I've recently "inherited" this ride-on mower - it worked well until
yesterday but now the cutter drive belt tension is suddenly far too
slack, despite the tension handle being in the right place. The tension
adjusting nuts are on the end of a rod that's anchored on a metal
assembly (called a "DECK TENSION CRADLE WELDED ASSY") underneath the
front bumper - is this assembly supposed to pivot?

Not really, I suppose the belt has not worn out.
Some of the drive systems on those tyings are lets just say crude, ie a v
belt slipping and tensioned to start to drive the darned thing. Saw on in
Geurnsey once and thought, considering the cost what a crude way of doing
things, but the was a loooooong time ago now.
Brian

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wrote in message ...
I've recently "inherited" this ride-on mower - it worked well until
yesterday but now the cutter drive belt tension is suddenly far too slack,
despite the tension handle being in the right place. The tension adjusting
nuts are on the end of a rod that's anchored on a metal assembly (called a
"DECK TENSION CRADLE WELDED ASSY") underneath the front bumper - is this
assembly supposed to pivot?

It happens that formulated :
I've recently "inherited" this ride-on mower - it worked well until yesterday
but now the cutter drive belt tension is suddenly far too slack, despite the
tension handle being in the right place. The tension adjusting nuts are on
the end of a rod that's anchored on a metal assembly (called a "DECK TENSION
CRADLE WELDED ASSY") underneath the front bumper - is this assembly supposed
to pivot?

Suddenly, suggests...

The cutter belt has either come off one of the pulleys, or there is a
pivoting tensioning pulley which has lost its spring for the
tensioning.

On 07/07/2017 09:01, Harry Bloomfield wrote:
It happens that formulated :
I've recently "inherited" this ride-on mower - it worked well until
yesterday but now the cutter drive belt tension is suddenly far too
slack, despite the tension handle being in the right place. The
tension adjusting nuts are on the end of a rod that's anchored on a
metal assembly (called a "DECK TENSION CRADLE WELDED ASSY") underneath
the front bumper - is this assembly supposed to pivot?

Suddenly, suggests...

The cutter belt has either come off one of the pulleys, or there is a
pivoting tensioning pulley which has lost its spring for the tensioning.

If this is the model I'm thinking of it has three blades and a stupidly
complicated drive belt routing. The tensioner is at the front of the
deck under the engine area and needs a box spanner or V deep socket to
adjust.

Mike

On Fri, 07 Jul 2017 00:11:18 +0100, nomail wrote:

I've recently "inherited" this ride-on mower - it worked well until
yesterday but now the cutter drive belt tension is suddenly far too
slack, despite the tension handle being in the right place. The tension
adjusting nuts are on the end of a rod that's anchored on a metal
assembly (called a "DECK TENSION CRADLE WELDED ASSY") underneath the
front bumper - is this assembly supposed to pivot?

'Suddenly far too slack' implies that the belt has come off one of the
pulleys. Some of the pulleys on a Countax can be sods to reach as the
belt runs in a most odd layout.

I'd try following the belt around very carefully and double checking it
is in the vee of *all* the pulleys before looking further.

I find with my Honda ride-on that it is always the most inaccessible
pulley that has shed the belt...

On Fri, 07 Jul 2017 12:52:18 +0000, Huge wrote:

On 2017-07-07, Mark Allread wrote:
On Fri, 07 Jul 2017 00:11:18 +0100, nomail wrote:

I've recently "inherited" this ride-on mower - it worked well until
yesterday but now the cutter drive belt tension is suddenly far too
slack, despite the tension handle being in the right place. The
tension adjusting nuts are on the end of a rod that's anchored on a
metal assembly (called a "DECK TENSION CRADLE WELDED ASSY") underneath
the front bumper - is this assembly supposed to pivot?

'Suddenly far too slack' implies that the belt has come off one of the
pulleys.

Or that a tensioner has broken, or a spring snapped or broken off.

Definite possibilities - and the easiest way to check is to follow the
belt around.


Judging by the two ride-on mowers I own, they were not designed very
well. (I learned to weld just so I could repair the steering on one of
them.)

Yes, I've done some spot welding on one of mine in the past. An old,
Honda engined, Westwood (so under the Honda brandname). It got to the
point where I needed to spend some time and effort on it so put it in the
shed as a retirement project. Trouble is, now I am retire, I don't have
the time to spend on it.

Its 30+ years old now so could be close to being enterable in some
vintage show somewhere - once I've got it back to proper order.

posted
I've recently "inherited" this ride-on mower - it worked well until
yesterday but now the cutter drive belt tension is suddenly far too
slack, despite the tension handle being in the right place. The tension
adjusting nuts are on the end of a rod that's anchored on a metal
assembly (called a "DECK TENSION CRADLE WELDED ASSY") underneath the
front bumper - is this assembly supposed to pivot?

Yes, it pivots on two bolts one on either side. In fact if you release
the cutter deck tensioning handle you should be able to see the cradle
move slightly back and forward. Setting the tensioning handle (by
pushing it towards the back of the tractor) should tension the cutter
drive belt by pulling the cutting deck toward the back of the machine
too.

Are you sure the tensioning handle hasn't slipped to the disengaged
position?

--
Jack

On 07/07/2017 00:11, wrote:
I've recently "inherited" this ride-on mower - it worked well until
yesterday but now the cutter drive belt tension is suddenly far too
slack, despite the tension handle being in the right place. The tension
adjusting nuts are on the end of a rod that's anchored on a metal
assembly (called a "DECK TENSION CRADLE WELDED ASSY") underneath the
front bumper - is this assembly supposed to pivot?

I said "suddenly" because it worked OK and then didn't, but it must have
been slack before because nothing has broken, moved or dropped off. The
belt slack is supposed to be 12mm and was 75+mm! On investigation, the
adjuster was seized (I presume that's why it hadn't been corrected when
the previous owner had it "serviced") so I had to dismantle the front
end to be able to get a couple of spanners to it. All now fixed and the
lawn is done - just need a bit of rain now.

pretended :
I said "suddenly" because it worked OK and then didn't, but it must have been
slack before because nothing has broken, moved or dropped off. The belt slack
is supposed to be 12mm and was 75+mm! On investigation, the adjuster was
seized (I presume that's why it hadn't been corrected when the previous owner
had it "serviced") so I had to dismantle the front end to be able to get a
couple of spanners to it. All now fixed and the lawn is done - just need a
bit of rain now.

It is often easier to drop the cutting deck off the machine and slide
it out to make it easier to work on.

On 07/07/2017 16:59, Handsome Jack wrote:
posted
I've recently "inherited" this ride-on mower - it worked well until
yesterday but now the cutter drive belt tension is suddenly far too
slack, despite the tension handle being in the right place. The
tension adjusting nuts are on the end of a rod that's anchored on a
metal assembly (called a "DECK TENSION CRADLE WELDED ASSY") underneath
the front bumper - is this assembly supposed to pivot?

Yes, it pivots on two bolts one on either side. In fact if you release
the cutter deck tensioning handle you should be able to see the cradle
move slightly back and forward. Setting the tensioning handle (by
pushing it towards the back of the tractor) should tension the cutter
drive belt by pulling the cutting deck toward the back of the machine too.

Are you sure the tensioning handle hasn't slipped to the disengaged
position?


Thanks. I spent some time on it yesterday and found nothing mechanically
wrong, but the slack was more than 75mm and the adjuster lock nut was
seized. I suspect that whoever worked on it before gave up and that it
had been flapping around and only just working. I removed enough bits to
be able to persuade the adjuster to move and all is now well.

Another question. With the cutting height set to 5 the deck wheels are
on the ground so I don't see how it's possible to cut any shorter - is
there any adjustment on the cutter height setting?

On 07/07/2017 18:41, Harry Bloomfield wrote:
pretended :
I said "suddenly" because it worked OK and then didn't, but it must
have been slack before because nothing has broken, moved or dropped
off. The belt slack is supposed to be 12mm and was 75+mm! On
investigation, the adjuster was seized (I presume that's why it hadn't
been corrected when the previous owner had it "serviced") so I had to
dismantle the front end to be able to get a couple of spanners to it.
All now fixed and the lawn is done - just need a bit of rain now.

It is often easier to drop the cutting deck off the machine and slide it
out to make it easier to work on.

Thanks. In this case the adjuster is at the front so taking the deck off
wouldn't have helped. It looks like a pain to take it off but I'll
investigate further when the autumn arrives.

On 07/07/2017 13:52, Huge wrote:
On 2017-07-07, Mark Allread wrote:
On Fri, 07 Jul 2017 00:11:18 +0100, nomail wrote:

I've recently "inherited" this ride-on mower - it worked well until
yesterday but now the cutter drive belt tension is suddenly far too
slack, despite the tension handle being in the right place. The tension
adjusting nuts are on the end of a rod that's anchored on a metal
assembly (called a "DECK TENSION CRADLE WELDED ASSY") underneath the
front bumper - is this assembly supposed to pivot?

'Suddenly far too slack' implies that the belt has come off one of the
pulleys.

Or that a tensioner has broken, or a spring snapped or broken off. Judging
by the two ride-on mowers I own, they were not designed very well. (I
learned to weld just so I could repair the steering on one of them.)


It's a simple system, with only 2 pulleys. Now sorted - see below.

On 08/07/17 10:51, wrote:
On 07/07/2017 16:59, Handsome Jack wrote:
With the cutting height set to 5 the deck wheels are
on the ground so I don't see how it's possible to cut any shorter -
is there any adjustment on the cutter height setting?

Almost certainly. Probably a nut on a threaded rod or two.



--
The New Left are the people they warned you about.

wrote :
Another question. With the cutting height set to 5 the deck wheels are on the
ground so I don't see how it's possible to cut any shorter - is there any
adjustment on the cutter height setting?

Service manuals are usually online and free to download from the
manufacturers site.

If the deck is not raising itself up at all via the adjustment lever,
it seems the linkage might be adrift. You will need the longer cut
lengths, for the first cut of the season in spring, until you have the
grass under control.

Harry Bloomfield was thinking very hard :
wrote :
Another question. With the cutting height set to 5 the deck wheels are on
the ground so I don't see how it's possible to cut any shorter - is there
any adjustment on the cutter height setting?

Service manuals are usually online and free to download from the
manufacturers site.

If the deck is not raising itself up at all via the adjustment lever, it
seems the linkage might be adrift. You will need the longer cut lengths, for
the first cut of the season in spring, until you have the grass under
control.

http://www.countax.biz/imagestore/ma...%20-%2002).pdf

...might be the one?

posted

Another question. With the cutting height set to 5 the deck wheels are
on the ground so I don't see how it's possible to cut any shorter - is
there any adjustment on the cutter height setting?

You can lower the deck a little more by adjusting the wheels themselves.
Each axle goes through a slot in a metal lug welded to the cutting deck.
Loosen the axle nuts, raise each axle in its slot, and tighten again.
The cutting deck will be closer to the ground.


There are other adjusters, sort of trunnions and things at each corner
of the cutting deck support arms, but they are only there to make the
deck level.

--
Jack

On 08/07/2017 16:58, Handsome Jack wrote:
posted

Another question. With the cutting height set to 5 the deck wheels are
on the ground so I don't see how it's possible to cut any shorter - is
there any adjustment on the cutter height setting?

You can lower the deck a little more by adjusting the wheels themselves.
Each axle goes through a slot in a metal lug welded to the cutting deck.
Loosen the axle nuts, raise each axle in its slot, and tighten again.
The cutting deck will be closer to the ground.


There are other adjusters, sort of trunnions and things at each corner
of the cutting deck support arms, but they are only there to make the
deck level.

Thanks! I hadn't spotted the three holes for the anti-scalp wheels (this
one's got holes rather than slots). Currently the wheel axles are in the
lowest hole so that explains why the wheels are in contact with the
ground when height 5 is selected. The grass is quite short enough in 5
but it can't be good to have the wheels running all the time so I'll
raise the wheels by a hole and see what effect that has. I might also
add a physical stop on the height selector so I don't inadvertantly
select shorter than 5.