Lots of comments about the lack of info on connecting the belt to the PTO….I am no mechanic but this was really easy. First I removed both black covers so I could see and be sure the belt was on all pulleys and oriented properly, then I simply got a thick piece of rope and looped it around the silver pulley (whatever it’s called….I said I wasn’t a mechanic) and brought both ends of the rope out towards the back of the mower. Braced a foot on one tire and pulled fairly hard on both ends of the rope with one arm to release the tension on the belt, with the other arm I fed the belt over the PTO (“pulley”) WATCH YOUR FINGERS, WEAR GLOVES. To my surprise, worked perfectly. Replaced the covers after a test run and now mowing seamlessly. I agree though, I watched the video for the same PTO/belt install reason….video is useless for the toughest part to figure out.
This is how I did it but man oh man that spring is strong. I had to have my wife slide the belt on, though. Wasn't a fan of that but she couldn't put enough tension on the spring with our roles reversed. I was trying to see if there was a tool made that makes this safer.
I expect this mower will last several seasons with decent care. th-cam.com/users/postUgkx1VWTrayKBdCKAjzAcZ_Eg4dhHTae3LkN also recommend Also, I ran across the problem with it not starting the 2nd time I used it. There is a safety switch which is pushed in by the chute or mulching piece being attached to the deck. I took the cover off and it wouldn't start. Put it back on, no problem. It takes only a minute with 2 easily accessible wingnuts and no tools. This mower starts up first crank each time and it is a joy to use. It also mows in reverse by putting the key to the reverse area after starting and pushing in the triangular button. It will stay in reverse mode until you turn it off. All in all, for my homeowner needs, I really like this mower-and at 70 bucks a cut here in Miami, it's already more than 1/3 paid for itself in a month.
@@jamesbasedgod1389 You probably figured out that you have to put the belt on the left spindle pulley last, using leverage on the spring-loaded idler to allow enough slack in the belt to slip it on the left spindle pulley. Hopefully, others will see my comments and follow the procedure to a successful outcome. Cheers.
@@1973deepee Yeeees sir, you're exactly right. God help you if your belt is brand new, it was torture. I thought I was gonna cry lol, I tried everything from taking the spring off to trying different pulleys. But eventually I realized bracing my feet against something for leverage, and pushing with Herculean might to get it over that left front pulley was my best option. Basically, to anyone watching. Your best bet is to sack up and just do it.
@@jamesbasedgod1389 I used a long tire tool, the kind used to remove motorcycle tires and such. It slipped easily into the bracket and was long enough to give plenty of leverage so that my decidedly-less-than-Herculean musclulature could handle it with relative ease.
@@jamesbasedgod1389 Taking the spring off worked for me, having those idler pulleys loose allows you the leverage to get the belt around everything. Now putting the spring back on, that's the hard part. But in no way as hard as stretching the belt back to the PTO pulley when the spring is connected
What I did was to park the mower behind the car, which has a trailer hitch. To the hitch, I attached a hook. To the hook, I attached a come-along. To the come-along, I looped one of those straps that has the quick-release cam snap, and looped the strap around the mounting arm to the pulley with the spring. Operate the come-along to extend the spring. All you have to do is take the 2 pulley covers off of either side, thread the belt around the way it shows on the deck, and run-on the belt at any of the pulleys. Very easy. No need to take the deck off at all. Then just put the pulley covers back on and you're all set. Much quicker than shown above, and easier. I have a couple of pix showing the strap engaged with the pulley-arm, but there doesn't seem to be a way to include pix here. But anway, really easy like that.
Its probably because I am weak. But What I do is back the mower close to a tree. I used a chain around the tree with a come along on that end and tied a heavy rope looped around the tensioner pulley. Ratchet the come along enough to remove the tension on the belt and remove. Same thing to reinstall it. Its way to tight to put on by hand.
Is there some kind of trick to hold the tensioner loose to allow attachment of the belt to the motor pulley? That was the reason for watching the video and the only difficult part of the job. It seems odd that piece is not in the video.
U are taking more risk messing with the battery and take the spark plug loose, lol. Just take the key put and put in ur pocket if u that scared I just put my belt on with key in it battery hooked up and spark plug ready to go so when I was done I Crunk it right up and took off
@@rustyshackleford1040 Just make a hook from 3mm wire (thinner will be too weak, thicker will get in the way when attaching). I used handle bow wire from old bucket. My swearing ended with this tool, though definitely no respect points for the engineer.
This is the answer right here. You route the entire belt with the idler spring off so you're not straining like crazy to get the belt back to the PTO motor pulley. It still takes a bit of strength to get the spring attached when the belt is routed, but in no way as hard as doing it any other way.
Awful; yes. All they had to do was add a simple step. You probably know by now, but as I explained in a previous comment, it's really easy if you install the belt on the left spindle pulley last, using leverage in the spring-loaded idler to allow plenty of slack to slip the belt around the left spindle pulley. Easy peasy.
Don't leave the PTO pulley for last when you're putting on the belt, it's way too hard to stretch it back that far. What I did was leave the idler spring coil off while I put the entire belt on, you get enough leverage to get the belt around everything when that spring isn't back in place yet and the idler pulley is loose. Then once the belt is in place, all you have to do is connect the idler spring coil back into position. It's still going to take some strength, but it's so much easier than having to stretch that belt back to the PTO pulley as a last step
On the top of the mowers deck is a large spring on a pulley that is probably seized and should be loosened, cleaned and made to move back and forth allowing the spring to stretch when the pulley is moved. THIS is the biggest problem with belt issues on this mower. BEFORE YOU PULL THE DECK UP, BE SURE FRONT BAR IS IN PLACE AND ALL THE WAY IN, PLACE BELT BACK ON REAR DRIVE AT MOTOR, THEN BRING UP THE REAR DECK ONTO IT'S HANGERS. Good luck!
The one thing nobody mentioned. They take the positive side off the battery. Then say, make sure it doesn't touch any metal. Maybe take off the negative, because it's neg. grounded, and you won't have to worry about touching metal. problem solved. Who makes these videos? Obviuosly not a mechanic or even an engineer. Makes your brand look like no one has a brain designing these machines.
You dont have to take the deck off. The way i did it was route the belt around all of the pulleys so that the last thing you have to do is pull the bastard spring on the tensioner pulley back toward the outside and hook onto the catch welded to the deck. This is where the trouble starts. The damn spring is to heavy to pull. Cut a 1/4 inch off of the loop at the end of the spring that you will be trying to pull and hook up. This will give you the clearance to come alongside the catch and push over right into it. Cutting the spring will not affect its ability to hold in place. I pulled the pulley cover off on the discharge side to give me more room. If you are a big ole farmboy you might be able to pull the spring with some vice grips but there will be a lot of tension on the spring so be careful. Wear some leather gloves. I am not a big old farmboy so i had to use a 5/16 rod about 30 inches long with a hook on one end and a handle welded to the other end. I sat down and pulled the spring towards me and used my foot to push it into place. Huge pain in the ass. You might be able to use a cable or chain with a handle on it. It would have been a little easier if i had help so one guy pulls and the other guy pushes the spring over into place. Dont waste your time taking the deck off. Cut a 1/4 or more off the end of the loop of the spring. I hope this helps someone. This was on a troy bilt but same exact set up.
I am a woman and have taken the deck off every year to clean and install new blades. I explained above in comments how I used a come along on a tree to take tension off that tensioner pulley. Its more to set up but easy to do.
Please redo video. You did not at all explain the most important part. . . how to connect to the back drive shaft pulley. . . I'll study on it and try to figure out a way to pry the spring back (hoping it is set up to easily do so).
Dang Cub cadet. Thanks for nothing. No instructions on hooking the belt to the pto. How dumb. To disconnect belt from motor and to make it a lot easier to reconnect the belt to the motor, loosen the two jam nuts on the front hanger bracket as much as possible. To reconnect, I was able to sit down behind the mower, slide my feet and legs under and use my feet to push the deck forward. I did need another person to make sure the front hook engaged into the deck. Then, tighten the Jam nuts back to where they were.
Yeah and show how the manual says there is a square hole in the tensioner arm for a breaker bar that isn't really there. Show how there is no room to get a pry bar in. Show a bunch of throwing tools and cussing and wishing you bought something else. What a joke...doesn't show the one part people really need help with!
I totally agree. I've got a Cub Cadet RZT 42. Why is it so difficult to get this deck off. All the videos I've watched make it look so simple. All the PDFs, even the manual and service manual make it seem so easy. Where is the square hole in the tensioner bar? Work from the middle it says, pulling on the tensioner pulley. Maybe with a childs hand and arm, there's no room for that. Pull on the belt and remove from the engine pulley, right I about lost a couple fingers trying that trick. Even figuring out how to change the oil was a pain. Grant it like the zero turn, but why so difficult to work on. I took my old John Deere L110 riding mower completely apart, except for the frame and engine. To change out the defective two piece gas tank, with a one piece. It was a challenge, but it wasn't this difficult. Got a great deal on the Cub Cadet, hope it holds out till spring when I can get it serviced.
I wonder why "ALL BELT DRIVEN RIDING MOWER DECKS FAN BELTS ARE LOOPED WRONG". Idiots! Every riding mower I haver ever owned I have had to go back and re-engineer the belt on how it is looped.
… at 1:19 there’s a FUCKLOAD of slack, and then it just … never gets connected to the clutch pulley…? I understand Cud Cadets are shit products, but this is ridiculous…
I guess the belt just magically attaches itself to the PTO Pulley on the motor
Darren P thru reverse osmosis
Jfm
And that was why I was watching
Always have to have a dumbshit leave smart ass comment, I for one thank you for the video.
Crazy. All I wanted to see what how they did that part
Lots of comments about the lack of info on connecting the belt to the PTO….I am no mechanic but this was really easy. First I removed both black covers so I could see and be sure the belt was on all pulleys and oriented properly, then I simply got a thick piece of rope and looped it around the silver pulley (whatever it’s called….I said I wasn’t a mechanic) and brought both ends of the rope out towards the back of the mower. Braced a foot on one tire and pulled fairly hard on both ends of the rope with one arm to release the tension on the belt, with the other arm I fed the belt over the PTO (“pulley”) WATCH YOUR FINGERS, WEAR GLOVES. To my surprise, worked perfectly. Replaced the covers after a test run and now mowing seamlessly. I agree though, I watched the video for the same PTO/belt install reason….video is useless for the toughest part to figure out.
This is how I did it but man oh man that spring is strong. I had to have my wife slide the belt on, though. Wasn't a fan of that but she couldn't put enough tension on the spring with our roles reversed. I was trying to see if there was a tool made that makes this safer.
Come on Finish the video showing how to attach the belt to the motor and how difficult to get the belt on!
Fucken video. Agreed with u.
Excellent! That layout worked for my ZT1 50 and gave me the missing piece of setup. Thank you!
I expect this mower will last several seasons with decent care. th-cam.com/users/postUgkx1VWTrayKBdCKAjzAcZ_Eg4dhHTae3LkN also recommend Also, I ran across the problem with it not starting the 2nd time I used it. There is a safety switch which is pushed in by the chute or mulching piece being attached to the deck. I took the cover off and it wouldn't start. Put it back on, no problem. It takes only a minute with 2 easily accessible wingnuts and no tools. This mower starts up first crank each time and it is a joy to use. It also mows in reverse by putting the key to the reverse area after starting and pushing in the triangular button. It will stay in reverse mode until you turn it off. All in all, for my homeowner needs, I really like this mower-and at 70 bucks a cut here in Miami, it's already more than 1/3 paid for itself in a month.
Yeah you forgot to connect the belt onto the engine pully and reassembly. Ironically that was one of the main reasons I watched this video.
We're all in the same boat lol
@@jamesbasedgod1389 You probably figured out that you have to put the belt on the left spindle pulley last, using leverage on the spring-loaded idler to allow enough slack in the belt to slip it on the left spindle pulley. Hopefully, others will see my comments and follow the procedure to a successful outcome. Cheers.
@@1973deepee Yeeees sir, you're exactly right. God help you if your belt is brand new, it was torture. I thought I was gonna cry lol, I tried everything from taking the spring off to trying different pulleys. But eventually I realized bracing my feet against something for leverage, and pushing with Herculean might to get it over that left front pulley was my best option.
Basically, to anyone watching.
Your best bet is to sack up and just do it.
@@jamesbasedgod1389 I used a long tire tool, the kind used to remove motorcycle tires and such. It slipped easily into the bracket and was long enough to give plenty of leverage so that my decidedly-less-than-Herculean musclulature could handle it with relative ease.
@@jamesbasedgod1389 Taking the spring off worked for me, having those idler pulleys loose allows you the leverage to get the belt around everything. Now putting the spring back on, that's the hard part. But in no way as hard as stretching the belt back to the PTO pulley when the spring is connected
What I did was to park the mower behind the car, which has a trailer hitch. To the hitch, I attached a hook. To the hook, I attached a come-along. To the come-along, I looped one of those straps that has the quick-release cam snap, and looped the strap around the mounting arm to the pulley with the spring. Operate the come-along to extend the spring. All you have to do is take the 2 pulley covers off of either side, thread the belt around the way it shows on the deck, and run-on the belt at any of the pulleys. Very easy. No need to take the deck off at all. Then just put the pulley covers back on and you're all set. Much quicker than shown above, and easier. I have a couple of pix showing the strap engaged with the pulley-arm, but there doesn't seem to be a way to include pix here. But anway, really easy like that.
Kinda how I do it . any solid object you can hook to to use the come a long.
Thanks for the help first belt I put on wrong got eat watch your video working great 👍😃
Its probably because I am weak. But What I do is back the mower close to a tree. I used a chain around the tree with a come along on that end and tied a heavy rope looped around the tensioner pulley. Ratchet the come along enough to remove the tension on the belt and remove. Same thing to reinstall it. Its way to tight to put on by hand.
You jumped from sliding the deck under to put on a belt covers and firing it up but forgot to hook it up to the motor
Video shows easy part only, no help what so ever. Video stopped without showing how install on motor pulley!
Is there some kind of trick to hold the tensioner loose to allow attachment of the belt to the motor pulley?
That was the reason for watching the video and the only difficult part of the job. It seems odd that piece is not in the video.
Because it's a bitch to put on and they didn't want to do it for the video
Show how hard it is to put belt on and how much tension the spring has when rolling belt back on.
U are taking more risk messing with the battery and take the spark plug loose, lol. Just take the key put and put in ur pocket if u that scared I just put my belt on with key in it battery hooked up and spark plug ready to go so when I was done I Crunk it right up and took off
Just to be safe, I removed the seat and wheels too. 😂
I removed the tension spring to put mine on then reattached the spring. Made it a lot easier to change the belt.
mcleod55 nice job
mcleod55 problem i have is the spring .
Kevin Dawson Me too. Anyone have advice on getting the spring back on without getting a hernia?
@@rustyshackleford1040 Just make a hook from 3mm wire (thinner will be too weak, thicker will get in the way when attaching). I used handle bow wire from old bucket. My swearing ended with this tool, though definitely no respect points for the engineer.
This is the answer right here. You route the entire belt with the idler spring off so you're not straining like crazy to get the belt back to the PTO motor pulley. It still takes a bit of strength to get the spring attached when the belt is routed, but in no way as hard as doing it any other way.
Almost lost my finger trying to get the belt on the motor pulley. This is an awful video.
Awful; yes. All they had to do was add a simple step. You probably know by now, but as I explained in a previous comment, it's really easy if you install the belt on the left spindle pulley last, using leverage in the spring-loaded idler to allow plenty of slack to slip the belt around the left spindle pulley. Easy peasy.
Don't leave the PTO pulley for last when you're putting on the belt, it's way too hard to stretch it back that far. What I did was leave the idler spring coil off while I put the entire belt on, you get enough leverage to get the belt around everything when that spring isn't back in place yet and the idler pulley is loose. Then once the belt is in place, all you have to do is connect the idler spring coil back into position. It's still going to take some strength, but it's so much easier than having to stretch that belt back to the PTO pulley as a last step
@@1973deepee You're right. This is the way I do it now. Much easier.
On the top of the mowers deck is a large spring on a pulley that is probably seized and should be loosened, cleaned and made to move back and forth allowing the spring to stretch when the pulley is moved. THIS is the biggest problem with belt issues on this mower. BEFORE YOU PULL THE DECK UP, BE SURE FRONT BAR IS IN PLACE AND ALL THE WAY IN, PLACE BELT BACK ON REAR DRIVE AT MOTOR, THEN BRING UP THE REAR DECK ONTO IT'S HANGERS. Good luck!
My 60 inch deck weighs a ton. I wish it moved that smoothly
How to replace drive belt
Routing thee belt was the reason for video.....that wasn't shown
I noticed you don’t have any guards to keep the belt on tension pulleys!
The one thing nobody mentioned. They take the positive side off the battery. Then say, make sure it doesn't touch any metal. Maybe take off the negative, because it's neg. grounded, and you won't have to worry about touching metal. problem solved. Who makes these videos? Obviuosly not a mechanic or even an engineer. Makes your brand look like no one has a brain designing these machines.
I wanted to know how you dealt with that bastard spring, but you chickened out.
You dont have to take the deck off. The way i did it was route the belt around all of the pulleys so that the last thing you have to do is pull the bastard spring on the tensioner pulley back toward the outside and hook onto the catch welded to the deck. This is where the trouble starts. The damn spring is to heavy to pull. Cut a 1/4 inch off of the loop at the end of the spring that you will be trying to pull and hook up. This will give you the clearance to come alongside the catch and push over right into it. Cutting the spring will not affect its ability to hold in place. I pulled the pulley cover off on the discharge side to give me more room. If you are a big ole farmboy you might be able to pull the spring with some vice grips but there will be a lot of tension on the spring so be careful. Wear some leather gloves. I am not a big old farmboy so i had to use a 5/16 rod about 30 inches long with a hook on one end and a handle welded to the other end. I sat down and pulled the spring towards me and used my foot to push it into place. Huge pain in the ass. You might be able to use a cable or chain with a handle on it. It would have been a little easier if i had help so one guy pulls and the other guy pushes the spring over into place. Dont waste your time taking the deck off. Cut a 1/4 or more off the end of the loop of the spring. I hope this helps someone. This was on a troy bilt but same exact set up.
I am a woman and have taken the deck off every year to clean and install new blades. I explained above in comments how I used a come along on a tree to take tension off that tensioner pulley. Its more to set up but easy to do.
You guys, it's not that big a deal. Just have a good handyman.
Left off the hardest part.. guess you didn't want people to see the real struggle
Skipping the clutch pulley belt part.
I need to know how to change the idler pulleys not the belt. Any dummy can do that.
Please redo video. You did not at all explain the most important part. . . how to connect to the back drive shaft pulley. . . I'll study on it and try to figure out a way to pry the spring back (hoping it is set up to easily do so).
no need to disconnect all that stuf ha
Dang Cub cadet. Thanks for nothing. No instructions on hooking the belt to the pto. How dumb.
To disconnect belt from motor and to make it a lot easier to reconnect the belt to the motor, loosen the two jam nuts on the front hanger bracket as much as possible. To reconnect, I was able to sit down behind the mower, slide my feet and legs under and use my feet to push the deck forward. I did need another person to make sure the front hook engaged into the deck. Then, tighten the Jam nuts back to where they were.
Yeah and show how the manual says there is a square hole in the tensioner arm for a breaker bar that isn't really there. Show how there is no room to get a pry bar in. Show a bunch of throwing tools and cussing and wishing you bought something else. What a joke...doesn't show the one part people really need help with!
if
I totally agree. I've got a Cub Cadet RZT 42. Why is it so difficult to get this deck off. All the videos I've watched make it look so simple. All the PDFs, even the manual and service manual make it seem so easy. Where is the square hole in the tensioner bar? Work from the middle it says, pulling on the tensioner pulley. Maybe with a childs hand and arm, there's no room for that. Pull on the belt and remove from the engine pulley, right I about lost a couple fingers trying that trick. Even figuring out how to change the oil was a pain. Grant it like the zero turn, but why so difficult to work on.
I took my old John Deere L110 riding mower completely apart, except for the frame and engine. To change out the defective two piece gas tank, with a one piece. It was a challenge, but it wasn't this difficult. Got a great deal on the Cub Cadet, hope it holds out till spring when I can get it serviced.
I wonder why "ALL BELT DRIVEN RIDING MOWER DECKS FAN BELTS ARE LOOPED WRONG". Idiots! Every riding mower I haver ever owned I have had to go back and re-engineer the belt on how it is looped.
… at 1:19 there’s a FUCKLOAD of slack, and then it just … never gets connected to the clutch pulley…?
I understand Cud Cadets are shit products, but this is ridiculous…
Whoever makes these videos for Cub Cadet needs to be fired.
You didn't show how to put it on the pto pulley. What a joke. Real professional Cub Cadet! Click bait!
This is official manual, its not my fault
SMH
a total waste
This video is useless bc you never showed the belt path.
Awful
thanks for nothing man!
This was sooooo worthless