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How to Tighten a Riding Lawnmower Belt
How to Tighten a Riding Lawnmower Belt. A lawn mower is a machine used for cutting or trimming the grass on the lawn. No matter how lawn mower are operated, they all have a belt that runs from the drive wheels to the engine. The belt is used to transfer power from the engine to the wheels and when the belt is not tight, the mower will not move...
A lawn mower is a machine used for cutting or trimming the grass on the lawn. No matter how lawn mower are operated, they all have a belt that runs from the drive wheels to the engine. The belt is used to transfer power from the engine to the wheels and when the belt is not tight, the mower will not move forward or backward as it should.
Things You'll Need
Wrench
Pliers
Turn off the engine of your lawnmower and disconnect the spark plug wire as well. Some models of riding lawnmowers you will need to remove the deck, which is basically a plastic or steel casing, to access the belt.
Locate the main frame tube on your lawnmower. Then loosen the clamp bolts on your lawnmower's frame by using a wrench tool. Instead of a wrench tool, you can also try using a pair of pliers. This will allow you to access the belt of your lawnmower.
Locate the belt, also known as the drive belt, inside the deck of your lawnmower. It is a belt that goes from the engine of the machine to the drive wheels. Riding lawnmower models usually have V-belts that go from the front motor pulley to the transmission, with a possibility of varying revolving blade speed. You will recognize a belt in a riding lawnmower as a black, rubber strong band or a strip, wide somewhere between 3/8 and 5/8 inches.
Tighten the belt of your lawnmower by shortening the location of the main frame inside the clamps. The length of a riding lawnmower's belt is adjusted by loosening the cap screw at the middle of the pulley. This way, you will be able to manipulate and adjust the length or the belt on the transaxle pulley.
Reinstall the clamp bolts to their original position and tighten them with a wrench tool or a pair of pliers. If you needed to remove the deck, reinstall it as well.
Reconnect the wire that connects to the spark plug and then turn on your lawnmower. Check if the lawnmower moves more smoothly now, after you fixed and tightened the belt.
Tips & Warnings
If you notice that the belt is too severely damaged or worn out, it is absolutely necessary to replace it with a new belt.
Every lawnmower has sharp and dangerous revolving blades as a main part of its internal mechanism: so make sure to wear sturdy, durable working gloves whenever you are working on your machine.
