# GT6000 54" Mower Belt Problem



## DForal (Jun 30, 2011)

Took delivery of my new (floor model from Sears Outlet) GT6000 and about 90 minutes into my first mowing session, the belt shredded. My problem is that I cannot get the old belt off due to a "guide hook" (my term) that is attached to one of the idler pulleys (shown in the pictures). The instructions in the manual do not mention or show the "guide hook" and the belt cannot be removed with this hook in place. This leads me to believe that it shouldn't even be there for normal operation? So, I tried to remove the hook by turning the nut - no luck as the nut turns, but does not come off. The bolt is not turning with the nut (I marked the bolt with yellow chalk to make sure it was not rotating with the nut). I think the threads are stripped - I did see a metal shaving that could have been part of the thread. Questions:

1. Anyone know what this "guide hook" is? It does not show up in my manual drawings.

2. Is it possible this device is what caused the premature failure of the belt?

3. How do I get it off if it is stripped?

Thanks for your help. Dave


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## wjjones (May 28, 2010)

Welcome to the Forum!..DForal.. It is a belt keeper mine has the exact identical one on it you need 2 wrenches one for the top nut, and one for the nut under the top nut. In the picture you will notice one nut under the belt keeper you will need to hold it to keep it from turning.


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## DForal (Jun 30, 2011)

Thanks for the response. I found it strange that the manual has specific steps for removing the belt and the belt keeper is not mentioned. Anyway, I'll try to get a wrench on the bottom nut (pretty tight), but like I said, the bolt does not turn when I turn the nut (I verified by putting a chalk mark on the bolt - the mark does not move when I spin the nut). I'll go try what you suggest and see what happens and I'll report back.


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## DForal (Jun 30, 2011)

OK, I just got back and I'm 99% sure that the nut is stripped. I had a good work light on the area (so I can see very well) and when I turn the top nut, it spins, but the bolt and lower nut remain stationary. Unless someone has a good idea on how to get the nut off (short of cutting it off), I guess I will call Sears and get a warranty repair going. Fortunately, we got the most important part of the yard mowed.


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## wjjones (May 28, 2010)

I hope they didnt strip the threads at the factory when they installed it.. Mine shows it as part# 198468. I might also mention you will have to un-plug the pto clutch pigtail to remove the belt..


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## DForal (Jun 30, 2011)

I did find a part # 198468 on the Sears Part website for a belt keeper. I was unable to get a second wrench on the bottom nut; have you been able to do that? Seems I need a thinned down open end wrench, mine are too thick to get between the belt keeper and the idler pully. I'll look out for the pto pigtail - thanks for the heads up. Dave


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## wjjones (May 28, 2010)

DForal said:


> I did find a part # 198468 on the Sears Part website for a belt keeper. I was unable to get a second wrench on the bottom nut; have you been able to do that? Seems I need a thinned down open end wrench, mine are too thick to get between the belt keeper and the idler pully. I'll look out for the pto pigtail - thanks for the heads up. Dave



Yep i took my angle grinder, and trimmed one of my wrenches down thin enough to fit.. Are you turning the top nut towards the rear of the mower? One other question do you have a part# for the deck wash port?


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## DForal (Jun 30, 2011)

From the Sears website, the part number is:

Washout port

PART NUMBER: 415598


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## DForal (Jun 30, 2011)

I have tried turning the nut in both directions; it just spins and the bolt and lower nut remain stationary. Seems to be stripped.


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## wjjones (May 28, 2010)

DForal said:


> I have tried turning the nut in both directions; it just spins and the bolt and lower nut remain stationary. Seems to be stripped.



Yep its stripped thats what happens when sears uses a grade 8 nut on a grade 5 bolt.. I would call them to come fix it, and there should be no service charge..they tried to charge me $20 until they decided the part was defective..which was the drive belt. Thankyou for the part# i have been looking for it for awhile now mine is a 2006 before they started putting the port on there. It looks identical to yours though.. Let me know how it works out for you..


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## DForal (Jun 30, 2011)

I just got done scheduling a repair call - soonest was Aug 20th! Hopefully they'll have a cancellation that I can take advantage of. Fortunately, the grass won't grow much this time of year. Thanks for the help and guidance; sure is nice to talk with someone who knows what they are talking about. I'll post how this turns out. Dave


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## wjjones (May 28, 2010)

DForal said:


> I just got done scheduling a repair call - soonest was Aug 20th! Hopefully they'll have a cancellation that I can take advantage of. Fortunately, the grass won't grow much this time of year. Thanks for the help and guidance; sure is nice to talk with someone who knows what they are talking about. I'll post how this turns out. Dave



Your Welcome glad to have you here, and especially seeing how your mower is very close to the same as mine will help too. I might need your help with mine sometime..


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## wjjones (May 28, 2010)

Does your mower have an ammeter on the dash?


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## Country Boy (Mar 18, 2010)

Judging by the picture, which doesn't show the whole belt, it looks as thought the belt started shredding along the bottom edge. I'd look for an idler out of alignment or something on the deck that the belt is rubbing on. If it shredded on that side, there has to be something that it is coming into contact with that is sharp. If it is a warranty issue, I'd leave the belt on just as you have it so the dealer can get a good look at how it is aligned and what it might be contacting.


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## DForal (Jun 30, 2011)

WJ, my tractor does not have an ammeter.

Country Boy, the belt came off the pulleys when it failed; I put it back on just to see how it looks. Here are two pictures that show the belt in more detail. There are several areas of wear on the belt, most of the wear is on the outside edge, but there is also wear on the inside surface. I inspected all the pulleys and didn't find any obvious source of the wear.

My son said he was engaging the PTO with the engine at full power - is that OK? Or should the engine be throttled back to slow when engaging the blades? The manual does not say anything on this subject.


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## wjjones (May 28, 2010)

DForal said:


> WJ, my tractor does not have an ammeter.
> 
> Country Boy, the belt came off the pulleys when it failed; I put it back on just to see how it looks. Here are two pictures that show the belt in more detail. There are several areas of wear on the belt, most of the wear is on the outside edge, but there is also wear on the inside surface. I inspected all the pulleys and didn't find any obvious source of the wear.
> 
> My son said he was engaging the PTO with the engine at full power - is that OK? Or should the engine be throttled back to slow when engaging the blades? The manual does not say anything on this subject.



They told me at sears when i bought mine to not engage the deck at low idle because it would throw the belt off..


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## dangeroustoys56 (Jul 26, 2010)

Seems odd for a new tractor to wreck a belt so soon.... 

When i mow, i dont run my tractors at full speed - i use a lil more then half throttle then engage the blades - the governer is supposed to take over if it needs more power .


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## wjjones (May 28, 2010)

dangeroustoys56 said:


> Seems odd for a new tractor to wreck a belt so soon....
> 
> When i mow, i dont run my tractors at full speed - i use a lil more then half throttle then engage the blades - the governer is supposed to take over if it needs more power .



Craftsman has that v-notch on the throttle that you are supposed to use for operating speed. The lever has a notch, and the slide plate it moves against has a groove for it to match. I think it is about 3600 rpm at operating speed.. I agree it shouldnt have ate that belt up like that mine is 5 years old, and still has the original deck belt..


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## dangeroustoys56 (Jul 26, 2010)

All the belts on my '92 White were 19 years old- OEM ones ......they were due......


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## SearsCares (Aug 9, 2011)

Dear Dave,

My name is Laura D. with Sears Cares and I would like to apologize for the difficulty you’ve had with your new tractor. I see from your posts that you do have service set for 8/20/2011 and I know that this is a long time to wait for your tractor to be repaired. Unfortunately, we are at the height of our Lawn and Garden season and even though our repair technicians are very busy, we do want to make sure our customers receive service in a timely and efficient manner. At your convenience please contact our office via email at [email protected] and we will assign a senior case manager who will personally handle your case. In the email, please provide a contact phone number and the phone number the tractor was originally serviced under (if different than the contact phone number) so that we can call you directly. Also, in your email, please provide your user name (Dave / Dforal) so we can reference your case. Again, I apologize for any trouble we have caused and we do appreciate the opportunity to help.

Thank you,

Laura D.
Social Media Moderator
Sears Social Media Support


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## Wonbill (Feb 15, 2009)

You Gotta love Sears
They may not have the best tractors (pretty damn good) but their warranty is darn good. I am on my 3rd Sears tractor (currently a GT5000) and have been very satisfied with my contractors work here in Canada. While I hope that this tractor will last for many years (I am hard on then 5 acres rough ground,a bit of swamp, and rock old farmstead) I would buy another if if it suffered a Catastrophic failure.
Wonbill


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## DForal (Jun 30, 2011)

I spent some time going over the tractor's mowing deck to see if I could find anything wrong. I need to find out why the belt was destroyed so soon before I put another one on.

The deck was slightly out of level left-right (I adjusted it with no trouble), but pretty far out of adjustment front-back. The front is supposed to be 1/8 - 1/2" lower than the back, but my deck was more like 1 1/4" lower. I had to turn the adjustment nut 11 1/2 times to get it into specifications. I'm hoping that would have caused excessive wear on the belt - any opinions? I should have looked at this before mowing, I assumed everything was set up OK as delivered.

I also "eye-balled" the center of the pulleys and tried to compare them to each other as best as I could (felt like I was standing on my head). Some of the pulleys looked to be not lined up perfectly, but I don't know how close they need to be to run the belt properly. I was not able to "eye-ball" the PTO pulley; I can probably come up with a jig to measure each pulley without too much trouble if it is worth the effort.

Lastly, the Gauge Wheels were all set to the highest adjustment point. This may have resulted in the deck contacting the ground when going over bumps, etc. I have adjusted the height to be more appropriate for my cutting height.

Still cannot get the belt keeper nut off because it is stripped and Sears is coming on Aug 20th.

I'll post when I get more information. Dave


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## wjjones (May 28, 2010)

Yep mine was all out of adjusment as well when i got it, and yes that much drop on the front would cause the pulleys to chew the belt up quick..The edges of the pulleys would be what chewed the belt up.. The deck wheels are to be 1/4 th" above ground level at your cutting height thats where i keep mine, and it does pretty good. I think the reason the pulleys look out is because the idlers are wide, and the spindle shaft pulleys are belt width i guess.. I wish they would start using the fab decks on these like they did on the Husqvarna tractors..


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## ftorleans1 (Jul 12, 2009)

*CedarMillBumperandHitch.com*

Hey Guys,
My Dad purchased the Husky 2454GT equivilant May 2010. Keep an eye out for your idler pulleys. Ours had the left side(opposite of discharge chute) fastening nut come off which allowed the pulley to come loose and shred the brand new belt. In the process, it also destroyed the left plastic spindle pulley cover. Sears came out within a week and fixed everything. Periodically check the idler pulley lock nuts. 
We also put the throttle at about halfway then engage the deck. Be sure to pump some grease into the spindles every few cuttings based on 1-1/2 hour cuts each week. Use good grease! Not the cheapest thing you can buy!!!
Like the other member noted, you shouldn't need much more than half throttle while mowing. Save some RPMs and save your engine!!! Your governor will take over when needed...
Good luck with your GT6000.
Michael


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## dangeroustoys56 (Jul 26, 2010)

Theyre comming from the factory that way - Sears has them shipped in nearly fully built in wooden crates - the seat, steering wheel, oil and battery are installed at the store.

Im sure a certain amount of adjusting might be needed - due to shipping, ect - they probably set it in 'the ball park' range.


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## DForal (Jun 30, 2011)

Today is the day Sears comes out to "fix" my machine. My greatest fear is that he/she will get here and say "your belt keeper nut is stripped, I don't have the tools to remove it and we'll need to reschedule an appointment". My original call for repair only mentioned the belt failure (I didn't know about the stripped nut at that point). I subsequently called to tell them about the stripped nut and asked them to ship a replacement bolt/nut, but they said they couldn't do that - didn't get a satisfactory answer as to why they couldn't.

Also, I never heard from the Sears social media case manager that had been assigned to my case. I did get an email stating that a case manager had been assigned and would contact me within 48 hrs - that was 8 days ago. I sent a reminder email earlier this week and have heard nothing. I'll give Sears points for monitoring these sites and being a bit proactive about addressing problems, but their follow-through and execution was poor. 

I really need to get this machine fixed today - we've had some rain and the grass is getting pretty tall. I'll report how things go later today (they are supposed to be here between 1-5).


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## dangeroustoys56 (Jul 26, 2010)

I was talking with my coworker - his dad bot one of those 'commercial style' walk behind mowers from sears, he doesnt sound too happy with them. Apparantly over the last 3 years he's had belt/deck issues, even had a handgrip break off - theyve come out and fixed it, but he says he wont buy one again.

Id call to complain , specially since this thing is like brand new .


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## wjjones (May 28, 2010)

DForal said:


> Today is the day Sears comes out to "fix" my machine. My greatest fear is that he/she will get here and say "your belt keeper nut is stripped, I don't have the tools to remove it and we'll need to reschedule an appointment". My original call for repair only mentioned the belt failure (I didn't know about the stripped nut at that point). I subsequently called to tell them about the stripped nut and asked them to ship a replacement bolt/nut, but they said they couldn't do that - didn't get a satisfactory answer as to why they couldn't.
> 
> Also, I never heard from the Sears social media case manager that had been assigned to my case. I did get an email stating that a case manager had been assigned and would contact me within 48 hrs - that was 8 days ago. I sent a reminder email earlier this week and have heard nothing. I'll give Sears points for monitoring these sites and being a bit proactive about addressing problems, but their follow-through and execution was poor.
> 
> I really need to get this machine fixed today - we've had some rain and the grass is getting pretty tall. I'll report how things go later today (they are supposed to be here between 1-5).



I remembered they where coming out today did they get you fixed up?


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## DForal (Jun 30, 2011)

The guy showed up around 6:30 - I was the last stop on his route today. He ended up cutting the stripped nut off - took him a while to get it off. He suspects that a fine thread nut was put onto a coarse threaded bolt.

Once he got the nut off, he replaced the bolt and nut and installed the new belt. I mentioned the fact that the front/back adjustment was about an inch out of spec - he didn't think that is what did the belt in. After looking at the belt, he thinks it was defective. He pointed to two main areas of damage and said it didn't seem to be consistent with normal failure modes. In one section the rubber was gone and the kevlar cords exposed. In the other area, the rubber was broken up and he used the term "alligator back" to describe the look. Since I have no experience (he said he has been doing this work for 14 years), I'm not sure if he is right or not. I guess we'll see what happens when I mow the grass later today.

I asked him about what rpm to have when engaging the blades. He said "full power with the tractor stationary". He said engaging at low rpm's can knock the belt off. I've heard that before on this forum - guess I'll follow that advice.

Overall, the guy was very helpful and knew his stuff. I asked him to order me a new idler pulley since he had been prying on the old one trying to get the nut off and there were metal shavings on that pulley from the removal process - I was worried that those shavings and the abuse inflicted may have damaged the bearing in some way. He ordered the new pulley for me and it will be delivered to my door. Glad to have a functional machine again and hopefully I'll complete the yard with no incidents.

Thanks to all who contributed/commented - it really helps to get the "collective" knowledge of this forum.


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## wjjones (May 28, 2010)

DForal said:


> The guy showed up around 6:30 - I was the last stop on his route today. He ended up cutting the stripped nut off - took him a while to get it off. He suspects that a fine thread nut was put onto a coarse threaded bolt.
> 
> Once he got the nut off, he replaced the bolt and nut and installed the new belt. I mentioned the fact that the front/back adjustment was about an inch out of spec - he didn't think that is what did the belt in. After looking at the belt, he thinks it was defective. He pointed to two main areas of damage and said it didn't seem to be consistent with normal failure modes. In one section the rubber was gone and the kevlar cords exposed. In the other area, the rubber was broken up and he used the term "alligator back" to describe the look. Since I have no experience (he said he has been doing this work for 14 years), I'm not sure if he is right or not. I guess we'll see what happens when I mow the grass later today.
> 
> ...


 I would still get that front to back adjustment corrected the manual says the front should be 1/8th to 1/2" and no lower than the back. I am glad to hear you got your belt issue resolved.


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## DForal (Jun 30, 2011)

I corrected the front/back adjustment before he came. I'm sure you meant to say the front should be *lower *than the back by 1/8" to 1/2".

I have been cutting the yard today; been at it about 2 1/2 hrs when I got interrupted by rain (I'll take that interruption!). Mower is cutting and running great. I've stopped several times to inspect the belt and there are no signs of wear. I think I'm in good shape now. Now, if I can just get the last 1/2 hr of cutting done today I'll be a happy camper.


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## wjjones (May 28, 2010)

DForal said:


> I corrected the front/back adjustment before he came. I'm sure you meant to say the front should be *lower *than the back by 1/8" to 1/2".
> 
> I have been cutting the yard today; been at it about 2 1/2 hrs when I got interrupted by rain (I'll take that interruption!). Mower is cutting and running great. I've stopped several times to inspect the belt and there are no signs of wear. I think I'm in good shape now. Now, if I can just get the last 1/2 hr of cutting done today I'll be a happy camper.



Yep i just worded it wrong... I try to keep mine less than 1/4th of an inch lower in the front it seems to cut alot better. Glad to hear its operating without trouble..


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## DForal (Jun 30, 2011)

Got the last of the yard finished up; it looks great. Post-mowing inspection shows no visible wear on the belt.

I'll double check the front/back adjustment to make sure it is still in specifications after the repairman took the deck off the machine. I was impressed with the way the machine runs - this sucker can really move (very useful when it started raining and I was as far from the garage as possible) and I love the tight turn technology (8" turn radius). I was going to train my wife to cut the lawn, but I think I'll keep doing it instead


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## dangeroustoys56 (Jul 26, 2010)

I have a '99 weedeater ( craftsman) that i bot from my neighbor - was pretty beat up, needed a ton of work( deck rebuild, steering fixed, trans fixed) - far as i can tell it doesnt have the factory motor on it ( supposed to be a 12.5 briggs i believe- data tag is long gone) - has a 11HP 'craftsman' briggs on it. The PO did some mods to the governer link ( which i replaced) because it revved way too high.

Since ive had it, ive had stalling issues when the deck was engaged( engaged it at about 1/2 throttle- like my other tractors)- always figured something was up with the governer - id planned on swapping a bigger motor on it. Its always had a nice smooth cut ( when it worked) .

Wjjones mentioned about craftsmans having the 'throttle detent' - after owning it for least 4 years now and dealing with its quirks - i noticed the detent when i mowed with it the other day - so i pushed the throttle to the detent and .... it worked fine- no stalling or bogging now .

Only thing it needs is the brakes adjusted......


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## DForal (Jun 30, 2011)

Final chapter in this story: just received brand new idler pulley, bolt, nuts, and belt keeper from Sears. When the guy was repairing it, he used an impact wrench trying to get the stripped nut off while prying hard on the belt keeper with a screw driver. He was bending things pretty good and there were metal shavings from the bolt and nut on the idler pulley. I commented that I would like to have a replacement pulley in case some of the shavings got into the bearing. The guy ordered me new hardware that was covered under warranty. I was a bit upset when the belt failed so early and I couldn't get the nut off, but Sears did OK. My only real complaint is that it took them 2 1/2 weeks to get out to my house to service the machine. In the end, they made things right for me.


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## wjjones (May 28, 2010)

DForal said:


> Final chapter in this story: just received brand new idler pulley, bolt, nuts, and belt keeper from Sears. When the guy was repairing it, he used an impact wrench trying to get the stripped nut off while prying hard on the belt keeper with a screw driver. He was bending things pretty good and there were metal shavings from the bolt and nut on the idler pulley. I commented that I would like to have a replacement pulley in case some of the shavings got into the bearing. The guy ordered me new hardware that was covered under warranty. I was a bit upset when the belt failed so early and I couldn't get the nut off, but Sears did OK. My only real complaint is that it took them 2 1/2 weeks to get out to my house to service the machine. In the end, they made things right for me.


 They are pretty good about standing behind their warranty, and other issues when i got mine they had accidentally cut the seat when un-crating the mower. I told them, and they gave me a new seat they also replaced a defective drive belt.


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