How to Replace a Mowing Belt on Craftsman Riding Mowers

There are three belts on a Craftsman riding lawn mower or lawn tractor. One is the drive belt that runs from the transaxle pulley to the clutch (referred to as the PTO). The other two belts operate the mower deck. The upper belt is the deck-to-PTO belt. This belt is driven by the drive belt usually on a series of 2 or 3 pulleys and is the easiest one to change. The mower arbor belt is the lower belt that routes on a series of 2 or 3 pulleys and is directly driven by the upper deck-to-PTO belt.

Difficulty: Moderately Challenging

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Ratchet and socket set
• Replacement belt(s)

1. Place the deck in the lowest position using the hydraulic piston (if applicable) or the manual cutting-height adjuster.

2. Remove the deck-to-PTO belt from the PTO by releasing tension on the idler-arm pulley. This is a spring-loaded handle that turns in only one direction by hand and relieves the tension on the belt. Slip the deck-to-PTO belt off the PTO pulley after the tension is relieved.

3. Remove the deck from underneath the mower or tractor.

4. Locate any belt stops and loosen them with the ratchet wrench and proper socket. Belt stops are located on the deck and are the small metal brackets that guide and secure the belt to the pulleys so it will not jump off when under heavy use, or stretch from normal wear.

5. Remove any pulley covers by removing the retaining screws using the ratchet wrench and a socket.

6. Loosen the idler-pulley retaining bolt (located on the underside of the mower deck) to replace the deck-to-PTO belt. Removing the bolt is not necessary. Loosen the pulley enough to wiggle the belt free from the pulley and remove and replace the belt.

7. Remove any arbor covers (if applicable) that conceal the arbor pulleys by removing the retaining screws with the ratchet wrench and a socket to replace the mower arbor belt.

8. Locate the tensioner pulley on the mower arbor belt to replace it. Loosen the tensioner pulley bolt enough to slide it and release tension from the belt. Remove the belt from the arbor pulleys and replace it.

9. Slide the tensioner pulley back leaving about 1/2-inch of play in the belt and tighten the bolt. Reverse the procedure to put the rest of the mower deck back together and reinstall on the mower or tractor.

Tips & Warnings

• Different model Craftsman riding lawn mowers (they have a rear engine) and lawn tractors (front engine) have different belt routing diagrams and slightly different removal and replacement procedures. Refer to the owner's manual for your specific model to ensure the correct procedure. Replacements for missing manuals can be obtained at Craftsman.com or Sears.com. Be sure to locate the belt routing diagram (located under the pedal on older models or directly on the deck on newer models) before removing and replacing belts. If a diagram cannot be found, simply draw one of your own. Many Craftsman mower and tractor owners recommend replacing the belts with only Craftsman brand belts and not cheaper aftermarket brand belts.
• Always disconnect the spark plug before performing any work on any gas-powered lawn equipment.

References

• Replacing a Craftsman Riding Lawn Mower Deck Belt
• Replacing a Craftsman Riding Lawn Mower Belt

[swampjeff]

on 7/22/2009 Maybe 1 in a THOUSAND Sears machines have 3 belts-and almost NONE require deck removal. Belt guides-usually rods on Sears-can be bent slightly-RARELY do you need to loosen or remove them-idler pulleys-also known as CLUTCH-nobody is saying lock clutch down but that's the FIRST thing to do-also RARELY need removal-just coax belt around as you rotate pulley-AFTER belt is OFF engine pulley. Why is everyone assuming belt is not BROKEN & off mower?