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I sure could use some help in getting a new belt installed for the hydro pumps on my Gizmow ZTR. The belt goes over the front engine pulley and the two pump pulleys. I did jury rig a tire tool to pull the tensioner pulley out of the way, but I still can't get the third pulley started. I tried using screwdrivers and the horse hoof pick in the picture to try to get the belt started, but no luck so far.


It seems to me that somebody ought to make a tool that would apply pressure and turn the pulley, but I haven't found anything so far.

Any suggestions?
Thanks,
Charles

There are tools made for jumping a belt over a pulley... But belt manufactures all warn Not to do that...
Some machine applications do not properly engineer their shaft layout and you are forced to loosen associated parts or jump a belt over a pulley.
From the looks of your picture, ( I like pictures), can you loosen the engine mount and tilt that engine enough to allow easy instillation? Or get the next longer belt... (If the idler pulley will take up the difference)... :smile:KennyV

KennyV said:

There are tools made for jumping a belt over a pulley... But belt manufactures all warn Not to do that...
Some machine applications do not properly engineer their shaft layout and you are forced to loosen associated parts or jump a belt over a pulley.
From the looks of your picture, ( I like pictures), can you loosen the engine mount and tilt that engine enough to allow easy instillation? Or get the next longer belt... (If the idler pulley will take up the difference)... :smile:KennyV

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The engine has another shaft on the back side, which I think drives the gear box; I think the second belt would prevent raising the back of the engine. My daughter suggested taking off the pulley, slipping the belt on, and then reinstalling the pulley. But I don't think I would be able to line up the pulley bolts with the belt attached. I may take your suggestion of trying a longer belt. The manual specified a Dayco AP39. The one I got was a CarQuest A39, which was supposed to be the same. I did order an actual Dayco AP39, which should get here in a few days.

FarmerCharlie said:

The engine has another shaft on the back side, which I think drives the gear box; I think the second belt would prevent raising the back of the engine. ...

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Is the belt on the other end of the engine Easier to remove and Replace? if so then that will still be your easiest approach, short of getting a longer belt. :smile:KennyV

I finally just used a long screwdriver to jump the belt on. I knew it had to damage the belt, so I ordered an extra spare. Sure enough it broke again after a couple of months, and I had to install a new one the same way. It will probably break too, so I ordered yet another extra belt. There ought to be a better way. I did read a tip on using a zip tie to get the belt started, and will try that next time. The engine pulley does have three slots, so the zip tie just might work.

FarmerCharlie said:

I did read a tip on using a zip tie to get the belt started, and will try that next time. The engine pulley does have three slots, so the zip tie just might work.

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Hey! Can you post that tip? I've never heard of using zip ties for that.

chance123 said:

Hey! Can you post that tip? I've never heard of using zip ties for that.

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I found the reference in regard to stretch belts, which are designed to work without requiring a tension pulley. There is a video on the installation here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DbHumrLIdys
The zip tie trick starts at about 2:40 from the beginning. I don't know how well this will work on my belt, but I will try it the next time it breaks. I know that it would surely not stretch the belt as much as I did by forcing it with the big screwdriver.
ADDENDUM: The video also shows an installation tool near the end of the video. I don't know if that tool would work on my mower, since I'm not sure there is a place for the mounting bolt.
If anybody else has a tip on installing belts, please feel free to add it here.
ADDENDUM 2: I found another stretch belt installation tool here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IQElFh1ePhw
Again, these tools are intended for the new stretch belts, which are designed to use with no tension pulley. Since my mower does have a tension pulley, I'm beginning to think that the AP39 belt specified in my manual is just too short, and that I need a slightly longer one next time it fails.

Thank you. That is slick!

FarmerCharlie said:

.... Since my mower does have a tension pulley, I'm beginning to think that the AP39 belt specified in my manual is just too short, and that I need a slightly longer one next time it fails.

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The belt has broken several times since my last post, and I have struggled each time using my jumbo screwdriver to stretch the belt to jump it over the third pulley. I'm sure this must be damaging the belt. The last time I did order a new Dayco AP40 belt (one inch longer than the AP39 specified in the manual). Yesterday the AP39 broke again. This morning I decided to try using the longer belt. Compared to the AP39 belt, the AP40 was very simple to install once I held the tension pulley out of the way. It felt pretty loose after I installed it, but the tension pulley appeared to hold it tight enough--at least tight enough to make it back to the barn just before it started raining.

I'll try finishing the mowing later to see how well it works under a load.

In general, I wonder if anyone has an opinion on substituting a belt one inch longer than called for in a situation like this. That is, if your choice is between stretching the recommended belt to jump it over the third pulley and using a belt that you can install without stretching, and that actually depends on the tension pulley, which is the better option?

I would ask the manufacturer, but unfortunately, they are out of business. Too bad, because this is a fine machine.

Charles

Some machines do not have enough travel in the idler pulleys travel and you must completely Remove them... install the new belt and then replace the idler... Don't try to "stretch" a standard V-belt, you will only damage the belt. :smile:KennyV

KennyV said:

Some machines do not have enough travel in the idler pulleys travel and you must completely Remove them... install the new belt and then replace the idler... Don't try to "stretch" a standard V-belt, you will only damage the belt. :smile:KennyV

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I agree that stretching a belt by jumping it on is bad practice, but until now I couldn't figure any other option. The gear belt on the other shaft of the engine is still the original belt after several years. That belt is what prevents me from gaining some slack by loosening the motor mounts and tilting the engine.

But the longer belt installed easily, and this morning seemed to perform fine. I have a couple acres to go before I can declare it a success, but so far, so good.