Broke my thrower belt.

[spark949 24]

Well i finally got to use my (new to me) thrower on this last storm. It worked OK. I wish it threw it a little farther though. I did have to tighten up the clutch. Halfway through the third time of blowing the snow the belt broke. I got a new belt this morning and I'm not pleased about having to pull the front pulley off to mount it. I haven't got it off yet. The pulley is still marinating in penetrating oil. WTF were they thinking where they mounted that pulley so close to the cowl so you can't just slide the belt right on. I was just about to use the "hot wrenches" on it but I have to go get my daughters car at the tire place.

If I cant get the pulley off, can I loosen the shaft, mount the belt and remount the shaft? Anyone got a better way?

Also, has anyone replaced the pulley with a smaller one making it spin faster?

Thanks for all the help here. I have just searched here before and had all my prior questions answered.

[danjmah 71]

I was wondering the same thing and searched this site and the manual but hadn't noticed any details about this. I believe what should be used is something like this to remove a stubborn pulley:

Harbor_Freight

Note: I purchased a snow thrower (79360) in OCT 2010 but haven't used it yet only the plow so far.

[TT-(Moderator) 1,128]

More often than not, it's easier to remove the bolts holding the bearing retainer plates and pull the shaft/pulley back enough to install the new belt.

I've also seen a few with a flat ground on the outer edge of the pulley, and some with the edge bent outward in one spot - or cracked paint from being bent outward then straightened. :ychain:

[spark949 24]

Well the penetrating oil worked. That and a little ball peen persuasion. Mounted the belt, blew some snow....happy boy now.

[rickv1957 70]

:ychain: :D

[can whlvr 991]

on my 2 blowers u can just get the belt off with some strong arming and turning the pully at the same time,like the idea of loosining the 3 bearing plate bolts,that should give enough room

[Brandonsj04 0]

yeah I have to agree with "can whlvr", as I have both a tall and short chute snow thrower and am able to install the belt without removing pulleys or bearings. put the belt between pulley and blower housing(do this before feeding belt through tension pulleys and pto), turn the pulley pinching the belt between the blower housing and rim of pulley, while at the same time pulling the belt to track on the pulley. I hope this is making sense. A pipe wrench on the shaft would help you to turn the pulley if it is a really tight fit.

[wingrider 21]

When you get the pulley off go buy a 1" smaller pulley and you solve that

problem, also speeds up the blower so it'll throw snow farther

wingrider