I have a John Deere STX38 lawn tractor manufactured around 1991. It has a belt driven transmission/transaxle . One of the pulleys that this drive belt goes around is broken and I'm trying to replace the pulley and belt. My problem is that this pulley/idler is located right next to the top of the pto clutch unit. The pto unit is directly under the engine. The pto has a pulley on top and this one goes next to it and the drive belt goes around both. The bolt that holds this pulley on comes down thru the tractor frame underneath the engine. It won't move upwards so I can get the pulley on to it and there's not enough room to maneuver around the pto. I need to loosen the pto unit to move it down a few inches to get this pulley onto the bolt. I tried to loosen the bolt on the bottom of the pto but the whole shaft moves . It looks like the pto is attached to the drive shaft that goes up thru the engine. Can anyone tell me how to loosen this pto unit to get it off or so I can move it far enough to get the new pulley on. Is the bolt all that holds it on to the drive shaft? Is it fused onto the shaft ?Do I need special tools to get it off ?Does the engine have to be disassembled ? Any help will be appreciated. I need to know if I can complete this job or if it has to go to the mechanic at the dealership. (I hope not.) I'm attaching a diagram of the pto. The picture is broken down into sections but hope it suffices.
removing a pto clutch on John Deere STX38
- Thread starter DLJ
- Start date
tomnky
Platinum Member
I have a GT242 and the clutch on mine actually attaches to the crankshaft.
Seems like when I had to replace the clutch the one nut is the key to it all , I had to take one hand and hold the belt on the pulley in order to break the nut loose best I can remember.
That or use an impact to get it off.
Just be aware that the bearing inside the clutch(2 of them) turns the whole time the engine is running.
I replaced my drive belt when I had to put a new clutch on account of those sealed bearings .
The pulley you are speaking of is the drive belt I assume? It is a "bear" to get to for an adult! /forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif /forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif
The clutch comes out as a whole assembly..You don't take the triangular point nuts off, that is to adjust the air gap on the clutch.
Seems like when I had to replace the clutch the one nut is the key to it all , I had to take one hand and hold the belt on the pulley in order to break the nut loose best I can remember.
That or use an impact to get it off.
Just be aware that the bearing inside the clutch(2 of them) turns the whole time the engine is running.
I replaced my drive belt when I had to put a new clutch on account of those sealed bearings .
The pulley you are speaking of is the drive belt I assume? It is a "bear" to get to for an adult! /forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif /forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif
The clutch comes out as a whole assembly..You don't take the triangular point nuts off, that is to adjust the air gap on the clutch.