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New member....my old Craftsman isn’t happy with me. Attempting to do my first mow of the year and when the grass is just slightly high the mower deck sounds like it disengages and stops cutting. I need to take it to get a tuneup but was hoping there’s something I could do myself. Sharpened the blades last year and put fuel stabilizer into tank before winter. Any thoughts?

Inspect all belts & idler pulleys for condition, may have to remove deck. Also grease all zerk { grease } fittings & check condition of air filter, fuel filter, & does oil & filter at engine need replaced?

Agree. Old belts are hardened with age, and no longer grip the pulleys. Try a new OEM blade belt. Do Not buy cheapo junk off Amazon; get a real belt.

When similar happens on my 2005 LT1000, it's typically because the idler pulley on the deck has gotten stuck so it won't put tension on the drive belt. Or has slipped off the right idler, I can typically get that going in 2 minutes "in the field".

Have a close look at the spindle pulleys on both the deck & the engine
If any are polished right down to the bottom then it is worn out and needs replacing
The V belts drive on the V sides, not the bottom .

Cusser said:

When similar happens on my 2005 LT1000, it's typically because the idler pulley on the deck has gotten stuck so it won't put tension on the drive belt. Or has slipped off the right idler, I can typically get that going in 2 minutes "in the field".

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That’s my model! I agree that you could have the answer! How do you adjust it “in the field?”

Ok so I greased the idler pulley, and it was better but definitely not all the way. When I did attempt to mow in a slightly taller area I think the burning I’m smelling is the belt slipping badly. So am I looking at needing to replace the belts???

In the "field", I put on gloves and yank the idler pulley to free it, or to get the mowing belt back on the idler.

Sure, the belts do wear. One does not need to remove the deck to replace a mowing belt like the owner's manual states. I can take off the spindle cover and replace the mowing belt in under 15 minutes.

I'll also throw in that a Harbor Freight lawn tractor jack is a great thing to own !!! https://www.harborfreight.com/300-lb-atvlawn-mower-lift-61523.html

For anyone without a set of ramps, floor jack, or other means of getting the tractor front up to work on the deck, if you have a basement and also a bulkhead, I've used the bulkhead doors as a ramp.

GentlemanFahmah said:

For anyone without a set of ramps, floor jack, or other means of getting the tractor front up to work on the deck, if you have a basement and also a bulkhead, I've used the bulkhead doors as a ramp.
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Ummm. ummmm, no sale. Next video on youtube is you with a mower hanging half way in the basement, Those half inch weather exposed rotted out boards and you want to put a mower on it? Where's my medicine.

slomo

Greasing a spindle and it gets better means the spindle and idlers need replacing. Bearings dried up starving for grease. Replace idlers, spindles and belts. Pulleys are probably worn out too.

slomo