Outdoor Power Equipment (Lawn Mowers, Snow Blowers, Chain Saws and more) Discussions

I just moved into a house with a big enough yard to need a rider, so I am inheriting an Ariens garden tractor mower from my dad. He quit using it because he couldn't get it to stop eating belts. He replaced every pulley and bearing on the deck and is definitely routing the belt correctly, but each belt only lasts about 1.5 hours of operation before blowing. He has always suspected the clutch because it gets too hot to touch, but the dealer says the clutches never fail like that, they just stop working totally. It has been at the dealer for almost a month now since its busy spring season and I am about ready to just pick it up and try to fix it myself. What do you guys think, clutch? I don't know the model right now because I can't get to it. I believe it is from somewhere around 2006. My dad said when he bought it the dealer told him it was the last year Ariens actually built the tractors before they switched to rebadging Huskys. I think it is a 54" deck.