Built to fail

[Tiger650]

Current mechanical adventure with the young bloke's Rover Mini Rider ride on mower.
Started with severe vibration when the PTO [blade rotor] was engaged, that wwas eventually revealed to be not the fault of the machine, the PTO drive belt was worn half through in one spot, I suapect the Daughter in Law had dropped the deck to min height into tall grass and engaged the PTO and sat their whilst the belt smoked.
Every time the buggered belt section hit the driving pulley it slipped and then abruptly engaged, the machine shook like a cat s**ting razorblades.
On to the problem.
I initially suspected rotor spindle bearings so removed the mower deck which revealed the damaged belt, also revealed was significant rusting of the underside of the deck, salvageable but going South fast, the mower is three yrs old and I reckon another year would have seen the deck needing to be replaced.
Paint under the deck was absolute crap. flaking off everywhere including off not rusted steel, and "fried up" with rust under large sections, no primer and a very thin coat.
I suspect that when the deck was formed / pressed out at manufacture the piece was painted without die lubricant [soluble oil ?] being cleaned off.
Cleaned off loose rust with an aggressive wire wheel in a 5" grinder and treated with Dimet converter / sealer then a coat of black zinc enamel, I reckon all will be good.
Bloody belt is about the size of a Morris Minor generator belt and cost $39.00, pretty sure a new deck would be spendy and if you had to pay to get it fitted ?
RRP on a new machine is now $3200.00.

[northdude]

Welcome to the throw away society.