John Deere 2653 Belt

I've only changed 2 belts on a John Deere 2653 before but that was enough for me to realize I didn't want to do any more of them.  Anyone that has changed one before knows how big of a mess and time consuming it is.  I've done the trick of putting on two belts and zip tie one to the fan shroud so when one breaks the second is there and ready to go.  My complaint is any repair in the category of "Maintenance on a wearable item" should be as simple and quick as possible.  However this one isn't.
With my woodworking hobby I have come across several link belts and always wondered if it would work in this situation.  I put one on a 2653 in summer of 2012 and it is still going strong.  The belt cost is 33.99 and goes on in 20 minutes instead of 4 hours.  The nature of link belts are they run quieter and cooler so there is less stretching.  If you have a belt that is troublesome to get to, try this belt.  It may be the missing link to an easy repair.

I updated this post and included a pic of the link belt part number and some description.  The OEM belt has an effective length of 34 inches and 1/2 wide.  You'll need the 1/2" wide link belt in the 4' section.  Pay attention to the arrows printed on the link belt.  It will tell you the direction the belt needs to travel for proper operation.  When you're done with the install you'll just have a short section of belt left over.