# 10M6D new belt, too tight?



## ugmold (May 11, 2015)

Hi folks,
My 10M6D broke a belt, ordered a new one (34X104), it appears to be the same size as the old one. I took off the idler pulley to see if all was well and it seemed to be missing a spacer/sleeve that goes between the bearing and the bolt. I cut a piece of gas hose to get it snug and it rolled well on it (temporary measure) reassembled and even with the idler released the belt is engaged. works ok for the drive, but I'm hesitant to engage the auger. I'm wondering if the PO removed that spacer/sleeve in order to get the belt to be loose.

Any thoughts? Thanks in advance.
-ugmold


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## motorhead64 (Dec 15, 2013)

The idler should be tightening a slackened belt when the auger control is engaged. If I am understanding you correctly, the auger is turning without engagement. If that is the case, some modification to the pulley system has been done by the PO. Possibly a larger than normal drive pulley was installed? MH


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## ugmold (May 11, 2015)

Thanks for the reply.
Without the idler engaged the belt is driving the lower/large pulley, if I put it in gear it will move with idler loose. The Jaw Coupling will always be spinning so when the auger lever is engaged it would be like shifting a car without using a clutch, make sense?

It was like this with the old belt, that in neutral, engage auger with the idler slack it would make a racket until the couplers engaged correctly. 

But if the belt was slack and not spinning and then the auger engaged, then the idler engaged I think it would work fine. 

The PO may have removed that sleeve so the idler pulley could move a bit further (that would be the only mod) I was thinking if I could elongate the adjustment slot on the idler arm perhaps I could get the belt to go slack.
Thanks.


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## Kiss4aFrog (Nov 3, 2013)

IMHO, You should try to find out why you can't adjust it now before you start to elongate the adjustment.


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## 43128 (Feb 14, 2014)

can you take a picture of the engine pulley?


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## Jackmels (Feb 18, 2013)

Are the Belt Guides intact? They are 2 L-shaped pieces that bolt to the engine which help keep the belt off the drive pulley when idler is disengaged.


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## ugmold (May 11, 2015)

I took some pics:
Ariens 10M6D

I went to Lowes and bought a sleeve I cut down . works good

I set the belt guides to be just barely touching when "slack"

pulley is off and was adjusted all the way to the loose side. it is a struggle to get it on with the belt on, of course I can take the belt off and install it, but that kind of tells you how tight it is.


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## ugmold (May 11, 2015)

Kiss4aFrog said:


> IMHO, You should try to find out why you can't adjust it now before you start to elongate the adjustment.


I agree with that.Thanks


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## ugmold (May 11, 2015)

Ok, I took probably the pics you wanted to see today, I had to stop yesterday as we had wind driven rain.


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## ugmold (May 11, 2015)

I decided to get a belt a 1/2 inch longer.


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## skutflut (Oct 16, 2015)

ugmold said:


> I decided to get a belt a 1/2 inch longer.


I wonder if the PO used a different sized belt than the original. I'm not familiar with that machine, but is it possible that idler pulley might be a bit bigger than i should be, maybe replaced at some point, which required a shorter belt since the pulley was larger. Maybe McGiver was involved somewhere along the line.


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## 43128 (Feb 14, 2014)

everything looks stock in there except the belt


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## ugmold (May 11, 2015)

skutflut said:


> I wonder if the PO used a different sized belt than the original. I'm not familiar with that machine, but is it possible that idler pulley might be a bit bigger than i should be, maybe replaced at some point, which required a shorter belt since the pulley was larger. Maybe McGiver was involved somewhere along the line.


 The belt I replaced was the correct belt for the unit, it is the same size as the one that broke. I found a replacement pulley here, and the pic, with the graphic 1 inch squares behind looks to be the same size.
Ariens 10M6D Parts List and Diagram - (025501) : eReplacementParts.com

Hopefully the 1/2 inch longer belt will work. No snow in the immediate future at least.


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## skutflut (Oct 16, 2015)

Ok, looks like you eliminated those possibilities already.


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## nwcove (Mar 2, 2015)

not sure if your machine shares parts with my 7-10m, but i picked up a belt at napa, and it works just fine. 1/2"x36", 12.5/13 mm x 915 mm. 4L360W Heavy duty FHP belt. with the idler disengaged it rises up the engine sheave to the point where i could easily roll it off.


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## ugmold (May 11, 2015)

nwcove said:


> not sure if your machine shares parts with my 7-10m, but i picked up a belt at napa, and it works just fine. 1/2"x36", 12.5/13 mm x 915 mm. 4L360W Heavy duty FHP belt. with the idler disengaged it rises up the engine sheave to the point where i could easily roll it off.


I'm not familiar enough with all the Ariens models to know. Although I have 2 old 5hp models, a 922003 and a 10965 (broken bearing housing,).

The belt I ordered on eBay is a 1/2 larger, hoping that will do it.


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## nwcove (Mar 2, 2015)

just out of curiosity, what is the length of the new belt?


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## ugmold (May 11, 2015)

nwcove said:


> just out of curiosity, what is the length of the new belt?


3/8 x 35. I used the Ariens part #34X104 for the belt on eBay and a few came up with the same dimensions.

I'm going to try 3/8 x 35.5


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## nwcove (Mar 2, 2015)

3/8 ? that could be some of your issue ?


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## ugmold (May 11, 2015)

nwcove said:


> 3/8 ? that could be some of your issue ?


Old one measures 3/8 too.


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## Oneacer (Jan 3, 2011)

I use the Gates 6836 Power Rated belt - green


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## ugmold (May 11, 2015)

oneacer said:


> I use the Gates 6836 Power Rated belt - green


For what model? Length and Width?


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## nwcove (Mar 2, 2015)

my old belt measured +/- 3/8, but it was riding way to low in both sheaves. the numbers were worn off so i had nothing to really go by for a replacement. the 1/2 belt sits perfectly in the pulleys . curiosity got to me and i just removed the belt cover from mine, yours looks to be set up almost identically as far as the guides and belt angle with the idler disengaged. the sheave on your engine looks larger, but that could be camera angle. the noticable difference i see is how deep your belt is in the sheave, mine cant drop that low because of the belt width. but maybe i have the wrong size belt ?


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## nwcove (Mar 2, 2015)

oneacer said:


> I use the Gates 6836 Power Rated belt - green


the napa belt i bought is for OPE also. its a green one.


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## ugmold (May 11, 2015)

What is weird is I also bought a new belt for my 5hp 922003 required a 1/2 inch belt, the old one wore and was too loose (the opposite!)

So I thought it odd that my 6hp is thinner at 3/8.


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## Oneacer (Jan 3, 2011)

Here are a couple links w/info for the Gates 6836 :

4L360K (6836) PoweRated V-Belt 8423-6836


Gates PoweRated 6836 - FHP V-Belt | O'Reilly Auto Parts


More Information for GATES 6836

I run these on my 10M4 and 10M6, as well as my Yardman


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## ugmold (May 11, 2015)

oneacer said:


> Here are a couple links w/info for the Gates 6836 :
> 
> 4L360K (6836) PoweRated V-Belt 8423-6836
> 
> ...


Thanks


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## nwcove (Mar 2, 2015)

pretty much identical to the belt im running.


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## ugmold (May 11, 2015)

Why can't they make them in Ariens Orange? lol

I run down and get one tomorrow.

Thanks again


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## ugmold (May 11, 2015)

The Gates 6836 belt is a no go, tighter than the other belt to high a profile on the engine pulley, fits well on the lower pulley. I'm going to wait and try the 3/8 x 35.5 I ordered.


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## nwcove (Mar 2, 2015)

i cant help but think that the upper pulley is oversized and for the wrong width belt if the 1/2 one sat to high in it. ( the top of a new belt should be a bit out of the pulley)

edit: the pulley on my engine is roughly 2.25" dia


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## ugmold (May 11, 2015)

nwcove said:


> i cant help but think that the upper pulley is oversized and for the wrong width belt if the 1/2 one sat to high in it. ( the top of a new belt should be a bit out of the pulley)


The added width of the new belt has taken up the extra inch of slack by riding higher in the pulley slots.

I now think 3/8 must be the right width, we'll have to see what the new belt does.


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## ugmold (May 11, 2015)

The new belt 3/8 x 35.5 is also too tight. When the belt first broke I checked the belts I had and all were too small but one seemed way too large.
Well I tried it again and it seems to work, it is brand new and I have no idea where it came from it is a NAPA 25-09533, looked for specs online and it is a replacement for a Studebaker and measures 3/8 x 37 5/8ths! Could probably go with a 37. Saw a couple of sparks when the idler was engaged from the 2 pulleys meeting, but subsided right away.....I think it is fine.
Thanks for the input.


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