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How to Alter a Lawn Mower Hydro Belt

​The quick guide to replacing transaxle d​rive belts.

Hydro belts, transaxle drive belts, hydrostatic drive belts and ground drive belts. Different terminology, aforementioned thing. Any you call it, its office is to transfer power from the engine to the transaxles, powering the drive wheels on a zero plow backyard mower. Without this belt, the wheels wouldn't plow, and that's why information technology'south important to check this belt for cracks and other signs of wear often and to supplant when necessary.

What are signs of backyard grand​ower belt wear?

  • The chugalug has sidewall damage

Mower belt edges should exist smooth and even throughout the unabridged length of the chugalug. If even a pocket-sized portion of the chugalug is worn, it's at risk of breaking and should exist replaced.​

  • The belt has a glazed or burned sidewall.

Look at the chugalug edge that contacts the pulleys. If it appears shiny, glazed or burned, information technology will need to be replaced.

  • The belt is croaky.

If the belt appears brittle and is deteriorating to the bespeak that information technology has cracks, even shallow cracks, it's at high chance of breaking and needs to be replaced.​

When to ​​replace a mower belt

Gravely® suggests replacing a hydrostatic bulldoze belt every bit shortly as it shows signs of wear. Though the recommendations outlined in Gravely operator's manuals suggest a chugalug will last for a expert portion of the mowing season, taking an extra minute or two each twenty-four hour period to ensure the belt is without cracks, burns or impairment, could pay for itself. Even if the chugalug hints at signs of vesture, it's worth replacing. It may cost a little extra fourth dimension in the shop and a few extra dollars per twelvemonth, only the assurance of having a belt that won't snap on the jobsite is worth every infinitesimal and dollar spent.​

Where to buy ex​​tra lawn mower belts

No matter how healthy the supply of Gravely OEM belts is at our distribution centers, a dealer could exist wiped out of their inventory on any given day during the busy flavour. Don't put yourself at the mercy of a dealer's supply. Stock upwardly on belts early and go on extras on hand. Breaking a chugalug in the field is enough of a challenge, but not having a replacement belt to become a mower back in business organisation will turn a couple hours of downtime into a couple days of downtime.

Don't be risk being regretful. Keep extra Gravely OEM belts on paw by stocking up now at your local Gravely dealer.

How to modify hy​dro belts

Gravely dealers are your best resource for service help, but immediate service isn't guaranteed during the busy flavour. If yous piece of work with a dealer who doesn't e'er have capacity to repair your motorcar at a moment's find, consider learning unproblematic procedures, like belt replacements, yourself. Gravely commercial backyard mowers are designed and so most people can complete light service tasks like belt replacements on their ain and without special tools.

The following guide shows how to supersede the hydrostatic drive chugalug on a Gravely ZT Hard disk series cipher turn lawn mower, which is identical to the procedure for the Gravely Pro-Turn® Z and Gravely Pro-Plow ZX mowers. It's as well very similar to the belt replacement procedure for Pro-Turn, Pro-Plough 100, Pro-Turn 200 and Pro-Plow 400 serial of zilch turn lawn mowers.​

Before y'all first service, remember to park the unit on a flat, level surface, engage the parking brake, stop the engine, remove the key from the ignition and to wait for all moving parts to stop and for hot parts to absurd. Additionally, reread the safety instructions in the operator's manual for your unit and to follow along with the procedural instructions outlined in the manual.

Hydro Belt Re​​moval​

​​one. Remove the left chugalug embrace.

2. While wearing safe goggles, remove the PTO idler spring hook from the ballast bolt with a leap puller or similar tool.

3. Remove the PTO belt from the clutch pulley at the rear of the unit of measurement.

4. Release the mower deck transport lock and place the mower deck at its lowest cutting meridian.

v. While wearing safety goggles, remove the hydrostatic drive idler spring claw from the anchor bolt with a leap puller or similar tool.

six. Remove the hardware retaining the clutch stop bracket to the frame and remove the clutch cease bracket.

7. Disconnect the wire harness from the clutch.

8. Undo the hydro drive belt from either the left or right transaxle caster, then push the loose belt length toward the interior of the unit.

9. Remove the hydro drive belt from around the engine drive pulley and over the clutch.

10. Remove the hydro drive belt from the remaining transaxle pulley, remove the chugalug and discard.​​​

Hydro Chugalug Insta​​​​llation​

​one. Feed the hydro drive belt from above the transaxle and toward the unit of measurement interior from either the left or right side of the unit of measurement. Engage the belt effectually the transaxle pulley on whichever side the chugalug was fed into.

2. Bring the hydro drive belt over the clutch and around the engine drive pulley, then install the belt around the remaining transaxle pulley.

3. While wearing rubber goggles, utilize a spring puller or similar tool to reengage the hydro idler spring around the anchor commodities. Ensure the hydro belt has tension and is aligned in all pulleys.

4. Reconnect the wire harness to the clutch.

v. Align the clutch stop bracket with the slot in the clutch and the ii holes in the frame. Secure the bracket to the frame with the two original tapping screws.

vi. Reinstall the PTO belt around the clutch pulley.

7. Marshal the PTO chugalug with all spindle and idler pulleys on the mower deck.

8. While wearing safe goggles, use a spring puller or similar tool to reinstall the PTO idler spring around the anchor commodities.

9. Ensure the PTO belt has tension and is aligned in all pulleys.

10. Reinstall the chugalug cover and secure with the original hardware.