B-100 Automatic - Deck Belt and Generator?

[guitardude 6]

Hello ALL,

I'm new to this forum, but NOT new to wheel horse as I'm now using my fathers B100 (I believe) Automatic Wheel Horse. Man, they REALLY DON"T make them like they used to.

Anyway, the mower deck belt keeps getting chewed up about every year or so and I'm not sure why. From what I researched it takes an 1/2" wide by 88" long V belt. My father, from what I could tell, was using Gates 6888 belts or equivalent. I'm a little unsure as to how tight the belt should be and whether or not the pulleys on the front of the tractor are to be angled, or did the shaft get bent at some point (I'll try to post a picture of it).

The second issue is that I believe either the starter/generator relay is getting bad or the electrical rectifier/converter is going bad. I just purchase a new battery for it and every so often I'll shut off the mower after a half hour or so of use and the battery is drained. Haven't really busted my rear to trouble shoot this but I'm assuming its either the relay or the rectifier/converter?

Any help troubleshooting either or both of the aforementioned would be GREATLY appreciated.

THANKS!

[Cole 25]

what year and what hp engine? or i can just take a model # and serial #

[KC9KAS 4,744]

Welcome to Red Square!

[608KEB 797]

You should be able to touch the belt together wih you index finger and thumb. I have always used wheel horse/toro belts. I've had better luck with them. Maybe the way they were designed/engineered. I really don't know.

[rmaynard 16,589]

The second issue is that I believe either the starter/generator relay is getting bad or the electrical rectifier/converter is going bad. I just purchase a new battery for it and every so often I'll shut off the mower after a half hour or so of use and the battery is drained. Haven't really busted my rear to trouble shoot this but I'm assuming its either the relay or the rectifier/converter?

First of all, if you have a starter/generator, you don't have a B-100. However, you said that you have a rectifier/converter. Did you mean regulator/rectifier? If so, you don't have a starter/generator and then you might have a B-100. Does your starter look like this

or this

Does the "rectifier/converter" look like this

or this

In any case, if the ignition switch is defective, that can cause a battery drain issue. Troubleshooting is simple on most tractors, but first we have to establish what we are dealing with.

[guitardude 6]

Maynard, my starter looks like the second one (but mine is red and dirty - see pics...LOL) and my regulator/rectifier is like the second one with the cooling fins. The mower has a 10 HP Kohler engine, the Model is 1 0510 9 and the serial number is 1024438 (see pic).

608KEB, I'm assuming that you're saying that I should be able to touch the belts together when the "belt drive clutch" IS disengaged?

Thanks!

[rmaynard 16,589]

You have a 1974 B-100 Automatic. If the solenoid (as pictured) clicks, and the starter turns over and starts the tractor, it appears that the solenoid is probably okay. As far as the drained battery is concerned, I would try this. Do you have a volt meter or multi-meter. If so, check to see if you still have 12 volts between ground and the (+) connection on the ignition coil with the ignition switch turned off. If you do, that is probably where the battery drain is coming from, and you should replace the ignition switch. If not, then there are other places and things that might be draining the battery as well. There is a thread in the electrical section on how to find a "parasitic battery drain". It involves using the ammeter portion of your multi-meter and using the process of elimination to find what is drawing current. Do a search using the term "locating parasitic battery drain" and you will find the thread.

[Cole 25]

im assuming that you have the 10 or 15 amp charging system, you can do the test to see if the regulator and stator is in proper working order. the service manual link is under at the bottom of this post. the testing section is on pages 82-84 in the manual, now the parasitic draw test is performed by removing the negative cable from the battery, now set your multimeter or DVOM on the 10 amp scale and put the red cable on the tester into the 10 amp scale port and make sure every thing is shut off (headlights, ignition switch, etc.) hook one lead on the tester to the negative post on the battery and the ther lead on the negative cable. now during this test if the multimeter shows less than .5 amps you have no draw and then the charging system or ignition switch is faulty. i will post a pic of how to setup your mulitmeter, if you dont have a multimeter you can purchase a cheapo at wally world or harbor freight tools for under $10. hope this isnt too confusing and helps, maybe save old iron will come in and clear this up for you. make sure you do the parasitic draw test first to save time.

link to service manual pages 8.12-8.14 http://www.wheelhors...le/1839-kohler-

k91141161181241301321341/

how to setup your multimeter or DVOM

[guitardude 6]

Gentleman, THANKS SO MUCH for ALL the help. I haven't had a chance to try to trouble shoot it yet but after your input and suggestions it should be fairly easy to find the problem. Just a little history, Yep my father purchased it in 1974, he was a Service Engineer at CAT for over 30 years. I learned a TON of stuff from him, so "YES!" I know how to use a VOM and many other tools because of my wonderful father.

Thanks so much for your help, it's GREAT to find a site like this.

[guitardude 6]

Hi everybody! I just wanted to thank you ALL again for your help, and give you an update on my Wheel Horse adventures. I finally narrowed down the problem to the "Voltage Regulator" of which I had sort of suspected in the beginning. So, I went to a local "small engine" shop and the guy was VERY familiar with Wheel Horse products and indicated that he didn't have the voltage regulator but could get me one. He ordered the part, I went and picked it up and then installed it last week. I was a little surprised as that darn voltage regulator was $135. However, its already paid for its self as I've been pulling my leaf brush with it several times already. Seems to work like new and no issues of battery drainage or not starting.

Thanks again for ALL your help. Just about time to put the plow on the front for winter........yuck, I sure miss Georgia.

David