How to replace Ludlow belt
Ok, we feel like a bunch of idiots here in the shop: someone save us (and/or laugh at us)—we just cannot get our friggin’ new Ludlow belt on.
The old one was damaged and used/flattened enough that it came off fine. We have the correct replacement belt but there’s got to be a trick to get it on. (Please tell us there’s a trick to get it on!)
There just doesn’t seem to be a way to get it past the very tight clearance at the top between the machine’s pulley wheel (where it should set the wheel’s groove) and the the main driving gear shaft right that’s right above that. See attached photo.
We’ve pulled and tugged and spun a million different ways… to no avail. We have about every Ludlow instruction guide and manual ever written and replacing the belt is strangely absent from them all!
There’s no way we have to disassemble the entire driving/clutch mechanism just to get the dang belt on, right? (Right?) What are we missing?
Oof. Help so appreciated. -Zach & crew
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I’m curious…..I just took a run out to take a look at my Ludlow and I don’t see a situation quite like yours. I have a model L. There is only one v groove belt on it that I can see and that is the one on the motor and there is lots of clearance at both ends too replace it (God forbid that I should have to)…….
Perhaps you could use and adjustable link v-belt replacement in this application, allowing replacement without a lot of fuss. I’ve used one of these on a piece of woodworking equipment, and had good success.
Here is one example:
https://www.amazon.com/Belt-Adjustable-Link-V-Belt-2-inches/dp/B07WDL1CB...
John Henry
Cedar Creek Press