Riding lawnmower belt help

I have a Craftsman 48 inch cut riding lawn mover. Last year, the belt
that drives the tranmission had a tendancy to sometimes slip off when I
would puch the clutch in to change years or stop.

Last week that belt broke. I bought a new one and had a terrible
terrible time putting it on last night. I finally thought I had it on.
I started it and put it in reverse and nothing happeened. I noticed the
belt had come off. So, either I did not have the blet on right or there
is some other problem. It seems like a simple system, it goes around
the engine pulley, around an idler and around one that is attached to
the clutch then aound the transmssion pulley. There does not seep to be
a tensioner per se, just the clutch pulley.

What can I do to adjust or fix this?

Also is there an easier way to put this belt on? I had a terrible time
reaching under there with my hands. There is not alot of room and those
wire rods that I guess help keep the belt on the pulley were hard to
get around.

- disconnect spark plug wire
- remove mower
- unhook idler spring
- unbolt and remove idler pulley
- loosen or remove belt guides as necessary
- slip belt off transmission pulley first, then off engine pulley

- there is no belt adjustment provided on Sears-Craftsman riding mower
traction drive belt. replace slipping belt.

- use straight edge to check that pulleys are algined. (lay straight edge
across two pulleys to see if they are parallel.)

- belt guides and stops must be free of belt when clutch engaged and hold belt
free of drive pulley when clutch disengaged. all Sears-Craftsman riding
mowers use pedal-operated tension pulley belt idler to apply and release
tesion on drive belt.

I've never owned or serviced a riding lawn mower, or even operated one,
but I do own a copy of "Riding Lawn Mower Serivce Manual: 4th Edition
(1993)" I bought when the public library removed it from their collection.
Above info comes from that manual. I'd suggest trying the public library
for a copy of a repair manual as it will contain helpful diagrams. When I
borrow repair manuals from the library I photocopy the relevant pages and
use them instead of leafing through the library's manual with greasy
fingers getting it dirty.

Good luck.

) writes:
> I have a Craftsman 48 inch cut riding lawn mover. Last year, the belt
> that drives the tranmission had a tendancy to sometimes slip off when I
> would puch the clutch in to change years or stop.
>
> Last week that belt broke. I bought a new one and had a terrible
> terrible time putting it on last night. I finally thought I had it on.
> I started it and put it in reverse and nothing happeened. I noticed the
> belt had come off. So, either I did not have the blet on right or there
> is some other problem. It seems like a simple system, it goes around
> the engine pulley, around an idler and around one that is attached to
> the clutch then aound the transmssion pulley. There does not seep to be
> a tensioner per se, just the clutch pulley.
>
> What can I do to adjust or fix this?
>
> Also is there an easier way to put this belt on? I had a terrible time
> reaching under there with my hands. There is not alot of room and those
> wire rods that I guess help keep the belt on the pulley were hard to
> get around.
>


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I dont think I have an idler spring.

> wrote in message
oups.com...
>I dont think I have an idler spring.
>

I think you may have missed the point.
You need a manual, or at least a look at the proper manual.

I have had good luck with finding exploded drawings of lawn care equipment
on the sears website. Maybe that would help you.



--
Alan Gallacher
Born to Tinker!

The model number is 917272233

> wrote in message
ups.com...
> The model number is 917272233
>

http://www.sears.com

Good Luck

--
Alan Gallacher
Born to Tinker!

That really sounds like you had a bushing or bearing wearing out on one
of the pulley shafts that finally has gotten so bad the belt won't stay
on.

Like your first reply, I highly recommend a straight edge on top of the
pulleys to see which one has gone off....

Mike
86/00 CJ7 Laredo, 33x9.5 BFG Muds, 'glass nose to tail in '00
88 Cherokee 235 BFG AT's

wrote:
>
> I have a Craftsman 48 inch cut riding lawn mover. Last year, the belt
> that drives the tranmission had a tendancy to sometimes slip off when I
> would puch the clutch in to change years or stop.
>
> Last week that belt broke. I bought a new one and had a terrible
> terrible time putting it on last night. I finally thought I had it on.
> I started it and put it in reverse and nothing happeened. I noticed the
> belt had come off. So, either I did not have the blet on right or there
> is some other problem. It seems like a simple system, it goes around
> the engine pulley, around an idler and around one that is attached to
> the clutch then aound the transmssion pulley. There does not seep to be
> a tensioner per se, just the clutch pulley.
>
> What can I do to adjust or fix this?
>
> Also is there an easier way to put this belt on? I had a terrible time
> reaching under there with my hands. There is not alot of room and those
> wire rods that I guess help keep the belt on the pulley were hard to
> get around.

http://www3.sears.com/
put in 917.272233

Looking at the parts diagram you have one fixed idler and the moving
clutch idler. 5 belt guides.
Non adjustable clutch so if the new belt is falling off either you have
a bad bearing in an idler or the belt is the wrong one.

--
Steve Williams

> wrote in message
ups.com...
> The model number is 917272233
>
>



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Can you explain to me where these belt guides are? I am having trouble
with the diagram.

Also,I got the belt on but had another question. I had to loosen one of
those wire "keepers" that ended right in front of the electric clutch.
Is the electric clutch supposed to spin or stay stationary? Does this
keeper keep it from spinning?

My Scotts has done this for years.just in habit of not pushing in the clutch
(Hydrostat drive) except while starting, and never when already running,
always stays on this way.
> wrote in message
oups.com...
> I have a Craftsman 48 inch cut riding lawn mover. Last year, the belt
> that drives the tranmission had a tendancy to sometimes slip off when I
> would puch the clutch in to change years or stop.
>
> Last week that belt broke. I bought a new one and had a terrible
> terrible time putting it on last night. I finally thought I had it on.
> I started it and put it in reverse and nothing happeened. I noticed the
> belt had come off. So, either I did not have the blet on right or there
> is some other problem. It seems like a simple system, it goes around
> the engine pulley, around an idler and around one that is attached to
> the clutch then aound the transmssion pulley. There does not seep to be
> a tensioner per se, just the clutch pulley.
>
> What can I do to adjust or fix this?
>
> Also is there an easier way to put this belt on? I had a terrible time
> reaching under there with my hands. There is not alot of room and those
> wire rods that I guess help keep the belt on the pulley were hard to
> get around.
>