snapper lt125 deck pulleys and belt get hot

[fog]

All the deck pulleys and belt get very hot. I replaced the bearings in one of the two blade spindles, the other spindle seems fine, but no improvement. the belt rides up against the top of the idler arm pulley... could that be the source of heat?

 

[bertsmobile1]

Friction is the cause of the heat and unless the belt starts to burn, it is quite normal.
Take the belt off and check all pulleys spin freely, smoothly and quietly.
Replace any that do not.
Belts run up a pulley because it is not perpendicular to the belt.
This will happen when you raise or lower the deck as the pulleys will be at different heights which is one reason why they use pulleys and not chains.
The tensioning pulley wears at the pivot point and the tension arm might need some work to get it running square on to the deck