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Replace V belt on Sears Riding lawn mower

We have a new Sears riding lawn tractor that has been broken down more than it's worked since we bought it.

first they had to replace the engine (they said) because "someone" put the air filter in wrong and the engine locked up. Then the battery died. They replaced it with a new one. It died because "someone" forgot to hook up a wire so the battery didn't recharge. The next time we tried to cut grass the same thing happened again and the battery was dead. (They can't even be jump started) so they came out, replaced the battery again and said it was because a DIFFERENT wire wasn't hooked up.

we cut grass for about an hour after that and the blades stopped turning. the belt is off the pulley and has a big chunk gone out of it, so it will have to be replaced.

It's probably still under waranty, but unless it's a really difficult job, I'd as soon buy the part and fix it myself as wait around another week or two before they come out and "fix" it. Meanwhile the grass is getting higher and higher.

anyone know how to replace the belt?

Thanks

Reply to
sunshine
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Don't know on that but I will caution you, lawn and garden stuff uses belts that are of a different material than regular car belts. Take the old belt with you to a good independent lawnmower repair shop for a replacement.

You should call Sears and order a service manual, Sears is very good about having these available for their stuff that they sell. It may take a week or so for the manual to arrive. Call the 800 number don't mess with the locals (who sound incompetent anyway)

Also be aware that the batteries they use in these things MUST have a trickle charger used on them for storage over the winter or they will go flat, and once flat, they are ruined You can get trickle chargers for motorcycles for about $10 from JC Whitney that will work fine.

Ted

Reply to
Ted Mittelstaedt

I have a 18 HP Sears garden mower. The belts are available at a NAPA store if you have them in your area. Take in the old belt and they will match it up. Start at the pulley in front on the engine power takeoff. Loop the belt along the pulley. Bring the belt down to the idler pulleys where it makes a right angle bend toward the mower deck pulley. With one hand, start the belt on the mower deck pulley and with the other hand, rotate the idler arm (the thing the tension spring connects to) to loosen the belt/pulley assembly temporarily (you have to hold it rotated against the spring pressure.) Then reach over to the mower deck pulley at the same time and rotate the remainder of the belt on the deck pulley. It's a bit awkward the first time but you'll get the hang of it.

FWIW, my Craftsman mower is 18 years old and still going strong. I haven't done much maintenance on it. Only oil and air filter changes and I work the hell outta it cutting dry weeds/kicking up dust/mowing my lawns (about 3/4 acre of lawn). It's been a reliable machine (B&S engine).

b.

Reply to
<barry

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