Craftsman GT6000 drive belt replacement

[sheetmetalbabe]

Good morning.
My Craftsman GT6000 (917.288612) doesn't want to move forward with the pedal to the metal. I decided it was the drive belt. It should be here tomorrow, but no garage and it's supposed to rain for days. Ugh
I watched some YouTube videos, and it seems straight forward. You know it never works that way though. Any advance advice? I don't have a cool mower jack or ramps. It's just me the mower and the patio.
Have a great day!

 

[Auto Doc's]

Sounds like a job for a couple of cinder blocks under the front wheels with the deck removed. Take pictures as you go.

The belt can be bad, but I recommend you replace any pullies that have bearings.

Check out: https//www.partstree.com/search/?type=model&term=Craftsman+GT6000+Garden+Tractors&msockid=116a01d897b266133e1614789676672f

 

[sheetmetalbabe]

Sounds like a job for a couple of cinder blocks under the front wheels with the deck removed. Take pictures as you go.

The belt can be bad, but I recommend you replace any pullies that have bearings.

Check out: https//www.partstree.com/search/?type=model&term=Craftsman+GT6000+Garden+Tractors&msockid=116a01d897b266133e1614789676672f

Thanks! I'll check it out.

 

[Auto Doc's]

The idler and tensioner pullies usually fail along with the belt.

 

[Cusser]

The Harbor Freight lawn tractor jack is worth its weight in gold !

 

[sheetmetalbabe]

The Harbor Freight lawn tractor jack is worth its weight in gold !

I will have to check that out. I don't have a garage though, nowhere to put it. But after being stuck under the mower ALL DAY, lol, it would probably be worth it.

 

[sheetmetalbabe]

Welp, I got it done!! It took all day. It got a deck belt too though. It would rain and I had to drag everything in, then it would stop. I ended up just staying out in the rain. It was dry under the mower. I had it covered. My neighbors think I'm, weird, lol. Of course, in the videos I watched they didn't have to remove the steering column. Or the thing that keep the PTO clutch (?) from spinning and unplug it. Or the battery. BUT, it goes really fast now. haha Thanks for taking the time for your input. I checked all the pullies, and they were perfect. If I would have known sooner I would have gotten some when I ordered the belt. I have cinder blocks but I don't know how you get them up there, lol. A jack? I don't have one. Maybe in my truck, idk I didn't read about the mower jack until after I was done. I might have gone and got one. I am going to go to their website and check it out though. Thanks again.

 

[Auto Doc's]

Hello sheetmetalbab,

Glad to hear you got it done.

A mower jack when working on a rider or zero turn is a life changer for the better. Try to keep it covered when you are not using it. I have to weld the upper handle back on mine because of rust and leaving it in the weather year-round. (I should know better)

The cinder block idea is if you had a person to help lift and place the blocks under the front tires.

Drive belts can be some of the hardest things to change on a rider. Taking it to a shop would be expensive.

 

[sheetmetalbabe]

Hey Doc,
Yea I keep it covered all the time and on the patio. I ended up using a blow-up kid pool. They work GREAT! They last for years. It completely covers it except about 6" from the ground in back. I had A John Deere and that cover ($80) couldn't beat the kiddie pool. There's a website, an online auction. I don't know if there is one in your area, but I got the pools for A PENNY!! It's called "BidFTA online auctions". If not wait until fall when they are on clearance. Definitely worth it. Some of the stuff on that site is brand new high dollar at unbelievable prices and some is junk.

Yea, I hope I never have to do that again. There's no room to get both arms in there. You can't see in there! LOL The video guy just shoved the new belt in there. Well... I got it under the rod that goes to the gas pedal (I think) and I already had it around the back pully under the fan. THEN on attempt two, I couldn't get it all the way on the front pully where you have to pull the guard down. I tried and tried and after three rains, I got it!!!!! And realized the back had come off and was below the pully. So, third times a charm. And my neighbor was out mowing in the rain. I think he was rubbing it in. They all have two 2 car garages AND sheds AND pools. But I have more land than all of them and a bigger mower. haha life's a trip.

Yea, I got the belt for 20 bucks on Amazon. John Deere USED to want $45 just to come get the mower. And right now, EVERYONES mowers are in the shop and it could take weeks and cost idk, 100's?? And I just had to buy a new water heater. And lay a new hardwood floor. I'm now the proud owner of a 3 in 1 floor nailer. I could put it next to my new mower jack!

Now if I could just get the chain saw carb adjusted so it runs things would be great. Those neighbors watched me cut up 7 80' dead ash trees all by myself (I paid to have them dropped) one summer and never offered to help. That's fine but when the job was done and there was a mountain of wood, they wanted free firewood. I said no.

Thanks again

 

[Auto Doc's]

Thanks for the link, I'll check it out.

Way too many people these days don't understand (or ignore) the age-old rule of "love thy neighbor as thy love thyself' or anything about reciprocating courtesy. They all seem to want something for nothing and not work for anything.

I grew up out in the mountains of Virginia back in the 70's and often times bartering and helping neighbors was a way that everyone was able to get by in life. Much of the time a simple "thank you" and genuine appreciation was all that was needed. I call it payment to the soul.

It was a culture shock when I came to South Texas in the late 80's with the military. Many the civilian local people were outwardly suspicious of everything and everybody. It took years in some cases to build community relationships with some people. It helped when they started teaching me some basic Spanish and some of the cultural differences.

There are still a lot of good people in the world of every ethnic culture, but way too many have just become self-serving and only interested in their own self gain.

Modern (distorted) 24/7 news and smart phones are the demise of genuine human communications.