Toro Wheel Horse 212-6 Belt Installation

[SteveF 0]

:thumbs:

Would anybody out here have any idea on how to install a new mower belt (mine finally snapped) on a Wheel Horse 212-6? It looked fairly straightforward when I had the mower on its side but there is simply too much play in it so I must have it routed through the pulleys incorrectly. The user manual copy I have is so grainy that it's nearly useless.

Any help is very much appreciated. I can certainly post a photo of the undercarriage if that would help at all.

Thanks in advance,

SteveF

:thumbs2:

[bustedglass 1]

212-6 is the tractor Model #. Do you have a Model # for the deck ? If so, you could go to toro.com, and look at the user manual / parts breakdown on line. And, yes, pictures sure would help. Sounds to me that you are missing / by-passing an idler pulley .

[SteveF 0]

stedglass,

Good point, I'll locate and post the model of the deck that I have for the unit. When I installed the belt in what I felt was the most logical manner going through all the pulleys, there's simply way too much slack so something is clearly wrong. When I compared the new belt to the one that was shredded, they are identical in size however so I must have it installed incorrectly.

Thanks for the reply and I'll post the deck information very soon. The mowing deck that I have appears different that the one in your photo.

SteveF

[SteveF 0]

:thumbs:

The model of my Wheel Horse Mowing Deck appears to be: ID#3537SL01 83181 according to the photo that I have taken of the tag on the mowing deck. I have not removed the mowing deck in order to install the belt. I was able to remove various cotter pins and the like but I clearly do not have the belt on properly.

Here are some photos and any advice in getting this belt properly placed on the mowing deck is greatly appreciated. This site appears limited to only 56k in photo attachment size.

Thanks in advance,

SteveF

Attached Image (Click thumbnail to expand)

[SteveF 0]

All,

Would anyone be able to post a link where to get the mowing deck manuals for the various Wheel Hore mowing decks? In particular, since the ID#3537SL01 83181 is the one I apparently have, I'm very interested in downloading it ASAP.

Thanks in advance ,

Here's a photo of my tractor if this helps.

SteveF

Attached Image (Click thumbnail to expand)

[nylyon-(Admin) 8,280]

Have you checked our Links Section?

[TT-(Moderator) 1,162]

My 210-5 had that same deck:

The belt should go straight across the back of the two spindle pulleys and the idler/tensioner pulley should be on the OUTSIDE of the belt between the PTO clutch pulley (engine) and the right spindle pulley - pushing inward towards the middle of the deck.

Check out the IPL at PartsTree HERE if you don't follow me.

[SteveF 0]

TT,

Thanks a million for the fast reply! That's how I seem to have the belt routed already. Does that middle, movable pulley somehow snap backward to tension the belt? There seems to be around 3-4" inches of play but way too much to eliminate by using the adjuster slide. That middle, movable pulley seems to move based on the bar that only slides from the bar with a cotter pin going through it.

I checked out the link at the bottom to get a feel for the proper routing of the belt as you suggested and it appears that I do have it setup that way. Any chance you can point me to a link that has the actual manual for this mowing deck? When I used a link that someone else directed me to, I put the model of my tractor in but the mowing deck manual wasn't one of the ones that I could download. And I did download every available other manual, of course.

TT, Can you tell from the previous photo that I posted showing all of the rear pulleys what's not correct? It seems to me that the middle pulley connected to that bar on the right side of the photo should push back somehow to lock into place. Is that possible?

Any advice always appreciated.

Thanks,

SteveF

:thumbs2:

[TT-(Moderator) 1,162]

In the first picture you posted above the tensioner pulley is way back between the two spindles. You need to pull the tensioner pulley outward / forward and to the outside of the part of the belt that is closest in that picture. (under the footrest)

It's been a while since I had the 210-5, but I believe you have to pull the hairpin clip out and grasp the rod under the footrest by the "T" handle that's welded to it. Use the "T" to pull that rod (and the tensioner) forward until you can get the belt in place. Once you get the belt on, reattach the rod trunnion into the frame bracket and insert the hairpin clip.

[SteveF 0]

TT,

I followed your advice on pulling the "T" bar towards the front of the tractor and the middle, smaller pulley does indeed move forward with it which also removes most of the slack from the belt. However, I don't really understand how to lock this pulley into place once I have it forward since the "T" bar is only held by a cotter pin which the bar slides through. There doesn't appear to be any logical way to lock the belt forward unless it has to come so far forward which will lock it into place. If that's the case, I'll probably have to remove the deck from the tractor to try that.

I also can't seem to locate the actual mowing deck Toro manual. If I had that, I'm sure I'd have installed the belt already. Would you possibly have any means to download or provide a direct link for the manual?

Any suggestions? I just removed the mower deck thinking it'll be easier to see how I have everything connected since I can take much more clear photos from atop the deck. Here's how I have the belt routed in the photo below which appears I had it setup right from the getgo. Obviously, only for the sake of the photo, I have the front of the belt just looped on the mower frame. That front part would be around the large pulley still connected on the tractor. When you pull on the "T" bar, what holds that into place? That bar with only a cotter pin can't possibly be holding all the tension on the belt.

Thanks in advance,

SteveF

Attached Image (Click thumbnail to expand)

[david921 0]

:thumbs2: I am having the exact same problem with my mower, wonder if the manufactuer specs could be wrong. I think the belt is too long.

[SteveF 0]

David921,

I'm pretty sure that the belt is the proper length since I'm trying to replace my existing belt which became shredded and jumped the pulley. I compared the two belts and they're virtually identical in length so I have to conclude that we're apparently doing something wrong!

SteveF

:ychain:

[Duff 206]

OK guys, I'm no expert on anything, so at the risk of being laughed off the forum I'm going to jump....er crawl quietly... in here......

What I'm seeing in the picture makes no sense to me. The belt tensioner thing looks like it has a big-azz spring attached to it that appears like it would pull tension off of the belt the way it's routed in the picture, not apply tension to it. The arm that comes forward from the tensioner looks like a device to act as a clutch of some kind, but with the spring set up the way it is, I don't see how it ever applies any tension to the belt.

So.....should the belt go behind the tensioner pulley, or should the spring be attached somewhere else on the deck.......or have I simply lost my kind and stuck my nose in where it doesn't belong (which is equally likely)?

Duff

EDIT: (See TT's post just below) Thanks, TT! I didnt think I'd completely lost my mind! Whew!

[TT-(Moderator) 1,162]

See if this clarifies what I tried to type out above:

[david921 0]

Yep, that makes sense, so simple now that i see it. :thumbs2:

[SteveF 0]

TT,

You are the Wheel Horse god! Ohhhhhhhhhh......

I'm going to try to install it right now.

Thanks a million! I guess that belt path you outlined is mostly standard for anyone who has taken these tractors apart frequently. This is my only tractor. What really kills me is that I can take motorcycles apart in my sleep and reassemble them effortlessly. But tractors......now that's a different matter altogether!

SteveF

:ROTF:

[T-Mo-(Moderator) 4,643]

TT,

I see you're going GREEN in a big way. :thumbs2:

[TT-(Moderator) 1,162]

TT,

I see you're going GREEN in a big way.

I'll claim Kawasaki, Terex, and maybe even Deutz green as that color, T-Mo, but you don't need to try to associate JD green with me. (unless it's on something being drug behind one of my Horses! )

It certainly does show up well in that picture though, doesn't it? :thumbs:

[SteveF 0]

TT,

Took me all but 15 or so minutes to reassemble everything and your drawing did the trick perfectly! Thank you again. Duff, I thank you for jumping in on this also.

I can't wait to fire it up and start mowing after I get home from work early tomorrow evening but everything looks fine though. Good tension on the belt and so forth.

On a completely different subject, I previously removed the 2-bin bagger since I never really got any grass into the bins. I figured that the chute was probably jammed somewhere near the bend preventing the grass from being sucked up. Now that I appear to have the unit at least operational again thanks to your help, I'm tempted to re-install the bagger. In general, is there any special lever or setting that has to be setup before using the bagger? Because it's an enclosed system where the grass would ordinarily shoot through, I would think that at least most of the grass should be shot through the bagger into the catch bins. Do the new tractors bag more efficiently that the unit I have which is circa around 1988?

There was a fella giving his Wheel Horse away a few months ago nearby. I'm kinda regretting not having driven home assuming it was driveable about 2 miles from where I saw it. It looked pretty much identical to my Wheel Horse 212-6 tractor.

Thanks in advance,

SteveF

[T-Mo-(Moderator) 4,643]

I'll claim Kawasaki, Terex, and maybe even Deutz green as that color, T-Mo, but you don't need to try to associate JD green with me. (unless it's on something being drug behind one of my Horses! )

It certainly does show up well in that picture though, doesn't it?

TT,

I meant green in an environmental way....you're the one thinking JD green. And yeah, that green does show up. And it's more of a Kawasaki green.

[wh500special 2,338]

The baggers for these decks work wonderfully, so you might need to do some investigation into yours. On the discharge side of the deck you should use the special "high lift" blade to give you more airflow to toss the grass up the chute. Unless the chute is plugged with something, you ought to be getting clippings in the bins. Also make sure there isn't a huge buildup of junk under the deck.

Perhaps the belt was slipping really bad last time you tried to use the bagger and it didn't work well. Or the clutch. Really, this 37" diagonal deck is the best performing deck in the whole WH lineup so if it is working correctly you ought to get good results.

I am going to guess that the tension on your new belt will be a little off. If you look at the photo of your deck you will see that the tensioner pivot bracket is bolted to the deck with two bolts just in front of the right spindle. Those bolts are in long, slotted holes. This is your tension adjustment.

With the deck installed on the tractor and in the mid-level cutting position you need to adjust the tension so that about 3/4" of that black rod sticks out in front of the trunion (there should be a decal on frame of the tractor to illustrate) where it connects to the tractor frame. Because this deck has a spring loaded tensioner you can get away with a bad adjustment here, but to preserve the bearings and aluminum spindle housings and belt it is best to be close.

Most importantly, it looks like you're missing some parts to the cutting-level linkage of the deck. You're going to need to go to Toro.com and look up parts to see what is missing. Basically, there is a long threaded rod - with a bend in it - that connects from the front of the deck (on a bracket you're also missing) to the lug on the cutting height adjustment lever next to the left rear mounting hanger ( , I'm not easy to follow am I?). Without this connection I don't think is it possible for the deck to sit level from front to back.

Good luck with all of this and sorry for the incoherent rambling...

Steve

[SteveF 0]

wh500special,

Thanks for the tips! TT's advice and excellent, highlighted drawing worked perfectly for me (and I assume David as well) and I was finally able to starting cutting again. My lawn was starting to look like a wild tick preserve!

Since taking everything apart, my steering feels kinda funny. I'm wondering if I maybe tightened the 2 bolts in the front a little too much, if that is even possible.

There was a lot of caked up grass on the bottom of the deck so perhaps you are correct about that causing the bagger not to work properly but it didn't pick up anything which I thought was quite odd.

I probably removed several of the parts for the photo that you thought were missing on my deck. I do have to tighten the belt a wee bit tomorrow. Also, I had almost forgot about the backfiring so I have replacement spark plugs on order as well.

I'll probably reattach the bagger this weekend. Should go smooth enough.

Thanks for all the info. This forum is fantastic!

SteveF

:thumbs2:

[TT-(Moderator) 1,162]

I meant green in an environmental way....you're the one thinking JD green. :thumbs2:

[SteveF 0]

TT,

My original blades were the high-lift blades with the wings. The local Toro dealer indicated it would be difficult to get those blades or so he lead me to believe. So, I'm using regular blades. But one would be inclined to think that at least some of the clippings would end up in the bagger. I realize that if one were to cut the grass when it was wet, perhaps getting nothing in the bagger wouldn't be so odd but during a hot summer day I would expect the majority of the clippings to make in the bins....no?

Thanks,

SteveF

:thumbs2:

[TT-(Moderator) 1,162]

When I bought my 312A (quite a while ago) it was equipped with the same type of deck and it also had the bagger. In order to get it to work "properly" (which wasn't impressive) I had to mow after 1PM and before any dew got on the grass. If I tried to mow any earlier I had to constantly unplug the chute. I put up with it for two or three mowings and couldn't take it anymore so I removed everything associated with the bagger and ran the deck as a normal side discharge mower.

I know how much trouble I had with mine - and the lift tabs on it were like new. I won't say that you shouldn't get some clippings in the bagger with standard blades, but probably not enough to justify trying.

112398 is the current P/N for the blade kit and lists for just shy of $90 through Toro.

Here's a LINK to a set currently listed on eBay.