Craftsman Lawn Tractor Mower Belt Problem
 

I have a two year old Sears Craftsman lawn tractor with the 42" mowing deck.
It works well with one annoying exception. Almost every time I want to mow,
the drive belt has slipped off of the power take off pulley and is hanging
slightly below it. I have to get off the tractor and reach underneath to fit
the belt back on the pulley. The belt is properly set in that little J-hook
guide thing hanging down on the right side of the PTO pulley. Sometimes it
takes two or three attempts because the belt falls off when I start the
tractor.

Once it engages, it's fine. No slippage, cuts the grass without problems. I
can stop the tractor, disengage the mower drive, and restart with no more
problems. I've replaced the belt with the size recommended in the user
manual but the same thing happens.

Any ideas of why this would be happening?

Paul

Craftsman Lawn Tractor Mower Belt Problem
 

"Pavel314" wrote in message
. ..
I have a two year old Sears Craftsman lawn tractor with the 42" mowing
deck. It works well with one annoying exception. Almost every time I want
to mow, the drive belt has slipped off of the power take off pulley and is
hanging slightly below it. I have to get off the tractor and reach
underneath to fit the belt back on the pulley. The belt is properly set in
that little J-hook guide thing hanging down on the right side of the PTO
pulley. Sometimes it takes two or three attempts because the belt falls off
when I start the tractor.

Once it engages, it's fine. No slippage, cuts the grass without problems.
I can stop the tractor, disengage the mower drive, and restart with no
more problems. I've replaced the belt with the size recommended in the
user manual but the same thing happens.

Any ideas of why this would be happening?

Paul


Is it possible that the belt tension rod is not in its locked position? If
it is locked, there may be some adjustments to the spring arm or idler arm
under the pulleys to pull them just slightly further apart to increase the
belt tension just slightly enough to stop it from slipping.

Craftsman Lawn Tractor Mower Belt Problem
 

Pavel314 wrote:
I have a two year old Sears Craftsman lawn tractor with the 42" mowing deck.
It works well with one annoying exception. Almost every time I want to mow,
the drive belt has slipped off of the power take off pulley and is hanging
slightly below it.

I had the same model for 5 years now and the belt never slipped off
unless it was caught in a twig. Something is bent or out of alignment,
IMO. If you have a way of lifting the mower it should be easy to see
what's wrong. Take precautions, that thing is too heavy to be careless

Craftsman Lawn Tractor Mower Belt Problem
 

replying to Pavel314, lambo wrote:
Pavel314 wrote:

I have a two year old Sears Craftsman lawn tractor with the 42" mowing
deck.
It works well with one annoying exception. Almost every time I want to
mow,
the drive belt has slipped off of the power take off pulley and is hanging
slightly below it. I have to get off the tractor and reach underneath to
fit
the belt back on the pulley. The belt is properly set in that little
J-hook
guide thing hanging down on the right side of the PTO pulley. Sometimes it
takes two or three attempts because the belt falls off when I start the
tractor.
Once it engages, it's fine. No slippage, cuts the grass without problems.
I
can stop the tractor, disengage the mower drive, and restart with no more
problems. I've replaced the belt with the size recommended in the user
manual but the same thing happens.
Any ideas of why this would be happening?
Paul


Looking under you will see a idler pulley with a spring attached to the
idler arm this spring can loose tenhsion, thus not keeping the correct
amount of tractor pulling ability on the drive pulley on the rear end.
This spring can be replaced or as I did add another very stiff spring.

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