Checking Your Mower Belt

Don't let a worn belt stop you! An essential piece of your lawn mower is its belts. Over time, these belts age, wear, and can snap if not replaced at the right time. Though the average belt last 3-4 years depending on usage, it is still important to check them on a regular basis to prevent any risk of equipment damage.

While a broken belt obviously calls for an immediate replacement, no one wants that to happen halfway through mowing your yard. As a homeowner, this simple pre- and mid-season check you can do yourself is as simple as checking tread on your car tires, and matters just as much! You can do this super easy check yourself.

The 5 things to look for when checking your belts to prevent mower downtime:

1. Brittleness or cracks: If your belt is brittle or the rubber looks dry, the flexibility is reduced, causing an increased chance of breakage as it runs over the pulleys at high speeds.
   
   
2. Thin belt: Over time the belt will wear down and show its inner fibers. If this wear is uneven, it is important to check there are no burrs on the pulleys and everything is in alignment to prevent pre-mature belt wear.
   
   
3. Loose belt: A belt may stretch with use or the hardware may loosen. This is a simple adjustment but fixing will reduce excess belt wear and increase efficiency.
4. Belt Damage: Rocks, sticks, and other debris being kicked up while mowing puts your belt at risk of nicks, cuts, and clumping on the belt. The area above your deck should remain clear of lawn debris in addition to under the deck.
   Our experts recommend using an air compressor or leaf blower to clear off any unwanted clippings and refuse. If you do wash your unit with water, blow the excess water off the top of the deck. Also, double check the grease points on the mower deck to be sure they are sufficiently greased before mowing again, refer to your Operator’s Manual for lubrication points
   
   
5. Shiny belt: If your belt has shiny areas, this means it is being burnt by friction with the pulleys. The shine on a glazed or burnt belt mean its time for an immediate replacement.

These are just a few things to look for, but it is not everything that could lead to belt breakage. Stop and check if your belt starts squeaking or squealing, you smell a hot belt, or you notice extra vibration/deck movement.

Shop new belts in store, online, or through the MowerPlus App. If you have any worries about belts wearing out too quickly, there may be other mower parts that need to be checked out. You can contact your local service experts to help diagnose any concerns.