G5200 not cutting well

[Baby Grand]

I think it might be the belt ...

I've got to modify those covers so I can see & get the clippings out of the belt drive path everytime we use it. It's tempting to just take them off, but it needs to have some protection on it, as The Plant Manager is the primary user. Anybody have experience doing something similar? I'm was thinking of making something out of expanded metal & some 1x1/8' strap.
-Jim

 

[artfull dodger]

I just leave mine off, one would hope the plant manager has the common sense to keep his hands away from the belt drive anytime the engine is running. That is one of the first things I remove on my own mowers, grass laying up there just eats away at the top of the mower deck. You could make just some simple small covers over just the outboard 2 spindle pulleys that are on legs so you can take an air hose and blow the dry chaff and clippings off the top of the deck quickly after each mowing. Mike

 

[Baby Grand]

Mike - thanks for your thoughts, and you described what I had been thinking - just leave the covers off, altogether. I hadn't even thought about the corrosion problem, but that would explain why the deck is in such bad shape. It really needs to have large sections cut out & replaced. But that's another project, for another time - like this Winter.

The problem with leaving the covers off is that The Plant Manager got her foot caught between the rear tire & fender of her dad's AC tractor when she was very young, which took the flesh off, down to the bone. So she has a healthy dread of any exposed moving bits near her feet. I'm actually surprised she'll have anything to do with the tractors, but she loves that G series. Being very fair skinned, she also tends to wear long legged pants when working in the direct Sun, so I need some kind of guard that can keep loose clothing out of the belt paths.

The 2 covers have 6 retaining bolts, each, which makes for a slow removal & replacement routine. Maybe covers that pin on and are retained by a single bolt would make routine removal & cleaning less of a chore.
-jim

 

[artfull dodger]

Maybe weld the bolt in from below, then use wing nuts on the top so the covers are a bit easier to remove for cleaning. With the bolt tack welded, they wont fall thru while the cover is off. Mike

 

[Baby Grand]

Maybe weld the bolt in from below, then use wing nuts on the top so the covers are a bit easier to remove for cleaning. With the bolt tack welded, they wont fall thru while the cover is off. Mike

Mike, that would be a real simple alteration, and I think it would work well. I'll have to go out and see if getting the covers over the "studs" and off to the sides is possible. Thanks for the idea!
-Jim