Any riding lawnmower...

[ufgators68]

cutting deck gurus here?

I have a slight problem with the deck on my mower. The last two cuttings, it's sheared off the bolt on the tensioner pulley. What could make it do this?

The second bolt it sheared off was a grade 8 bolt. Snapped it like a twig.

 

[BRUTUS_T_HOG]

if you engage the blades with the engine revved up high it puts a large shock load on the belt/pulleys. so you can try to lower the engine speed and engage it.

also over tightening the bolts can weaken it. and if one or more pulleys is seized it can do the same thing.

just throwing some ideas out there.

 

[ufgators68]

if you engage the blades with the engine revved up high it puts a large shock load on the belt/pulleys. so you can try to lower the engine speed and engage it.

also over tightening the bolts can weaken it. and if one or more pulleys is seized it can do the same thing.

just throwing some ideas out there.

My mower has the manual engage and I always engage it fairly slowly to avoid the sudden load being placed on the drivetrain. It's a cheap mower, I don't want to kill it prematurely. Both times the blades were already engaged. I tried spinning the blades and they seemed normal. I haven't tried any other pulleys yet... that has to wait until tomorrow.

I have noticed that it bogs down easily now... as in the blades stop turning bogged down.

 

[02RangerXLT]

Make/Model of the mower would help. We had the belt come off of our zero turn today, so I've been under that thing getting it back on dealing with the pulley, so I might be of some assistance I hope.

 

[BRUTUS_T_HOG]

My mower has the manual engage and I always engage it fairly slowly to avoid the sudden load being placed on the drivetrain. It's a cheap mower, I don't want to kill it prematurely. Both times the blades were already engaged. I tried spinning the blades and they seemed normal. I haven't tried any other pulleys yet... that has to wait until tomorrow.

I have noticed that it bogs down easily now... as in the blades stop turning bogged down.

yeah the tensioner bearing might be seized or something else is dragging really bad

 

[ufgators68]

It's a Yardman 46" lawn tractor. One of the el cheapos from WalMart.

Maybe I can talk my wife into one of the nice zero turns... might have to fabricate something "major" being wrong with mower.

 

[BRUTUS_T_HOG]

It's a Yardman 46" lawn tractor. One of the el cheapos from WalMart.

Maybe I can talk my wife into one of the nice zero turns... might have to fabricate something "major" being wrong with mower.

fabricate? i'd just bring her in a box full of scrap parts and metal and say "honey, it would be cheaper to buy one of those zero turn mowers"

 

[02RangerXLT]

Zero turns are nice for speed, but if your lawn is bumpy and rough, stick with a tractor-type... Is it the tensioner pulley on the drive belt that is causing problems?

 

[ufgators68]

Sadly, she is too smart to fall for that. The motor will have to blow before she agrees to upgrading.

We bought the damn thing when we were broke and needed a mower and now it won't die. It's like a freaking staph infection.

 

[ufgators68]

Zero turns are nice for speed, but if your lawn is bumpy and rough, stick with a tractor-type... Is it the tensioner pulley on the drive belt that is causing problems?

That'd be the one. It has about a 3" spacer holding it off of the deck and it snapped the bolt twice. I'll probably figure it out in the morning. Just trying to get an idea of what to look for to save some time and sweat.

 

[kimcrwbr1]

I am in the process of restoring a older craftsman 38" cut are you talking about the idler pully that puts the tension on the belt and releases it. Is there a way to adjust the belt tension you can try loosening it up till it just gives the belt enough to spin the blades. the pressure from the spindles will put the tension on the belt when it is working you dont need alot of tension on the belt back off till it slips a little and the tighten it up a little to take up the slack. Give me the make and model number then I can look up the parts schematic and see what it looks like are you sure the belt is routed correct.

 

[dp88]

I love zero turns on wide open places but it is true I get bounced EVERYWHERE on the rough lawns, so much so I start getting mad. I wish I had the tractor type too... I love my John Deere though.

 

[strvger]

i use a pull behind brush/trail mower. pull it with my Case 50 garden tractor. nice combo, but the Case has developed a leaky axle seal and the hydraulic fluid keeps seeping out. my place is way too bumpy for anything lighter than the trail mower. good to know about those zero turn mowers needing smooth lawns to work best as i had no clue about that.

 

[dp88]

nothing like hiting a bump full speed on the zero turn... flying up off the seat and then back onto your goods... I now decline mowing bumpy yards.

 

[dirttrackracer]

nothing like hiting a bump full speed on the zero turn... flying up off the seat and then back onto your goods... I now decline mowing bumpy yards.

me too, i almost fell of one time well lets just say he told me that the yard was smooth only to find a ditch in th middle of the field