Earthmaster Tractor Garter Belt

By James D. Lane owner 1948 Earthmaster Ser. # 1969

General Description:

The Earthmaster PT0 Shaft is oiled by a splash oiler and is something I haven’t seen since my days as a steam power plant Control Room Operator in the sixties. The bearing is a cone type bearing with an outer seal and is held in place by a bearing retainer that is shimmed for adjustment purposes.

Since the PTO shaft and its bearing are located above the oil level in the transmission gear box the oil must be carried to the bearing. This is accomplished by a garter belt that is attached to the upper PTO shaft and a lower pulley submerged in the gear oil. The Garter belt is nothing more than a 3/16” diameter spring looped over the lower pulley and the shaft. As the main shaft rotates the belt conveys oil from the gear box passing close enough to the shaft bearing to splash oil on to it. The shaft rotates at speeds up to approximately 600 RPM; therefore the belt must be able to withstand a certain amount of abuse.

Repairs:

I discovered that the belt on my Model C was missing and the shaft bearing was dry and rusted from lack of oil. Since I had no belt to go by, it was necessary to measure between the two pulleys to determine belt size. The two pulleys are 1 & ½” diameter, as I recall, and the over all spring length measured 22 inches. This comes out to a looped belt diameter of 7 inches. However, you need to subtract a little for spring tension and that depends on the design of the spring you purchase. Using the spring I purchased I shortened the over all length by 1 & ½”. In figuring the over all length be sure to include the spring end connectors which are used to form the loop.

I purchased my spring on the Internet at McMaster-Carr, located at 200 Aurora Industrial Parkway, Aurora, Ohio 44202. Phone 1 (330) 995-5500. The springs and the connectors can be seen in their on line catalog. The 3/16” diameter Steel spring comes in a minimum length of 10’ and is part number 6178 K21 and cost $7.88. The steel spring connector comes in five per package and is part number 6178 K31. Stainless steel springs are available for about twice the cost but not necessary because the oil should prevent any rust from forming.

My Earthmaster Tractor is a toy and not subject to extended use so I can only hope that the belt will hold up when and if it’s put to the test. My Parts Manual shows a drawing of the belt but it doesn’t give any pertinent information. For instance what is the diameter of the belt and the diameter of the wire that goes in to making the belt? How many loops per inch etc?

If you have any questions or concerns please feel free to e-mail me at lanejdelton@aol.com. I am also open to learning anything new about this subject.