V-Belt Question

Chip Hacket

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Ok so this is pretty far off topic. But you guys really are the best. So here it goes.

Changing the ground drive belt on my Craftsman garden tractor. The manual says the belt is routed as shown below. Problem is the belt I removed was routed as I have colored in green. The red circle is the steering column and as you can see it goes through the middle of the belt. So in order to remove the belt I had to cut it. I have the new belt installed as per the instructions and it does in fact work, however the back of the belt rubs on the steering column. I believe the original rubbed slightly but not as bad. The pulley is really more to the left as I indicated hence not as bad a rub.

Really what need to know is it ok for the back side of a belt to rub? I wouldn't design it that way, but is that an allowable shortcut? I really do appreciate you guys input.
upload_2017-5-16_17-7-58.png

--Chip
 
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This is a picture taken under the garden tractor.
upload_2017-5-16_17-19-58.png

Kinda hard to get a good picture. Not much room under there. Wife says I should lose weight. She may have a point.

--Chip

upload_2017-5-16_17-19-1.png
 
Is there a way to use a longer belt (if needed) and adjust pulley "C" more to the right and avoid any rubbing? The belt probably shouldn't rub on either side.
In lieu of that I would just leave it the way you have it and see what happens. Probably not much difference between wrong option 1 and wrong option 2!!
 
Thanks Groundhog. Pulley C does not adjust. I considered making a larger pulley to replace it. But I can't help but think hundreds of people must have faced this situation before. I was actually able to speak with a live Craftsman tech and he said well that's the way it goes on. Just doesn't seem right to me.


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Chip,

I have an old Wheel horse and it has an idler(flat pulley) that rolls on the back side of the V Belt. You don't want
any belt to rub.
 
how old is this mower. I have a craftsman sitting in the yard, Would have to jack it up in few days to get to it to take a look.
my other one is a Hus, it may be different. I just had epidural cortisone injections in my spine so have to take it easy for a few days. but will look after that.
 
The green routing looks like a no no. It will last much better on the other side of the column it looks like from the drawing. Pulley C and the one below it are the clutch? Do they pivot when the clutch pedal is pushed in?
Or is it a hydrostatic and those pulleys are fixed?
 
how old is this mower. I have a craftsman sitting in the yard, Would have to jack it up in few days to get to it to take a look.
my other one is a Hus, it may be different. I just had epidural cortisone injections in my spine so have to take it easy for a few days. but will look after that.
Thanks Ken. I really don't want you messing around with an old heavy mower on my behalf after having injections. I certainly do value your input though. As of right now I need to put the deck on and mow the yard. It's looking a bit snaky about now. I'm hoping I don't end up dragging it back to the shop!?? I'll let you know.

--Chip
 
The green routing looks like a no no. It will last much better on the other side of the column it looks like from the drawing. Pulley C and the one below it are the clutch? Do they pivot when the clutch pedal is pushed in?
Or is it a hydrostatic and those pulleys are fixed?
Thanks for the help. Pulley "C" and the one below do pivot when the clutch pedal is pushed in. I think the green routing looks worse in the diagram because Pulley "C" is shown more in the middle. In reality it is more to the left as noted in the diagram. Guess I'm going to go with the way it is for now. Hopefully I won't be tearing this thing apart again anytime soon. It's a quite a pain. I am worried about the belt rub though.

--Chip
 
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I agree with rgray that the green routing is not right. As weird as engineers sometimes get I wouldn't think even one of them would design a system that required pulling the steering shaft to replace. I also agree that the belt rubbing on the back side (or either side) is not right either.

What year and model is this tractor? I have an out of state friend who works (as a book keeper - not a mechanic) for a mower repair company. I can ask him next time I talk to him if his guys have run across this before. I'm interested now and curious to find out what is going on!
 
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