denno

Hello again
Drive belt came off again...this time it turns out to be loss of the nut that holds the big pulley on. Parts sheet kindly specifies that this is a 9/16 - 18 Gr 2, so I can try and get one at the hardware store.

But I wanted to take out the pulley and have a look at whether the locking center is getting worn and will want replacement. And I cannot get the pulley out past this doohickey on the right side of the compartment. Couple black plates with a silver rod or two? Can't locate it on the diagrams. Creates a pinch that I cannot squeeze the pulley past.

Can someone tell me what it is and how to disarm it?

Thanks!
Denno

dangeroustoys56

Is this in the front under the motor or in the back? The front has a plate with retainers that unbolts- the back is a bit more tricky - besides having no room to work .

The nuts and bolts on the actual motor/trans are a fine thread - rest are coarse threads.

I changed the belt on my 97 mastercut Saturday - i unbolted the transaxle pulley to get the belt off, and it hit the shifter support bracket - had to unbolt the support bracket ( bolts are under the left side fender) then pull the pulley off to get the belt out - theres an idler pulley with a spring on the right side - the spring can be taken off, but its not easy to put back on.

The transaxle pulleys usually have some sort of splined setup, it shouldnt slip unless it stripped out.

denno

Thanks for your reply.
I went out to take a picture and got a better look (or a more patient one) and figured it out.
The "doohickey" is part of the mount for the raising and lowering of the deck. In the lowest position, where I had it to get a look at the belt from the side, the geometry between the spindle of the largest rear pulley and this mount makes a pinch so you can't take out the pulley.
With the deck in the highest position this space opens up.....and leaves a similar problem between the spindle and the crossbar the mount is mounted on. But I was able to squeeze/bang/force the rim of the pulley through this gap. [The splines are intact, but wearing, no doubt from the looseness of the now-missing nut].

Hm. When I get that replaced and tightened, maybe the mower won't make some of those funny rattley noises.

Parts list specifies a 9/16 - 18 Gr. 2 nut. This is nice because my wife can get one of those at the hardware store on the way home, instead of my mail-ordering the Proprietary Mystery Nut for probably $8. Kudos to MTD for that.

Yeah, replacing the drive belt is a three-language cusser. Easier with 2 people, unless you have 3 arms.

Denno

dangeroustoys56

I hear that - on my old 92 white i took the rear fenders off, seat off even the variable pulley off just to get the rear belt off - MTD sure made it a chore to change them.