Changing the Deck Belt

•Gently slide the cutting deck toward the front of the tractor allowing the hooks on the deck to release themselves from the deck stabilizer rod.

•Gently slide the cutting deck (from the right side) out from underneath the tractor.

WARNING: Be sure to shut the engine off, and remove ignition key to prevent unintended starting before removing the belt.

WARNING: Avoid the possibility of a pinching injury. Do not place your fingers on the idler spring or between the belt and a pulley while removing the belt.

All belts on your tractor are subject to wear and should be replaced if any signs of wear are present.

IMPORTANT:The V-belts found on your tractor are specially designed to engage and disengage safely. A substitute (non-OEM) V-belt can be dangerous by not disengaging completely. For a proper working machine, use factory approved belts.

To change or replace the deck belt on your tractor, proceed as follows:

•Lower the deck by moving the deck lift lever into the bottom notch on the right fender.

•Remove the belt guards by removing the self- tapping screws that fasten them to the deck.

•To ease in removing the belt in later steps, loosen, but do not remove, the bolt which secures the pivoting idler pulley to the idler bracket.

See Figure 20.

•Insert a 3/8”-drive ratchet wrench (set to tighten) into the square hole found in the idler bracket on the left side of the deck’s surface. See Figure 20.

Belt Guard

Pivoting Idler Pulley

Idler Bracket

3/8” Square Hole

Spring

Figure 20

•Grasp the ratchet’s handle and pivot it to relieve tension on the belt.

•With belt tension relieved, carefully remove the belt from around the left-hand spindle pulley.

IMPORTANT: Carefully allow the ratchet to pivot rearward before removing it from the square hole.

•Remove the deck belt from around all pulleys, including the deck idler pulley and the electric PTO clutch.

NOTE: The idler pulleys may have to be loosened in order to remove the belt from around them.

•Route the new belt as shown below.

•Remount the belt guards removed earlier.

Electric PTO Clutch

Idler Pulleys