Drive Belt for the LT70

[just_sawing]

I blew a Drive belt on my 70 and was allittle shocked at $170.00 dollars for a replacment. Does anyone know where to purchase one locally and save money. I replace the belt but if I could save money I would buy a spare.

[MartyParsons]

These belts are special made not sure if you can purchase the same thing in the aftermarket. The have a special compound made up of many components one being Kevlar fibers. The part # is 3/5 VFX950 Good Year.
Belt tension has a very important role in belt life.  Set belt tension on all LT70 to 3/8" Deflection @ 14lb force on a NEW belt and 9lb of force on a used belt. CHECK belt tension at first 20 hours and every 50 hours after. This will help the belt last. If you need the correct belt tension for your mill /engine please check your manual or give WM a call. On mills with Auto Clutch the spec would be in the A/C manual. We have a tension tool available part # 016309 they are less than $ 20.00. You can also use a fish weight scale or similar device and get the same results.
Be aware there are different angles on the shivs and belts, just because it is the correct length the belt does not always fit the shivs or pulleys. 

Hope this helps!
Marty
I sent you a Personal e-mail also.

[just_sawing]

I only had 800 hours on the mill

[MartyParsons]

Expected Life of the belt is 1250 hours.

Marty

[Bibbyman]

just_sawing,  Are you disengaging the clutch at the end of every cut and then engaging it again before the next cut?

The reason I ask is,  we have an LT40 Super with 25 hp 3ph motor.  As the electric motor does not idle down like an engine,  it's pretty tough on the main drive belt.  So we probably don't clutch half as often as we did with our older LT40 with gas engine. We clutch when loading or turning a log, etc.  But we don't clutch when we're coming right back to drop down to make another cut. 

Some guys with electric motors seldom use the clutch.  I hear the new LT70 electric mills don't even have a clutch. You turn the motor off to stop the blade.

[gmmills]

Expected Life of the belt is 1250 hours.

   I've got 2171 hrs on my orignal belt.  8) 8) 8)   I suppose I should take the time to change it out Mon before it breaks.

[Norm]

I burned up my first drive belt in a hundred hours. I've got an electric WM and if you disengage the clutch between cuts it burns the belt in one spot. I now only use the clutch after shutting down and have not had any more problems with the drive belt.

[Bibbyman]

I burned up my first drive belt in a hundred hours. I've got an electric WM and if you disengage the clutch between cuts it burns the belt in one spot. I now only use the clutch after shutting down and have not had any more problems with the drive belt.

We've been getting a lot more hours than that but not over a 1,000.  The belt and all the things around it has to be adjusted JUST right so the belt don't burn.

[Percy]

On my LT70(42 hp Kubota) I went thru two drive belts in the first 600 hours of use. The first one was due to a weld breaking on a "weldment" piece on the autoclutch mechanism. Warranty. The second one was because the motor wasnt correctly aligned with the driven pulley. Warranty. After that, Im about a belt per  1000 hour guy. I use the auto clutch alot and keep my brake set up as a belt is barely worth a half a box of blades and if I can extend my flex life, it more than pays for the extra belt wear.....uhhhh... I think.. :D