BTDT said:
Yes, I adjust drive plate up and down after installing new drive wheel, and as needed after that to keep things moving. I may have learned something here about moving backbone tube and deck for belt tension, I'll have to check that. This mower gets a lot of use. I mow about 4 hrs when I get started, going through a couple tanks of gas. I keep paths mowed that my wife and I walk for exercise. Also, as I stated in previous post, it was a simple addition of another idler pulley that has cured belt problem now. Probably was something that I didn't have to do, but now I know it will work until belt comes apart.
Hehe, no wonder your belts arent lasting. Thats the procedure to tension the belt.
You put the belt on, and engage the blade, engine off. The Sliding pulley should be roughly 1" from the belt when engaged.
If the pulley and belt slide all the way over and almost touch the other side of the belt, you need to first look under the seat, at the back of the backbone, and loosen the clamp up. Then disengage the belt, and slide the whole front of the mower, deck and all, Forward, in smal incrments, engaging the belt every time to check for proper tension.
I know a man who cuts 1 acre every week with his old Hi-Vac, and the belt must be 5 years old on it. Kept properly tensioned, they last a VERY long time.
Too loose and it slips, flops around, and frays.
Too Tight, and it rubs on the crank pulley, stretches, and vibrates