34
Troubleshooting, Adjustment & Service
BELT REMOVAL & REPLACEMENT
Mower Drive Belt
Removal & Replacement - 72” Mower Decks
1. Park the tractor on a smooth, level surface such as a
concrete floor. Disengage the PTO, engage the
parking brake, turn off the engine, and remove the
ignition key.
2. See Figure 45. Remove the hairpin clip and clevis
pin and remove the deck lift foot pedal. Lift the floor
plate to gain access to the PTO drive belt.
3. Remove the mower deck guards.
4. Using a 3/4” combination wrench, rotate the spring-
loaded idler pulley (A, Figure 46) clockwise to
release the belt tension.
5. Slide the drive belt over the edge of the stationary
idler pulley (C) and carefully release the tension on
the wrench until the spring tension is completely
released.
6. Remove the old belt and replace with a new one.
7. Install the drive belt on the gearbox pulley, the spin-
dle pulleys and idler pulleys.
8. Rotate the spring-loaded idler pulley (A, Figure 46)
clockwise and slide the drive belt over the edge of
the stationary idler pulley (C). Make sure the V-side
of the belt runs in the pulley grooves (Figure 47).
Carefully release the tension on the wrench.
9. Lower the floor pan and reinstall the deck lift foot
pedal, clevis pin and hairpin clip. Make sure the
deck lift lock bar is located as shown in Figure 45.
10.Reinstall the mower deck guards and secure with the
5/16” hardware previously removed.
11.Run the mower under no-load condition for approxi-
mately 5 minutes to break in the belt.
Figure 47. Mower PTO Belt Routing
A. Spindle Pulley C. Spring-loaded Idler Pulley
B. PTO Drive Belt D. Stationary Idler Pulley
B
C
D
A
A
A
D
D
Figure 46. Mower PTO Belt
A. Spring-loaded Idler Pulley
B. Idler Spring
C. Stationary Idler Pulley
B
A
To avoid damaging belts, DO NOT
PRY BELTS OVER PULLEYS.
Figure 45. Remove Lift Pedal
A. Clevis Pin
B. Deck Lift Lock Bar
A
B
C
WARNING
Use extreme caution when rotating the idler
pulley with the wrench, due to the increased
tension in the spring as the idler pulley is being
rotated. Injury may result if the wrench is
prematurely released while the spring is under
tension.