension anyway, so I loosened it up.

My mill eats way too many alternator belts.

    
 Are your pulleys wore out  .  Steve

[Dan_Shade]

What are the indicators of a worn out pulley? 

The mill has about 1200 hours on it. 

[ladylake]

 They shouldn't be wore out yet but could be if they were slipping a lot .  They should grip the side of the belt good and not bottom out in the pulley..  Steve

[richhiway]

Check the amps it is putting out. If you have a bad battery or something is pulling too big a load it will wear out the belt. 

[Gary Davis]

mine eats belts also I pull the drive belt of to replace it

[Chuck White]

It seems as though, if the alternator belt gets torn up so often that the alternator pulley is not in complete alignment with the drive pulley! 

[Magicman]

I run years without replacing nor have an alternator belt failure.  I carry a spare but in 20+ years sawing, I have only had one failure while sawing.

[Chuck White]

You've ran the mill longer than I did Lynn!

While I had my mill, I cut just about 875,000 bf of lumber, and in that time, I replaced the alternator belt once!

[Bindian]

If you are eating alternator belts, the drive belt pulleys (sheaves) are not correctly aligned..  The alternator belt pulley mandates where all the other pulleys go.  So you have to align it, then align the pulleys (& split sleeve bushings) for drive belt.  I had to reach a compromise between the upper and lower drive belt pulleys not quite aligned.  About 1/16th out. I went all thru that when I had to change the stub shaft on back of my Yanmar.  Contact Dennis at WN Tech Support.   Dennis told me how to use a string to check alignment.   He helped me through all the R&R, torques, and Alignment issues.  Photo show pink string as a straight edge to align.

 
        hugs,  Brandi