Woods 6 ft mower cuts belts in half

[Chris D]

I have a friend who has a mower from woods like the one picture. Problem he is having it that when mowing the fields if he hits a clump of grass that is thick or something else is that it almost always cuts the belt in half at the bottom of the big center wheel. He says it seems as one blade slows down from the thicker grass just slightly the mower belt catches between another pulley and the big center one and splits the belt. I know nothing about these mowers so I figure I would ask here and see if I could help him. He says belts are getting very costly... Any thing to look at or inspect? Mower will run fine all day if it's just sitting behind the tractor doing nothing.

[JackF]

On my Woods 59 I had the similar problem with the belt breaking, not with hitting clumps but trying to cut too tall of grass/weds. After the belting breaking twice I called woods they said two things: 1) the mower is designed only to cut grass maximum four inches tall … 2) try upgrading the belt to an industrial spec.

I did #2 early last summer and … so for no problems. The heaver belt is really stiff and hard to bend. I tried to find the manufacture name of the belt and I can’t find it, all I can see on the belt is a green strip which I guess means industrial spec. The cost if I remember was $15 more than the cheaper belt from the local farm store. On line probably a lot more savings.

[SONNY]

The heavy stiff belts usually have fiberglass construction or steel backing in them!---the mower is for grass cutting not bush hoggin, BUT 2 years ago I used one to mow head high weeds and never had any problems, but I drove very slow and made a couple passes over it letting it down a little each time!
I just bought a RM 59 at auction yesterday and figure on using it just for the intended use,--- grass cutting! thanks; sonny