341 snow blower PTO belt

[MikeM]

HI,

I just installed my 341 snow blower attachment on my GT2186-44.

Every year for the past 3 years or so the belt gets harder to get over the rear pulley on the blower. The tensioner was fully disengaged and it still would not go on. I had to remove the two screws that hold the blower in the frame and pull the blower forward 1/2" to install the belt 954-3075 and then push the blower back and secure with the two screws and reload the tensioner.
Two years ago I had it checked out by my Cub Cadet dealer they had to force the belt over the pulley and could not find a cause, I contacted MTD and they were unable to help and sent me two new belts at no charge they were both very tight. They gave me the belt specs but I could not find anyone with the tool to measure, the dealer and I both measured by hand and believe its the right belt.

Sorry this was so long but I am worried about the pressure on the pulleys, electric clutch and engine shaft.

Any ideas would be appreciated. I have had this Garden tractor fof about 15 years with the original blower,

Thanks Mike

[MikeM]

I believe i somehow posted this in the wrong section, sorry can it be moved?

[Cubcadet_107]

Yep, a moderator or an admin will most likely move it to the "implements and attachments" section. It's a beginners mistake, plenty of people do it with their first post, so don't think much of it

But I don't think you can do it again, otherwise the long time members are gonna make you sit in the corner and watch John Deere sales ads from the fifties

[R Bedell]

Is this the belt you are using ??

954-3075 PTO Belt 78.6" Long | For Tractors w/Twin Cylinder Engine

[MikeM]

Hi Roland
Yes the belt i am using now is MTD 954-3075 it came direct from MTD
The original was a Cub Cadet OEM 754-3075
i always kept spares so i don't know when i switched over, MTD said it is the same and the CC 754-3075 is no longer available.
Just to note: I changed the front pullys on the tractor frame (bottom front) becuse one blew a bearing, they were purchased from my CC dealer and i believe it was prior to having the problem.

[R Bedell]

The 954-3075 is the computer updated version of the 754-3075.

The Idler Pulley's are 956-3045A. When you replaced these pulley's, did you use that part number ??

[MikeM]

i will check my records and/or see if i can get a number off the part.
The CC dealer looked it up and ordered for me.

[Red Dave]

Not for nothing, but I had an issue with trying to get a PTO belt, that I bought from the dealer, to fit on my 2180 and no matter what I tried, it was always just about 6 inches too short. It was a Cub Cadet belt, bought from the dealer, had the right part number on it, everything was right except it would not go on. It was quite frustrating, made me say those kinds of words too. The old one was shredded, so I had nothing to compare it to. It was a $48 belt too, so it wasn't an insignificant investment either.

Finally, I called the parts guy at the dealer and asked him if he could tell me how long the belt was supposed to be. He couldn't, but he told me to just bring it in and he would compare it to one in stock.

It took it in and he held it up against one from stock and it was a good 6 inches shorter. Same belt part number, but the one I had was short.

The dealer handed me the longer belt, no argument, apologized for the problem, so no issues there. The replacement belt fit perfectly.

The point of all this is that sometimes the "right" belt is the wrong belt. Mine had the right part number, but was the wrong length. It happened to me. It doesn't hurt to double check.

[MikeM]

Thanks Red i have tried at least 4 belts 2 purchased from my CC dealer and 2 sent to me by MTD all 4 were very tight and almost impossible to install, i have had this machine new with the blower since 2004 and have replaced many PTO belts with no problem.

[MikeM]

Roland I could not find any numbers on the pullys but my notes show the ones ordered were 756-3045