# Rayco 1625 belt woes



## gr8scott72 (Jan 13, 2008)

Maybe someone can tell me what I did wrong or what I need to do to keep this happening again so soon.

I just replaced the poly-cog belt, the one that goes to the cutter head in Oct. I've put less than 40 hours on the maching since then. Well, it broke again today. That's a $250 belt!! I try not to let the machine bounce on the stump but it does happen every once in awhile.

I have 500 series greenteeth on it and I know someone is going to say that's what's causing it but I can't believe that, not at only 40 hours. I always keep them rotated and sharp.

Did I have the belt too tight? How tight is it supposed to be? The pulleys seemed to be ok without any signs of wear on the teeth and the belt was in alignment straight between the two pulleys.

Someone was talking about putting a triple-v belt in place of the cogged one but that was on a different brand I think. Has anyone done this on a Rayco?

Someone help!


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## a_lopa (Jan 14, 2008)

The pulleys teeth get sharp with wear.


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## 911crash (Jan 14, 2008)

ive had one break on the first stump after a new belt $$$$. belt tension is the key. although without greenteeth no belts broken with greenteeth at least 4 or 5 but some were my fault because of improper tension.


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## gr8scott72 (Jan 14, 2008)

911crash said:


> ive had one break on the first stump after a new belt $$$$. belt tension is the key. although without greenteeth no belts broken with greenteeth at least 4 or 5 but some were my fault because of improper tension.



So, how tight should it be?


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## John464 (Jan 14, 2008)

gr8scott72 said:


> So, how tight should it be?




your owners manual has a measuremnt by means of deflection. that is when you press down on it with a prescribed number of lbs it deflects a specific number of mm's. check the manual.


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## gr8scott72 (Jan 14, 2008)

John464 said:


> your owners manual has a measuremnt by means of deflection. that is when you press down on it with a prescribed number of lbs it deflects a specific number of mm's. check the manual.



Well, never got one. Can someone tell me what it says?


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## Bigstumps (Jan 15, 2008)

If it snapped straight across - pretty clean looking - it was either a shock load or you pried it on over the sprockets installing it. If you pry it over the sprockets instead of moving the jackshaft for the install you will break the belt internally.

If the teeth are ripped off you had it too loose.

What does the broken belt look like?

How old a 1625 is it? Rayco made some changes to their polychain drives. The 1st ones had small teeth - 8MM and the later ones have larger 14MM teeth. They had a upgrade kit.

I have heard Greenteeth can be very hard on the drives.


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## gr8scott72 (Jan 15, 2008)

Bigstumps said:


> If it snapped straight across - pretty clean looking - it was either a shock load or you pried it on over the sprockets installing it. If you pry it over the sprockets instead of moving the jackshaft for the install you will break the belt internally.
> 
> If the teeth are ripped off you had it too loose.
> 
> ...



I did pull it over the pulleys to install it.

It broke clean. Like it ripped apart. None of the teeth are ripped off.

It's a 2004.


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## Bigstumps (Jan 16, 2008)

Did you slip it over the pulleys or pry it?? Did you move the jackshaft on the install?? 2004 should be new enough to have the 14MM belt, is that what it is??


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## Aaction (Jan 17, 2008)

I changed a 1625 and a Vermeer 252 both to twin V belts.
Works well and much cheaper.


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## gr8scott72 (Jan 17, 2008)

Aaction said:


> I changed a 1625 and a Vermeer 252 both to twin V belts.
> Works well and much cheaper.



What pulley did you use? I'm trying to do just that right now myself. The guy at Motion Industries thinks he can find a pulley that will work.

I'd love to see some pictures.


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## Aaction (Jan 17, 2008)

I don't have either machine now, so I can't provide pictures.
Just measure the shaft and pulley diameters and replace with standard twin pulleys to suit. I can't remember if they were "A" or "B" section belts. Use the biggest section that will fit width wise.
You will find that they will need to be kept fairly tight as they don't have the teeth for grip, but they work well and are much cheaper to replace.
Good luck.


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## stumper63 (Jan 18, 2008)

Aaction,

Were you having trouble with the cutter wheel belt on the 252? They aren't the toothed kind, at least my 03 isn't. I avg 400 hrs on a belt, and they're only about $30 or so in the States. Tighten every 50 hrs or so, takes 8 min. when doing a minor adjustment, just loosen the bearings, adjust 1 turn, good for another 50 hours. IMO the Vermeer belt holds up quite well for the money, I can't imagine spending $250 on a cutter wheel belt for a machine in this size and torque.
Stumper63


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## gr8scott72 (Jan 18, 2008)

I just ordered 2 new pulleys and a 3 groove b section belt to swap it all over. Was about $250 total. I'll take pictures when I get it back together.


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## Aaction (Jan 19, 2008)

Stumper63,
My 252 was 1998 or so, first model after the 222. It was fitted with the Polychain from new.
Maybe a different spec for Australia?


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## stumper63 (Jan 19, 2008)

Aaction,
Could be a diff spec, mine just has the grooved belt, the book calls it a polychain but it really isn't, at least it isn't cogged like the other polychains the other manufacturers use, and it's a whole lot cheaper and seems to last reasonably long.
Stumper63


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## Mowingman (Jan 19, 2008)

I am running the original Rayco teeth on my machine and have not had a problem with belts or the poly chain breaking. My dealer does not recommend running Green Teeth on the 1625. He did say the smaller Green Teeth might be ok to run, but that some people are using the larger size, and that is causing the belts to tear up on the 1625 machines. However, he says it is best stay away from Green teeth on that model.
If you have Green Teeth on it, that it likely your problem.
Jeff


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## Kennedy Tree (Oct 5, 2015)

I would like to switch mine over. Could you help me out and tell me what you bought. I would greatly appreciate it


gr8scott72 said:


> I just ordered 2 new pulleys and a 3 groove b section belt to swap it all over. Was about $250 total. I'll take pictures when I get it back together.


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## Kennedy Tree (Oct 5, 2015)

I would like to switch mine over. Could you help me out and tell me what you bought. I would greatly appreciate it


gr8scott72 said:


> I just ordered 2 new pulleys and a 3 groove b section belt to swap it all over. Was about $250 total. I'll take pictures when I get it back together.


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## gr8scott72 (Oct 5, 2015)

Kennedy Tree said:


> I would like to switch mine over. Could you help me out and tell me what you bought. I would greatly appreciate it



Sorry. Don't have a clue. That was many years ago and I'm not even in the business anymore. I do remember it being very hard to keep tight enough to keep from slipping.


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## MSgtBob66 (Oct 6, 2015)

Per the owner's manual (my machine is a 1999): the cutting wheel be free to rotate (off the ground ), remove hole plug in guard, belt should deflect 1/4" when 15-18 lbs is applied. Use 18-20 lbs with a new belt.


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## MSgtBob66 (Oct 6, 2015)

I can't post a pic of the manual! My issue has been the v-belts, the chinese junk I get from CarQuest need constant attention to tension, but it is manageable. I run 700 series Green Teeth, they smoke the Rayco Super teeth. If you resharpen the, use a wet system. I cooked 4 sets of teeth using the recommended dry system Green says to use. I rigged up a wet system with a parts washer, messy but new teeth!


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