How do you know if the mower belt to small?

Muintir

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I just want to say thanks in advance for any help I get in this topic. I should have listened to my old man all those years ago when he kept telling me to pay attention since eventually I would be the one taking care of everything.

Over the years something went wrong on the mower deck and my dad decided it would be easier and cheaper to replace the whole thing. Recently the mower belt snapped and I had to replace it. The replacement deck uses a different size mower belt and im in the dark on what size. I took a measuring tape, measured the snapped belt and it came out to be 87" so thats the size I put on the deck. Now im experiencing a couple problems I wasnt having before.

1) The mower at times will always be engaged even when I have it set to disengage.

2) When I engage & put it in gear and start to move there will be a weird grinding/dragging noise coming from the mower deck and the blades will start moving slowly like they are having trouble moving. I will also start to get a slight burning? smell. It kinda smells like its burning but at the same time doesnt smell like a burning smell. Its really weird and has me a bit confused.


Also if anyone can help me with this other problem that has been happening recently. When I first start the mower it will sometimes stall as I turn up the idol. Other times I can get the idol up but it stalls when I start to go. Once its been used a bit and warmed up it works just fine and doesnt give any problems. Im thinking maybe its carburetor.

Once again many thanks for checking out the topic and trying to help.
 

Carscw

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I just want to say thanks in advance for any help I get in this topic. I should have listened to my old man all those years ago when he kept telling me to pay attention since eventually I would be the one taking care of everything.

Over the years something went wrong on the mower deck and my dad decided it would be easier and cheaper to replace the whole thing. Recently the mower belt snapped and I had to replace it. The replacement deck uses a different size mower belt and im in the dark on what size. I took a measuring tape, measured the snapped belt and it came out to be 87" so thats the size I put on the deck. Now im experiencing a couple problems I wasnt having before.

1) The mower at times will always be engaged even when I have it set to disengage.

2) When I engage & put it in gear and start to move there will be a weird grinding/dragging noise coming from the mower deck and the blades will start moving slowly like they are having trouble moving. I will also start to get a slight burning? smell. It kinda smells like its burning but at the same time doesnt smell like a burning smell. Its really weird and has me a bit confused.

Also if anyone can help me with this other problem that has been happening recently. When I first start the mower it will sometimes stall as I turn up the idol. Other times I can get the idol up but it stalls when I start to go. Once its been used a bit and warmed up it works just fine and doesnt give any problems. Im thinking maybe its carburetor.

Once again many thanks for checking out the topic and trying to help.

I think what you have done is put the belt on wrong. Look and make sure the belt is not rubbing on something.
With the mower OFF engage the blades and take a look.

(( racing is the only sport that you need two balls ))
 

Muintir

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Im pretty sure I narrowed down the problem. The belt is on right and not rubbing against anything that I can tell but for some reason the belt comes untwists itself so the V side isnt going through the pullies. Something is making it so the flat side is going through the pullies. I am not sure what is causing this but the belt seems a little worn now and has more slack than when I installed it. I havent ran the tractor much and I just put a brand new belt on yesterday.
 

reynoldston

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If you have the flat side going through the pulleys I would think you have the belt on wrong? Just what do you have for a mower?
 

Muintir

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If you have the flat side going through the pulleys I would think you have the belt on wrong? Just what do you have for a mower?

When I engage the mower the belt twists itself until the flat side is going through the pullies, which ends up making it wrong. The way the pullies are set up on the deck I have to twist the belt to get the v side through the pullies. Theoretically the belt should keep the v side going through the pullies but for whatever reason it ends up twisting so the flat side is going through the pullies.

I have a craftsman model# 917.254860 but it has a replacement deck thats not identical to the original.
 

Muintir

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anyone got any ideas?
 

Carscw

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If the belt is so tight you have to pry it or roll it on then the belt is to small

(( racing is the only sport that you need two balls ))
 
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