How to Remove the Drive Belt on a John Deere Sabre

John Deere riding mowers were made for Scott's Lawn & Garden Centers and were designed to be very low maintenance for homeowners. One of the annual replacement items that may need attention is the drive belt that powers the power take off (PTO). Controlling the mower deck and blades, this belt may become worn out or burnt, causing the blades to cut erratically or even stop rotating in long grass. With a few hand tools, you can quickly remove the old belt and replace it in under 30 minutes. If your tractor exhibits poor cutting quality, be sure to check the drive belt and replace it if necessary. If you simply need to operate the tractor with no mowing deck, then remove the drive belt and mowing deck in under 15 minutes using a few straightforward steps.

Things You'll Need

• 4 wooden blocks, 6 inches by 6 inches
• SAE socket set
• Clean rags
• Pliers
• Replacement drive belt (if desired)

Instructions

1. Park the machine on a flat, level surface and disengage the mower blades by moving the PTO lever to the "disengage" position. Do this by moving the long steering column-mounted lever away from you. Lower the mowing deck to the ground by sliding the attachment lift lever all the way forward. This lever is located on the top of the left-rear wheel well. Set the parking brake by pulling the dashboard-mounted parking brake lever towards you. Stop the engine and remove the key. Once the engine has cooled, unplug the spark plug wire from the spark plug to prevent an accidental engine start-up.

2. Remove the mower deck by first placing four wooden blocks under each side of the mower deck. Move the mower deck lift lever to its lowest position, so that the mowing deck rests solely on the four blocks. Disconnect the PTO drive cable with your fingers; it's located at the right-front of the mower housing.

3. Remove the spring locking pin that prevents the PTO drive cable from detaching with your fingers, then pull the cable free. The spring locking pin looks like a large sewing safety pin, and is opened by sliding it sideways, then pulling it from the hole into which it is threaded. Remove the tension spring from the idler sheave using your fingers. This long tension spring creates the belt tension, so use pliers if the force cannot be overcome with your fingers alone.

4. Remove the spring locking pins using the same method as previously used and the washers that secure the rear draft arms to the mower. Pliers may be necessary if they are excessively dirty and are stuck. The draft arms are the long brackets that hold the mower deck in place. Next, remove the spring locking pin and washer which secure the front draft rod to the mower deck. Remove the front draft rod by pulling it free from its mounting holes. If you are unsure about what component this is, it is the rod that holds the front of the mower deck securely to the tractor.

5. Remove the mower drive belt from drive sheave by rolling it off with your fingers. Now that the drive belt has been successfully removed, you may remove the four wooden blocks from under the mower deck, then slide the mower deck out from under the machine if it is no longer needed on the tractor. The mowing deck may be stored until it is needed and the tractor used without the deck.

References

• John Deere: Scott's Lawn Tractors Operator's Manual