I have a Toro LX466 riding mower. The drive belt
I have a Toro LX466 riding mower. The drive belt broke, I dropped the deck, removed the broke belt, but now I can't get the new belt over the front drive shaft, under the pully guides.
Garden - Toro - LX466 22HP Lawn Tractor 13RT61RH244
Answers & Comments
How to replace the drive belt on a Toro LX466 Lawn Tractor
1. Jack up the front of the mower-place a couple of blocks under the front wheels (retaining wall blocks from your flower bed work great). Block the back wheels so the mower won't roll off the front blocks.
Remove the battery and battery compartment from under the seat. You can now see the cooling fan blade under the seat. The belt runs from the pulley directly under the fan to the front of the tractor.
Lower the mower deck to its lowest position. Remove the deck hanger rod from the slots in the front of the mower deck.
Remove the metal rod guard below the engine pulley. It's held in place on one side with a bolt, and the other side with a cotter pin.
Take a large pair of channel lock pliers (about 18 in long work great) and clamp them down directly on the engine pulley, but not so tightly you distort the pulley.
Remove the bolt from the pulley. It's a right-handed bolt, so turn it counter-clockwise to remove.
Slide the pulley down the shaft until you can work the belt off. If the belt is too tight, then remove the spring from the idler pulley under the tractor. It's hooked on a bolt near the side of the tractor. You can remove it by grabbing the end of the spring with a pair of needle-nose vise-grips and slipping the end off the bolt. Then remove the old belt from the tractor.
Take a new belt (preferably Kevlar) and start at the back of the tractor (with the pulley under the cooling fan) and thread it through to the front of the tractor. The flat side of the belt rests against the idler pulley with the flat sides.
Work the belt over the engine pulley and slide it back on the shaft. Tighten the bolt on the engine pulley hand tight. Then check the belt to make sure it hasn't slipped out of the groove on the cooling fan pulley.
Clamp the engine pulley with the channel lock pliers and tighten the bolt.
Make sure the belt is routed correctly on the idler pulleys. If you had to remove the spring on the idler pulley, replace it. You can do this by grabbing it with the needle-nose vise-grips and placing it on the bolt-make sure it's above the washer. Then remove the vise-grips and gently pry it over with a small screwdriver until it slips into place.
Replace the metal guard below the engine pulley. Hook the mower deck back onto the deck hanger. Replace the battery compartment and battery. Unblock the mower.