Fixing drive belt on low end riding mower.

[RandyT]

Actually changing the belts on that setup isn't normally too bad. I have a customer with a wheel horse you can change the drive belt on. Have to remove the engine pulley. right fender, drive out the roll pins in the direction pedal and brake pedal shafts so they will slide out of the frame, then remove the steering box.

On a side note OEM belts or at least equivalent are required to make it operate properly. In combination with the bad idler pulleys could be a little costly.

 

[4570Man]

Actually changing the belts on that setup isn't normally too bad. I have a customer with a wheel horse you can change the drive belt on. Have to remove the engine pulley. right fender, drive out the roll pins in the direction pedal and brake pedal shafts so they will slide out of the frame, then remove the steering box.

On a side note OEM belts or at least equivalent are required to make it operate properly. In combination with the bad idler pulleys could be a little costly.

Digging it might be right about the pulley coming off. That would beat pulling the motor. But it’s still a whole mess of crap to snake the belt around with zero room plus changing the 3 idlers and getting parts. It’ll be a couple hours work minimum.

 

[4570Man]

I talked to the owner and he’s going to get back with me for sure but he’s probably going to take my recommendation to junk it. He says he bought it in 95 so I guess it’s lasted a long time even if it did only last 350 hours.

 

[Diggin It]

That's only 14 hours a year. Small lawn?

 

[RandyT]

Digging it might be right about the pulley coming off. That would beat pulling the motor. But it’s still a whole mess of crap to snake the belt around with zero room plus changing the 3 idlers and getting parts. It’ll be a couple hours work minimum.

Flat rate for the drive belts is an hour, and the idler pulley bracket assy is an hour which would include overlap time since time for certain operations are included in both times, like removing the deck or removing the engine pulley.

 

[RandyT]

That's only 14 hours a year. Small lawn?

average is 38 so low hours, but most riders are also replaced every 4.5 years. Which also helps explain the junk box store mowers since they are built to last the average life expectancy of 5 years for riders, and 4 for push mowers.

 

[radios1]

once the bolt holding the pulley onto the motor is removed, there should be larger threads for a larger bolt, which is used to remove the pulley..

 

[4570Man]

That's only 14 hours a year. Small lawn?

He’s got a decent size yard now but he just moved a year or 2 ago. I don’t have any idea how much he was mowing before. Apparently not a lot.

 

[fruitcakesa]

My old Kubota T1400 required the crankshaft pulley to be unbolted from the engine to get the drive belt on.

 

[shooterdon]

Good lesson here. Mower lasted 25 years. 350 hours. May have cost $1000?

I would be happy with that level of (or lack of) durability. Buying a $5000+ mower does not make sense for most people. Especially once you are old enough to afford one!!! I will be 70 this year. A mower that will last 20 years of light use (2 acres of level lawn and 20 cuts a year) will be all I need once my cheap Husqvarna dies. I will probably get a $3000 ZT. Should get about 20 hrs of use a year and last 20 years...if I live that long.