WH 42 Deck - Changing a belt

[Phan 32]

Hello, I am about to change the belt on my 42-inch-deck. I found this to be helpful.

Do you have any aditional advice to add - Thanks !

   

[ri702bill 9,655]

There should be no need to loosen those two 9/16" nuts - that is an "active" slide under spring tension. Use a large pair of water pump pliers to move the slide, then remove the belt from the far outside spindle. IF the slide does NOT move, it is bound up & requires a good cleaning to free it up. That was why the belt was slipping!!

Edited August 21 by ri702bill

[c-series don 10,255]

Agreed, if those nuts are tight then the slide tensioner can’t do its job. But now that I think about it I think there’s a spacer in there to prevent tightening against the slide? Either way I’ve never loosened those nuts to change the belt. 

[953 nut 60,898]

            

The slide is spring loaded to tension the belt, just a little prybar action to move the idler and you are good to go.  Be sure to check the idler pulley while you are at it.

[peter lena 9,340]

@953 nut  your reference to the idler pulley is vital ! regularly refer to  MOVEMENT EASE , yet regularly see  that ! , that  COLLECTIVE ROTATIONAL DRAG , is what eats bearings and related movement areas . belt bounce is telling you of  INCREMENTAL  BEARING HANG UP /  USUALLY LUBRICATION FAILURE .  when a deck is correct , it spins up easily , smoothly , the spindle , idler pulley  , is showing you how things are  moving , if its a violent / buzzing  set up , its time to  verify  whats going on , those idler pulleys  also have a pathetic  small bearing  , with unknown lubricant . been years now , but added an idler  to the long unsupported back side of the  , spindle belt . very easy to add , also a telling point is initial , pto lever engagement . never  slam it on , it spins up very easily , so thats how  I engage it  . pete