# Carlton poly chain/belt help



## coolbrze

We blew the poly chain/belt on our 2500-4 along w/ 2 round "caps" for the "pulleys". Do these caps come attached to the pulleys? Any idea how/why this happened?


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## paccity

belt out of alinement. yes you need new pullies. need to adjust so belt runs centerd. looks likr the belt wore the lipps right off . and when you can swing it get the sandvik disc for that thing, you'll be mutch happier.


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## NCTREE

Yeah it looks like the pulley is worn. Do you have a manual for the machine? 

Don't over tension the belt. I actually keep my belt a little looser than the recomendations, just have to keep it from rubbing on the bottom of the belt case. Make sure the pulleys are lined up, you can do this with a straight edge.

How many hours are on it?


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## coolbrze

Yes, have the manual. Ordered 2 new sprockets & a polychain, should be here tomorrow hopefully. Any idea why this happened in the 1st place? The sprockets didn't seem that worn to me. The machine only has 250 hrs. on it and it's very well maintained. How do you tension the belt, the manual isn't clear on that?


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## gr8scott72

coolbrze said:


> Yes, have the manual. Ordered 2 new sprockets & a polychain, should be here tomorrow hopefully. Any idea why this happened in the 1st place? The sprockets didn't seem that worn to me. The machine only has 250 hrs. on it and it's very well maintained. How do you tension the belt, the manual isn't clear on that?


 
First of all, I hope you didn't buy that belt from Carlton. If you did, just some advice for next time, get it from Motion Industries for MUCH cheaper. (Same part number.) (Like $250 instead of $400 iirc.)

Those end caps on the pulleys aren't really even needed if the belt is aligned correctly. It will stay in the same spot on the pulley.

The tension is adjusted by moving where the pillow block bearings attach to the frame. This is done by tightening the set screws that look like they have broken off the front of your machine. (They break off every machine.) There are two more set screws under the wheel. Once you get it set you can then tighten the bolts on the pillow block bearing.

It just takes some fiddling with it. You'll get really good at taking all those bolts loose, adjusting, and then tightening. Trust me. 

Don't know why it broke on you. The shaft could have moved just a little allowing the belt to ride up on the pulley. Just a guess.


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## coolbrze

*Belt tensioning???*

gr8scott - I checked Motion Ind out, they must have raised their prices b/c they were a good bit higher ($255.64) than Carlton ($184.24). OTD I paid $500 for the 2 poly chain sprockets & the poly chain.

Next problem... I got the poly chain on fine but have no idea how to tension this belt to the correct setting. In the manual, there is a diagram of the Tensioning Procedures for Gates Poly Chain GT Belts and lists a bunch of RPMs. How do I know what RPM this machine is running at? Also, what's the best way to ensure the jackshaft is aligned correctly before tightening the jackshaft bearings down?

Thanks for all the help!


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## BBmanufacturing

Tensioner guide here.


Kevin Cox


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## Creeker

*Aligning shafts.*

I've got a SP4012 and rec'd some good tips on the site over the last few years. Thanks Bigstumps for the following 

When checking that the drive pulleys are lined up do it with the drive lever engaged.

The amount of movement in the bearings will misalign the pulleys as the machine ( I thinks its similiar to a 4012) drive lever just pulls it into gear 'on one side only'. It seems that the amount of free play in the bearings on the jack shaft and cutter wheel shaft, and the drive lever assembly, allows this to happen.

If you have aligned everything without the drive lever engaged try taking the covers off and see how they look with with it engaged, the 4012 stopped eating the multibelts (engine to jack shaft) when I aligned everything with it in gear.

Good luck and hope it works out, very frustrating when they play up !


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## Grizzly

Is that pully system the same for a all or the self propeled carlton stump grinders? I'm looking at one right now thats been sitting for a few years. I hope I dont hit that problem too.


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## Creeker

G'day Grizzly,

I don't have experience with aything other than the SP 4012. 

If its got the two shafts in common and similiar bearings then you would imagine it is similiar to the SP 4012 in that it will best be aligned with the lever in gear.

Takes a bit of time fiddling round getting it right, but quite do-able.


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## Creeker

G'day acme0007, re your post, put it here so we didn't hijack mowingmans thread, your post is ........

" Not trying to highjack just looking for answers. I have a carlton 4012 with the 33hp Kubota. Last fall it over-heated, cracked head. Finally saved up enough this spring to fix it. Ground three stumps, main belt did something and chewed it up. Ordered new belt no dealer here, $100 plus. Ground out one stump, belt started smoking and took off cover, mother $#%$$$%%^^%, belt blew a band. Tried to use it the way it was and the adjuster for belt tension cracked in half, the turnbuckle thing on the right below motor. Put the handy Vise Grips on and clamped in place long enough to finish the job.
What the hell is this thing blowing belts for? The machine only has 178 hours on it. This is the third belt and now I need a new one thats 4 at over a hundred bucks. I aligened the two pullys with a straight edge, and thought the tension was correct. Could it be that the keepers are too close? I can't take it to the dealer their isn't one anywhere close at all. I can't afford belts like this, my vermere never once went through a belt. I am very pissed!
Anybody else have this problem? 
Thanks Acme"


Acme........A pet subject that caused me a lot of grief also, went through as many belts with the same problem of the outside V peeling off and also had the V belt tension adjuster break in the thread at about the same hours as your machine.

If you read earlier in this thread I mentioned bigstumps putting me on the right track. The crux of it was when we put the machine into gear with the lever it only applies tension to one side of the slides and the pulleys used by the V belt go out of alignment.

To check what I'm trying to say, take the engine/jack shaft pulley cover off and check alignment out of gear. Then put it in gear and see where its at then.

Its probable that the pulleys are way out and this makes the outer V belt ride up and off the pullys, not sure if front or back or both, and in no time the nice new belt has peeled off the out V belt, ie one of the six. Been there, seen that..:msp_sad:

Readjust so that when in gear the V belt pulleys are aligned. 

Does that make sense, hoping you can understand my descriptions of what was wrong with my SP 4012.

Mine also chopped out the shaft bearings (replaced all four) at around your hours. The local agents after talking to Carlton in the US reckoned I was OVER GREASING the bearings. 

I now run the jack shaft/cutter shaft poly belt firm, but not hugely rigid like the specifications seem to indicate and the multi V belt just tight enough that its not slipping when under hard work conditions. I reckon overtight belts were putting to much tension on the bearings which didn't help longevity of them.

The multi V belt has just been replaced after about 200hrs on it and I reckon the amount of slack in the 4 x shaft bearings indicates they are on the way out again, ie after 200hrs also approx. 

I saw a pic. of a new Bandit stump grinder here recently, it had no drive belts and a hydraulic drive motor direct on the cutter wheel shaft. You might drop some HP running the hydraulic motor perhaps, I'm no expert, but the savings in replacing bearings, belts and pulleys has to be a good idea.

Hope this has helped, I am indebted to bigstumps for the initial help that got me on track.

(Also some discussion on.... http://www.arboristsite.com/large-equipment/55964.htm )


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## acme0007

Creeker,
Thanks for the info. My outer belt is always the one that flys off. I think I might try to use it with just the 5 bands until it totally blows or just doesn't grip. The alignment was only checked in neutral not engaged so maybe it's out when it's in ? it was pretty tight had to push pretty hard to get it to engage/ lock in place. But adjusted it like the manual suggests, IDK! what about the keepers, how close are they supposed to be to the belt when engaged. They seem pretty tight but that's how it looks in the book.
If my bearings go out I will freak out, this machine is too well maintained and with only 175 ish hours on it they better go 10 times this long.
I can get stuff through Motion Industries but what is the part number i should look for? Also, bought one off E-Bay for $70 gonna use that next.
Thanks Guys


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## Creeker

The four shaft bearings are all - Part number 0500113 - as per my machines book. 6V belt is 0400411.

What I think happens is that they start out new correctly aligned, and as the bearings wear and get more play in them it allows the shafts to move and put the pulleys out of alignment.

From memory, but can't swear to it, I think the SP4012 might have started out with a 5V multi belt and upgraded to the 6V belt. If you don't put to much strain in the machine when cutting it'll work with five left. Although if I could get belts as cheap as you I would use the correct 6V belt and ensure its life span by correct alignment.

They didn't change from a 5V to a 6V for nothing I suppose.

Re keepers, close enough to not let the full thickness of belt be able to get off the pulley, but lose enough to not hold the belt to tight to the pulley when out of gear. 

Its not my favourite job messing around with this part of the machine...:msp_sad:......but you have to do it or the parts/breakdowns cost to many $$$'s.

Plenty of others here know truckloads more than me, I'm still learning and having been down the same track know what a P.I.T.A. it can be.

Good luck mate !!!


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## micheal6629

*carlton 2500-4 stump grinder*

i have carlton 2500-4 stump grinder some reason i can not control go reverse or forward .can you help me what the problem is? which parts I have to get to make it work again? thank you


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## acme0007

micheal6629 said:


> i have carlton 2500-4 stump grinder some reason i can not control go reverse or forward .can you help me what the problem is? which parts I have to get to make it work again? thank you



You should have an adjustment knob on the side of the main housing that is used for ground speed adjustment. Just adjust ita and you should be good, as long as you have hydraulic fluid?


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## Creeker

micheal6629 said:


> i have carlton 2500-4 stump grinder some reason i can not control go reverse or forward .can you help me what the problem is? which parts I have to get to make it work again? thank you



G'day Mick,

The two things I would check first are-

1/ Ground speed adjustment knob is not adjusted to suit engine revs - ie, if the grinder moved OK at grinding revs ( full throttle) then won't work now at idle then that will just need adjustment. (I figure you know this :msp_biggrin

2/ On my SP4012 adjacent to the ground speed adjustment is a similiar looking knob, by turning it a small amount it puts the machine out of gear re wheel powered ground speed. I guess this is for use when the ground 'spear' is in the ground and you are moving the grinder into the stump with the hydraulics (and not through the wheels) that extend the machines wheelbase. Turn that knob just a small amount, say 1/4 turn or less and if thats been mistakenly moved it will fix the problem.

That small adjustment isolates/connects the hydraulic supply to the hydraulic drives on the wheels.

Hope that is clear, get back or PM if I can help further.

Pete


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## micheal6629

*2500-4 stump grinder*

i have carlton 2500-4 stump grinder some reason i can not control go reverse or forward .can you help me what the problem is? which parts I have to get to make it work again? thank you.

I do few more things what you said, had good presure any hose stay in the place it should be, no leak , at Ground speed adjustment knob I try turn back and forward small turn ,go to large one but don't do thing what else I can try more .thank you


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## Creeker

Thats no good Mick,

Can you describe the machine please and how long have you owned it.

Did it suddenly just cease motion, or has it gradually been getting worse. What happened when it wouldn't move any more.

Remote or lever operation.

Hydraulic fluid level...........in tank.

Do the rest of the hydraulic rams work OK, cutter wheel up/down and left/right.


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## micheal6629

*2500-4*

rest of the hydraulic rams work OK, cutter wheel up/down and left/right works. Hydraulic fluid level is full in tank.


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## Creeker

Mick I'd be trying to get someone who has one have a quick look at it.

Have you had it long.

Will it move at full working revs.

What happened just before the lack of movement back or forward, what were you doing. Has it ever moved back/forward for you.


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## micheal6629

I have one quick question, how do you take off the wheels? Thanks :msp_smile:


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## Creeker

:msp_thumbup:

Any problems deciphering the above, its pretty simple really.


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