S590 AC Compressor Drive Belt/Clutch Issue

[ghs57]

I bought my S590 back in January 2025. It has AC, but I noticed durning refueling that the compressor drive belt was broken and twisted around the compressor pulley. After removing the broken belt, I noticed that the two wires that go to the inside of the clutch were severed by the broken belt when it wrapped around the pulley. Has anyone ever had the clutch apart, and can the clutch be rewired? I'd like to save this one, as Bobcat wants $900 for a new compressor, however aftermarket units run about $400 or so.

Also, I am not sure what caused the belt to break. There was under 1000 hours on the machine, and the belt is not particularly worn except where it broke. It almost looks like the compressor froze up and the belt burned through. The compressor does spin though, and there is some resistance on it, but that seems normal.

This is the first machine I've had with AC, and I'm wondering if these belts fail this often. Or could there be a problem with the compressor. It's a real PITA that the wires were cut by the broken belt too. The prior owner may not have known about the broken belt since it was not easy to see, and he had several different employees using the machine to load landscaping materials on customer's vehicles. If it happened during their use, they may not have reported it to him.

 

[brdgbldr]

I'm no expert on AC compressors but I believe that the pulley will spin freely until the clutch is engaged. In other words, your compressor may be froze.

My AC was working very well but then I noticed that the oil was leaking out of the compressor so I took the belt off before it froze up and started a fire.

You could probably find a cheap compressor on EBay. I had actually found one for my A300 that was brand new from the OEM manufacturer for $250. But then I decided that I really didn't need the AC and it Is a pain in the A$$ to change out.

 

[ghs57]

Yes I hear what you are saying: Why would the belt break under normal use...but if there was something wrong with the compressor, than that's another story. BTW, the pulley does spin freely, but so does the compressor when I spin the pump itself, although there is some resistance.

I've never had AC on a machine before. I ran my old Thomas T133 with an open cab for years, and my S175 only has heat, which I prefer more than AC. Unless I can fix this one on the machine by reconnecting the severed wires, then try it out, I probably won't bother to replace it and have to recharge the system.