This was easy thanks to you posting this video. I’m a single woman and it was a life saver for me to be able to fix my riding mower by myself thank you 😊
Mine is roughly 20 yrs old and still running great; it's really a great little tractor with a lot of power; does a good, quick job on my large back lawn. Thanks for this video- this is a bit easier than the way I've done it- but I don't like crawling around on my elbows while reaching under the tractor, and I have a crank hoist, so I lift the front of the tractor to make access a little easier. But I hadn't thought of threading the loop up the middle like that- it makes sense , and it's very easy that way- but when you're hot and sweaty and cursing because the belt just snapped and you're trying to finish a mowing*, clear thinking like this can escape you, so thanks again! *I always have a spare belt on hand.
im 2 minutes into the video and im busted up laughing lol i love the way you explain things, and use "garage talk". We're not talking to kindergarteners here!
Watched other vids that had you dropping the deck... groan! Then found yours, removed the pulley plastic shrouds like you said, and got her done quickly. Thanks!
Thank you! I ended up removing the guards just to get to the pulleys as you demonstrated & unfortunately the guides on my model are not spring guides so I ended up having to loosen the smaller pulleys but in the end, it works. Your video was easy to follow. Plus I enjoyed the added humor. Have a good rest of your weekend
thank you brother for the effort. video was surprisingly easy to follow. saved me a LOT of time and effort. Hardest part was getting that plastic cover off. One tip - to get that new belt over the last pulley, just turn one of the blades by hand for extra torque. My tractor was the Craftsman LT1000 v twin , 22 years old still running. Thanks again Ed
I'm glad it helped you out, Ed Definitely, turning the blade and using it like a lever is a great tip. This tractor is still running, too but I gave it to my next-door neighbor when his tractor seized up. Thanks for your kind words. Cheers, Greg 👊😎
THANK YOU for this video! All the other videos on this topic make it sound so complicated that I was afraid to even try to do it myself. I followed your video and was able to get it done no time! I am grateful! (Side note: Ladies - Yes, you CAN do this!)
I like the idea of not having to remove the entire deck to change belts. That's Awesome. I have to replace a broken pulley so , unfortunately, I have to remove the deck. It's for a Craftsman GT5000 48-inch. I've been putting it off for months and I feel guilty lol
Thank you for this video. I really, really didnt want to take the deck off, and after looking at it, didnt think i needed to. You just proved me right. I believe i can do this. 😊
Great video! My mower has been sitting in my storage container because i thought i was going to have to take the damn thing apart. Wish i saw this video 2 months ago. You have yourself a new fan!
Mr Quantum Phaser sir , you are the BOSS!! Lol. To begin , I just loved your attitude. You remind me of my pops. Lol. Screw the BS and crap ! Get straight to it and knock it out ! I love that ! Lol. All these other dang videos trying to get me to take apart the whole ENGINE just to replace the belt. Nope. I have this exact mower. Followed your exact instruction, and I’m mowing just fine !! Well done sir. Thank you for this.
Glad it helped you out! Sorry about the crap video quality, it was one of my earliest videos and I never imagined all these years later it would still be useful. I gave that tractor to my neighbor years ago but weird that video lives on... 😁👍🚀
Thank you so much for this video! I'm finding it necessary to do more and more of my own simple repairs, and your tutorial gave me the confidence to try this on my own.
Your method works great..... my problem was after I fixed that the welding on the belt drive gave way. Got it re-welded and we are up and running. Thanks
Great video Sir. I saw so many videos that people stated you needed to remove the deck. They were wrong and your video proves that. Thank you for taking the time to make the video.
Thank you for your kind comments. I wish I had someone to hold the camera when shooting this, it would have come out better. I also had no idea that this many people would watch it. 😜
I watching to many videos and I feel like I got lost they make it vary hard and I give up but I watch your video and it's really so easy . You really make me day God bless
thanks for this video. would you please show me how to replace the interlock brake switch? do i have to remove the deck? i have model 97288070. i am frustrated and my grass has not been cut for 2 months. i'm at my wits end and hate this mower. thanks.
so i watched another video first kinda freaked out and then i saw your you made it very easy and i feel less like a girl who isnt getting her lawn done. city girl gone country acre of property with grass to my knees in places. you made me feel as though i got this lol
I wish I had done a better job of filming it. I didn't know this video would get so many views. When I put it up, I had maybe 50 subscribers.😂 I'm glad it helped you out though. Cheers, Greg 😎
I have a dyt 4000 with the push-pull blade engage button. It goes on the same I assume.....is there a lever on the bottom side that takes the tension off or does the button in the blades off position do that? I thought it would be worth a shot asking as I cant find any vid explaining the process for my exact mower .....they all show deck removal. Nice vid btw
I have the 95x1/2 belt but it won't go over the second drive pulley. Is this caused by the guide pulleys being out of position to allow for slack. I have a problem in that my blades do not disengage when I drop the actuator down, I have to shut the machine off to stop them. how far apart should the guide pulleys be when there is no belt on it? mine are quite close together and I think that is the reason it won't fit or the blades stop.
Thanks! Good to know the deck doesn’t need to be dropped to replace the blade belt. We plan to replace the drive belt and the blade belt. That does mean dropping the deck right? I’ve counted up to 7 cotter pins that need to be pulled to drop the deck. How do you tension/tighten the belt after putting it on?
Yeah, for the drive belt you have to drop it. Take a few shots of the sides and front, sometimes it's helpful later as a reference when you are putting it back on.
What was the length of the belt? I have a DLS3500, it has a 917 model number, I'm thinking the length would be the same, I got the belt that was supposed to go on it, but it's too short, and I'm 100% sure I have the routing right
Are the belts from AutoZone inferior? Think I'm trying the gates from O'Reilly.the autozone ones break about twice a cutting season.thanks for the info
The Gates Green Belts are some of the best belts I've used, it's true that there are belts out there that don't even last a season. It is super important to keep your deck clean, especially around the spindles and Belt guides. Debris and grass will prematurely tear a belt up and wear it down. Also don't forget to grease the spindles, makes them last 10x longer.
What if a part of the belt that shredded into a thin stran is stuck on the center pulley? I cant pull it out. When I pull the stran the middle pulley pulls back. It is stuck in there. Should I just cut it at the pulley at the closest part and hope it throws it out after I get belt on?
I don't understand the bit where you said you tensioned it with the lever? What lever? Where? Please advise.. I have to replace my belt on my own and do not want to drop the deck all the way off if I don't have to thanks
He meant the lever that engages the actual blades. It's not a special lever just for tensioning the belt. Its the lever on the right of the steering wheel that you lift up that goes to the right and makes the blades turn. Hopefully that helps even though you made this comment a month ago.
I had a question how do we make the back part level with the front of the deck? Because the back part is low and it cuts too low and we already tried different ways and we can’t make it get level
I have a 917 series tractor that the 144959 belt is supposed to fit but it's too long (about 5-6 inches.) Does anyone have any ideas how to fix?? I know there's an adjuster on the rod but it cannot adjust enough. The routing of the belt isn't the problem either.
I actually just replaced it with another gates belt. It seems to last longer than the craftsman belt. The knockoffs on eBay are very thin and break or stretch quickly. in the end, you get what you pay for. :-) Thanks for commenting! Cheers, Greg
Had issues w/ rear center rod and a bracket on LH side when I did this....may have screwed up a step, dunno. FYI to anyone else with this problem, its a hell of a lot quicker to pull a cotter or two & do what you have to, than to try and figure out what the hell went wrong! Stellar advice on the left guard though....removed two of the torx screws, broke off the third and pitched that mother!
My belt is completely taught without the tension engaged. I did not miss any retention tabs or route it incorrectly. It is so tight I believe the blades will instantly engage even with the tensioner down so I am afraid to start it. I am fairly certain I was given the wrong belt. Nothing else makes sense to me.
Hey I need your help very much please I’m going crazy !! I have a craftsman 917. Model I need help putting on the rods the right way please!! Can you show me on video please!! It june 2020 thank you for your help and time!! James
No sweat, did the same thing when I changed it the first time. I took the whoke thing apart! 🤣 When I figured out this trick, it was pretty cool, just wish I filmed it better, i was new to TH-cam and never would have guessed it woukd get this many views!
4 months without being able to use my tractor because I didn't know how to put the belt on. Thank you for your video.
So glad this video is still helping people out even though the tractor is no longer working
That great looks easy too do thanks
This was easy thanks to you posting this video. I’m a single woman and it was a life saver for me to be able to fix my riding mower by myself thank you 😊
Glad it helped!
" You don't have to take anything apart, no tools, no bullsh*t" 😂lmao awesome!
Mine is roughly 20 yrs old and still running great; it's really a great little tractor with a lot of power; does a good, quick job on my large back lawn.
Thanks for this video- this is a bit easier than the way I've done it- but I don't like crawling around on my elbows while reaching under the tractor, and I have a crank hoist, so I lift the front of the tractor to make access a little easier. But I hadn't thought of threading the loop up the middle like that- it makes sense , and it's very easy that way- but when you're hot and sweaty and cursing because the belt just snapped and you're trying to finish a mowing*, clear thinking like this can escape you, so thanks again! *I always have a spare belt on hand.
I agree 💯. Mine is 22 years old and it cuts about 6 acres of my grass twice monthly. Great mower!!!
im 2 minutes into the video and im busted up laughing lol i love the way you explain things, and use "garage talk". We're not talking to kindergarteners here!
Just did this...no tools and it took me 5 minutes.....THANK YOU SO MUCH!!!!!
You're welcome!
Thanks for leaving a comment.
Watched other vids that had you dropping the deck... groan! Then found yours, removed the pulley plastic shrouds like you said, and got her done quickly. Thanks!
Thank you! I ended up removing the guards just to get to the pulleys as you demonstrated & unfortunately the guides on my model are not spring guides so I ended up having to loosen the smaller pulleys but in the end, it works. Your video was easy to follow. Plus I enjoyed the added humor. Have a good rest of your weekend
Your welcome.
Thanks for taking the time to film 🎥 this great video! A real time (& agrivation) saver. Also, thanks for the BELT tip!! 😎👍
Glad it helped you out.
Cheers
Greg
thank you brother for the effort. video was surprisingly easy to follow. saved me a LOT of time and effort. Hardest part was getting that plastic cover off. One tip - to get that new belt over the last pulley, just turn one of the blades by hand for extra torque. My tractor was the Craftsman LT1000 v twin , 22 years old still running. Thanks again Ed
I'm glad it helped you out, Ed
Definitely, turning the blade and using it like a lever is a great tip.
This tractor is still running, too but I gave it to my next-door neighbor when his tractor seized up.
Thanks for your kind words.
Cheers, Greg
👊😎
Great and easy to follow video. Thank you, Jay!
THANK YOU for this video! All the other videos on this topic make it sound so complicated that I was afraid to even try to do it myself. I followed your video and was able to get it done no time! I am grateful! (Side note: Ladies - Yes, you CAN do this!)
I like the idea of not having to remove the entire deck to change belts. That's Awesome. I have to replace a broken pulley so , unfortunately, I have to remove the deck. It's for a Craftsman GT5000 48-inch. I've been putting it off for months and I feel guilty lol
I’m glad I watched this first because I was ready to start taking shit apart. Thanks!
Thank you for this video. I really, really didnt want to take the deck off, and after looking at it, didnt think i needed to. You just proved me right. I believe i can do this. 😊
Great video! My mower has been sitting in my storage container because i thought i was going to have to take the damn thing apart. Wish i saw this video 2 months ago. You have yourself a new fan!
Glad the video helped you out!
Brilliant! Manual says to remove the cutting deck. Following your instructions new belt fitted in less then 5 minutes!!!
I wish I did a better job filming it but the info is good.
Glad it helped you out.
Broke my belt last week on a newly purchased used 917 craftsman this is gold! Now to figure out how to remove the guard for east belt replacement!
Mr Quantum Phaser sir , you are the BOSS!! Lol. To begin , I just loved your attitude. You remind me of my pops. Lol. Screw the BS and crap ! Get straight to it and knock it out ! I love that ! Lol. All these other dang videos trying to get me to take apart the whole ENGINE just to replace the belt. Nope. I have this exact mower. Followed your exact instruction, and I’m mowing just fine !! Well done sir. Thank you for this.
Glad it helped you out!
Sorry about the crap video quality, it was one of my earliest videos and I never imagined all these years later it would still be useful.
I gave that tractor to my neighbor years ago but weird that video lives on... 😁👍🚀
Easiest I've seen yet! Thank you very much!
Thank you so much for this video! I'm finding it necessary to do more and more of my own simple repairs, and your tutorial gave me the confidence to try this on my own.
Your welcome, glad it helped you out. Sorry the filming wasn't better. My tutorials have gotten better 😜
@@quantumphaser It was exactly what it needed to be. Perfection is overrated.
Great video not a bunch of verbal excess. Straight forward instructions that get the job done.
brother,that just saved me an hour of work!!! thank you!!
Glad it helped you out 😎👍
I’m going to try it, thanks for the video!
Thanks so much for this video. Made the job of putting on the belt simple.
Glad it helped you out.
Sadly it died 3 days ago, timing chain snapped.
Check out my latest uploads to see the replacement
Cheers,
Greg
Great video, thanks! Videos like this are the best thing about TH-cam
Excellent. Thank you. I hate taking the dam deck off the mower. Thanks again
Your method works great..... my problem was after I fixed that the welding on the belt drive gave way. Got it re-welded and we are up and running. Thanks
Glad it helped
Great 👍🏽! Saved me tons of time over the other vids. I just wish that I had watched this one first.
Glad it helped you out. 😎👍
Worked like a charm! Thanks.
Glad the video helped you out..
Cheers,
Greg
thank you for the simplicity of your method.
Thank you very very much and it definitely makes more sense now! I have the same more about 11 years now. I definitely appreciate your video...
Glad it helped you out.
Thanks for leaving a nice comment.
Cheers,
Greg😎
Well done! Thank you, sir.
Great video Sir. I saw so many videos that people stated you needed to remove the deck. They were wrong and your video proves that. Thank you for taking the time to make the video.
Thank you for your kind comments.
I wish I had someone to hold the camera when shooting this, it would have come out better.
I also had no idea that this many people would watch it. 😜
Thank you, took me about 3 minutes using two hands. Great video
GLAD TO HELP
Thankyou ,I am gratefully you showed me a easy way to change the belt.
I'm glad the video helped you out thanks for leaving a comment
Cheers
Greg
Great vid. I was wondering if I could change the belt w/o removing the deck.....and here you are! LOL
I watching to many videos and I feel like I got lost they make it vary hard and I give up but I watch your video and it's really so easy . You really make me day God bless
Great video!
Ty you made it look easy.
You are the man you're straight up you gave me the part number I got the same exact tractor thank you you made my weekend you're okay my book
Thanks Bro, glad it helped you out!
Cheers
Greg 😎
Thanks! This helped so much I have been trying to fix my mower for a long time and I couldn’t find any videos until I found this.
Glad it helped you out. 😎👍
quantumphaser sadly after mowing a quarter of my field my belt took a dump it was old
@@dribs6141 I switched to the 94 instead of the 95 inch belt since I made this video, it's a better fit.
quantumphaser i did see that my belt was loose. I will try that
Could you send me a link if you have it?
Good video. Liked it, Thank you!
thanks for this video. would you please show me how to replace the interlock brake switch? do i have to remove the deck? i have model 97288070. i am frustrated and my grass has not been cut for 2 months. i'm at my wits end and hate this mower. thanks.
This will be very helpful. Thank you for the video and advice.
Do you have any hints on correcting deck sag at the front of the mower deck seeing as how craftsman left out front scalper wheels?
thanks man for this easy way too do
Glad it helped you out.😎
So easy! Thanks
so i watched another video first kinda freaked out and then i saw your you made it very easy and i feel less like a girl who isnt getting her lawn done. city girl gone country acre of property with grass to my knees in places. you made me feel as though i got this lol
I wish I had done a better job of filming it. I didn't know this video would get so many views.
When I put it up, I had maybe 50 subscribers.😂
I'm glad it helped you out though.
Cheers,
Greg 😎
thanks u get to the issue very quickly without to much unessary chatter
Funny, I was changing the belt on this same tractor at about the same time you watched the video. 🤣
Glad it helped you out.
Like your video, very much. Not having to remove the whole deck.
Glad it helped you out😎👍
Thanks for this!
Glad it helped you out 😎
I have a dyt 4000 with the push-pull blade engage button. It goes on the same I assume.....is there a lever on the bottom side that takes the tension off or does the button in the blades off position do that? I thought it would be worth a shot asking as I cant find any vid explaining the process for my exact mower .....they all show deck removal. Nice vid btw
I have the 95x1/2 belt but it won't go over the second drive pulley. Is this caused by the guide pulleys being out of position to allow for slack. I have a problem in that my blades do not disengage when I drop the actuator down, I have to shut the machine off to stop them. how far apart should the guide pulleys be when there is no belt on it? mine are quite close together and I think that is the reason it won't fit or the blades stop.
quantumphaser How long is the new belt supposed to be?
Thanks!
Thanks! Good to know the deck doesn’t need to be dropped to replace the blade belt. We plan to replace the drive belt and the blade belt. That does mean dropping the deck right? I’ve counted up to 7 cotter pins that need to be pulled to drop the deck. How do you tension/tighten the belt after putting it on?
Never mind about the tension. I saw the other comment about the blade engagement lever tightening the tension.
Yeah, for the drive belt you have to drop it.
Take a few shots of the sides and front, sometimes it's helpful later as a reference when you are putting it back on.
Great idea! I’ve taken pics before of other work (replaced motor cogs on a washing machine) and they do help.
Very helpful & clear instructions
Awesome!!!
What was the length of the belt? I have a DLS3500, it has a 917 model number, I'm thinking the length would be the same, I got the belt that was supposed to go on it, but it's too short, and I'm 100% sure I have the routing right
Are the belts from AutoZone inferior? Think I'm trying the gates from O'Reilly.the autozone ones break about twice a cutting season.thanks for the info
The Gates Green Belts are some of the best belts I've used, it's true that there are belts out there that don't even last a season.
It is super important to keep your deck clean, especially around the spindles and Belt guides. Debris and grass will prematurely tear a belt up and wear it down. Also don't forget to grease the spindles, makes them last 10x longer.
What if a part of the belt that shredded into a thin stran is stuck on the center pulley? I cant pull it out. When I pull the stran the middle pulley pulls back. It is stuck in there. Should I just cut it at the pulley at the closest part and hope it throws it out after I get belt on?
That can be annoying.
I would try to cut as much out as you can. It will eventually come out during use.
I'd just check it after the first mowing.
Do you have a easy way to change drive belt ?
Is this the same with a Murray 42 in 17 hp older craftsman ride mower?
This one is an LX2000'
It has a 19.5 V-Twin and a 42" deck.
You, sir, are a saint
Thank you for that nice comment, I'm glad the video helped you out.☺️👍
what if the belt is bigger even though you took the old belt with you to get the right one?
ive watched 15 videos and yours is the best. blow off the grass next time and it will be perfect. thanks
I don't understand the bit where you said you tensioned it with the lever? What lever? Where? Please advise.. I have to replace my belt on my own and do not want to drop the deck all the way off if I don't have to
thanks
He meant the lever that engages the actual blades. It's not a special lever just for tensioning the belt. Its the lever on the right of the steering wheel that you lift up that goes to the right and makes the blades turn. Hopefully that helps even though you made this comment a month ago.
Yes, exactly.
Thanks, George, I missed this question earlier, sorry.
Thanks, I got it done, no hassle thanks to this video
My mower deck is very sloppy can I tighten it up to make it more rigid
Used a kevlar belt and it was much quieter and will last a lot longer.
Thanks, I'm so glad I watched this video FIRST 🥇🥇🥇🥇🥇🥇 GOD BLESS!!!
Glad it helped you out.😄
Is the blade engage lever what tightens and loosens the pullies?
Correct
This comment saved my sanity. About to give up before I saw this, now it's good to go!
What size length is the belt?
I wish you were my neighbor, no bullshit!
That would be. Awesome 👌
How can I order the steering linkage, mine is exactly like yours.
Good job thanks
the same mower we have and the belt slipped off when a stick got caught in the deck tryed three ways putting it on and blades will not engage
Did the belt stretch?
I had one that stretched out and it was too loose to engage the deck spindles, had to replace it with a new one.
Thanks bud!
Glad to hello, brother.😎👍
My problem is finding someone at the store to direct me to the right belt. What size is it? Mine is 1995- 1998.
great , thanks
Where is the tensioner?
Thank you!
Glad it helped you!
How do you tension the belt? I'm not seeing a lever?
Its the blade engagement lever
Thank you so much! Also thanks for correct belt size
Your welcome😎👍
What is the length for this belt?
I had a question how do we make the back part level with the front of the deck? Because the back part is low and it cuts too low and we already tried different ways and we can’t make it get level
Let me have a look at mine and see where the adjustment is on it.
Ok
I have a 917 series tractor that the 144959 belt is supposed to fit but it's too long (about 5-6 inches.) Does anyone have any ideas how to fix?? I know there's an adjuster on the rod but it cannot adjust enough. The routing of the belt isn't the problem either.
Lifesaver.....
So you do not recommend the belts on Ebay either? Looked at your video, looks pretty simple repair.
I actually just replaced it with another gates belt.
It seems to last longer than the craftsman belt.
The knockoffs on eBay are very thin and break or stretch quickly.
in the end, you get what you pay for. :-)
Thanks for commenting!
Cheers,
Greg
Had issues w/ rear center rod and a bracket on LH side when I did this....may have screwed up a step, dunno. FYI to anyone else with this problem, its a hell of a lot quicker to pull a cotter or two & do what you have to, than to try and figure out what the hell went wrong! Stellar advice on the left guard though....removed two of the torx screws, broke off the third and pitched that mother!
What's the length of the belt?
How did you tension it back down.
It tensions when you engage the PTO lever.
Can you be more specific? I did not change my belt but it’s too loose. Not sure if I need To change it or just tighten?
@@emilyhill1586 on mine had to just get a new belt. They're only Bout 30 bucks. If it doesn't engage the blades just get a new belt.
Nice! How about a video on how to replace a deck with a rust hole without removing the deck? /s/
My belt is completely taught without the tension engaged. I did not miss any retention tabs or route it incorrectly. It is so tight I believe the blades will instantly engage even with the tensioner down so I am afraid to start it. I am fairly certain I was given the wrong belt. Nothing else makes sense to me.
Should be 95" long 1/2" v-belt
the 46 in cut is a little more to it 3 blades 3belts i allways drop the deck makes easy for me
Thank you sir. This was perfect. I appreciate you taking the time to demonstrate
Hey I need your help very much please I’m going crazy !! I have a craftsman 917. Model I need help putting on the rods the right way please!! Can you show me on video please!! It june 2020 thank you for your help and time!! James
belt size ???
Thank you
😁👍
I ran across your vidio last and I was a dumbass and started pulling the pins!!!!!!
No sweat, did the same thing when I changed it the first time.
I took the whoke thing apart! 🤣
When I figured out this trick, it was pretty cool, just wish I filmed it better, i was new to TH-cam and never would have guessed it woukd get this many views!