20
Lower Drive Belt
NOTE: Prop er removal of the lower drive belt requires the removal of several tractor components. Read
through the following procedure prior to attempting it to deter mine if you feel you could successfully complete
it. If you don’t, see an authorized MTD service dealer to have th e belt changed.
IMPORTANT: Note the routing of the lower drive belt around both the pulleys and the be lt keepers
BEFORE performing the following steps.
•Locate the variable-speed pulley by looking through the batt ery tray opening. See Figure 16.
•Remove the variable-speed pulley by loosening the hex bolt that secures it to the transmission. Use a
second wrench to hold the hex nut on the bottom side of the pu lley.
•Slide the belt off of the variable-speed pulley as you lift the pulley up and out through the battery tray
opening.
Figure 16
•Remove the hex bolt from the center of the
engine pulley. See Figure 17.
•Lower the engine pulley far enough to be able
to remove the upper drive belt from around it.
IMPORTANT: When remounting the engine
pulley, torque the center hex bolt to between 38 foot-
pounds and 50 foot-pounds.
•Remove the drive belt by feeding it from both
ends toward the front idler pulley on the
double-idler bracket. See Figure 16.
•Reassemble by following the above steps in
reverse order.
•Reroute the new belt around the pulleys and
belt keepers EXACTLY as the old one was
routed. Refer to Figure 16.
The drive pedal is properly adjusted when the hole
found in the double-idler bracket has approximate ly
1-3/8" of travel with ten pounds of pressure applied
to the drive pedal. See Figure 17.
Drive belt (Lower)
Drive belt (Upper)
Front of Tractor
Rear Idler Pulley
Front Idler Pulley
Variable-speed
Pulley
Battery Tray
Belt Keeper
Transmission Idler Pulley
Transmission Pulley
Single-speed
Transmission
Shift Lever
Opening
Double-Idler Bracket
Idler Bracket
to drive pedal
Belt Keeper
NOTE: View shown from above tractor.
Engine Pulley