Mowing Deck belt

[Toyboy]

After following Czbilly's saga about loose pulleys, how many of you release the tension on your mower deck belt over the winter as recommended???

 

[srs]

After following Czbilly's saga about loose pulleys, how many of you release the tension on your mower deck belt over the winter as recommended???

Toyboy, I had my old Kubota B1550 with a belly mower for about 21 years, give or take a year or two, can't remember exactly. Anyway I always released the belt from tension when I put the mower away for the winter. I would thoroughly clean the underneath of the mower deck, scraping away all the grass and then sprayed a liberal amount of WD40 to the metal area. I had the ORIGINAL belt on the mower when I sold it two years ago. It was pretty nicked up from running through piles of leaves and the occasional twig or two but it never failed me.

 

[asylum575]

At over $100 for a replacement belt, I will be taking the tension off of mine this winter.

BTW,
The mower stands are nice, but since I have an extra handtruck. I've found that with two patio blocks under it, the deck stands nicely on the hand truck. A bungee to hold the shaft down and a bungee to keep the deck on the handtruck. I was able to take the pulleys and shafts off of mine easily like this.

 

[B2400]

I follow srs's routine, along with throwing a coat of paint around the edges where it rubs away. I also check for any cracks that need welded up, a good greasing and a change of blades to ready it for spring.
I use brake spring pliers ( drum brake tool) to realease the spring and to reinstall.

 

[Toyboy]

Since this BX is new to me, is there a quick & easy way to relieve the belt tension??

 

[asylum575]

With the deck off, you can push the tensioner pulley with the heel of your foot while you undo the belt from the outside pulley. It's not that easy, two man job.

What I've been doing lately is using a prybar's curved end, the one to take nails out to grab and pull(really hard) on the tensioner spring until the spring is off the hook. I put it back together the same way.

Two people make any job easier.

 

[oldballs]

Well, half way thru the winter, I read the Manual about relieving the belt tension. So I uncovered the thing and was able to do it with some heavy leather gloves by just pulling the belt over the edge of the outer pulley at the same time turning the blade from underneath. Then came the hard part. To mount the belt took me about 2 hours. I'm 77 years old and 145 lbs and ain't nearly the man that I thought I used to be. Being alone (wife is dead and kids all gone) leaves one to use his head for a change. I wish I had a camera like you other fellas do. Anyway, I took a pipe furniture clamp and found two places where I could mount up without harming anything. And simply stretched that spring out without even a grunt.

 

[Stradbash]

I've only had mine for a year but did release the tension over last winter. I could not say exactly where I pry without looking..., but I use a 3 or 4 foot length of 2"x2" as a lever to move the tension idler and slide the best off one of the pulleys. It's not really easy, but I have long arms and can do it alone.

 

[Stradbash]

I took a pipe furniture clamp and found two places where I could mount up without harming anything. And simply stretched that spring out without even a grunt.

Great solution!

 

[TripleR]

Never have and don't intend to start now; didn't even take my deck off this year.