Goodday to all. New to the site so I hope someone can give some help. I have a Craftsman 944.601171 17.5 hp, 42 in deck. Anything I can find for the deck belt calls for belt pt# 144959 which is 95.5x 1/2. I have checked the routing 50 times if I did it once, this according to the diagram on the deck. VERY simple routing. There is no possible way that the belt will work as it falls off the engine pulley when it is engaged. I am hoping someone else has run across this problem and can give me some hope of ever getting the right belt. I have tried all kinds of length of belts . A 92x1/2 comes the closest. Thanks in advance.
Craftsman Belt problems
- Thread starter laird
- Start date
Download this manual, check page 19, and tell us if this is how you have the belt routed. https://onedrive.live.com/?cid=6A37...F28D!3426&parId=6A3784F3AE6FF28D!2978&o=OneUp
mechanic mark
Lawn Pro
- Joined
- Jul 15, 2013
- Threads
- 175
- Messages
- 7,482
Craftsman Tractor Parts Manual 944.601171
Craftsman Tractor Parts Manual 944.601171
www.rpmpieces.com
Last edited:
I checked that manual before I tried this site. Yes that is the way it is routed. If I had any hair left I would pull it out. This thing is really starting to pi## me off. I do appreciate any and all suggestions. Even the ones that say to burn it. And I might.
bertsmobile1
Lawn Royalty
- Joined
- Nov 29, 2014
- Threads
- 65
- Messages
- 24,995
And check the belt keepers are all in place.
Drop the deck down to the lowest position and lay on the ground on the LEFT NON DISCHARGE side of the mower
Have an assistant start the mower and engage the blades.
Watch to see where the belt jumps off.
I have a Go-Pro camera I use for this.
A cracked spindle housing can also cause the belt to jump off because when the load is applied it allows the whole housing to tilt and flip the belt off.
Drop the deck down to the lowest position and lay on the ground on the LEFT NON DISCHARGE side of the mower
Have an assistant start the mower and engage the blades.
Watch to see where the belt jumps off.
I have a Go-Pro camera I use for this.
A cracked spindle housing can also cause the belt to jump off because when the load is applied it allows the whole housing to tilt and flip the belt off.
Housings are good. I have had the deck off the machine and replaced the bearings. When I said the belt falls off the engine pulley, the machine isn't running. I can take the slack off the left pully a double loop of at least 3 inches to get it to a point where if I were to engage the drive mechanism the belt would tighten properly. A 90 inch standard 1/2 in V belt will tighten up but for some reason won't drive the blades. With no belt and the stops off you can spin the pulleys with one finger. I am beginning to wonder if there was a change made somewhere along the line and there is a belt to supercede(?) the original. There doesn't seem anything to indicate that so I am just thinking out loud, on paper that is. Thankyou for all suggestions so far. I will get this figured out sooner or later or have a dandy little fire in the backyard some night when there is lots of lightning.
Could have I guess. It says it is a 42 in and all the mounts are correct. Something I should have mentioned but just thought of , it came with a bagger. I have never had a machine with a bagger before so never thought that it might change the equation.