Belt Removal

• 1). Disconnect the spark plug and secure the plug lead away from the spark plug to prevent accidental contact while working.
  
  
• 2). Remove the fuel tank cap. Place a thin piece of sheet plastic over the tank filler. Screw the cap back on and tighten it to prevent fuel leaking through the vent hole.
  
  
• 3). Move the mower shift lever into the first position. Tip the mower on its side with the carburetor facing upward.
  
  
• 4). Jam a thick wooden wedge between the mower blade and the housing to prevent the blade from turning. Remove the center bolt securing the blade to the crankshaft with a socket wrench. Lift the blade adapter, wave washer, spacer, and blade from the mower and put them on one side.
  
  
• 5). Scrape the layer of compacted grass from the underside of the mower housing with a putty knife. Spray the housing clean with a garden hose. Move the mower onto a clean flat area such as the garage entrance. Lower the rear height-adjusting lever to the sixth position before tipping the mower back on its side.
  
  
• 6). Remove the three hex screws securing the round grass catcher baffle to the underside of the mower with a 3/8 socket wrench. Pivot the baffle toward the rear of the mower to reveal the square transmission assembly bolted to to underside of the mower.
  
  
• 7). Locate the bolt securing the transmission to the mower housing on the outer left rear face of the housing. Remove the bolt with a socket wrench.
  
  
• 8). Tilt the square transmission assembly forward to ease the slack on the drive belt and to reveal the transmission pulley.
  
  
• 9). Locate the small idler pulley on the lower left of the transmission pulley. Undo the central idler pulley bolt lock nut with two opposing 7/16 wrenches, and undo the idler pulley bolt half a turn.
  
  
• 10
  
  Pull the belt keeper bracket attached to the side of the idler pulley from the slot in the idler pulley with a pair of pliers. Rotate the bracket to the left so that it clears idler pulley and the belt.
  
  
• 11
  
  Slide the V belt out from between the belt keeper and the idler pulley.
  
  
• 12
  
  Squeeze the two sides of the belt together and push the belt forward. Clamp the belt lightly together with a pair of vice-grip pliers.
  
  
• 13
  
  Push the large tapered pivoting speed control arm spanning the underside of the mower toward the deck. Slide the three-speed control cable attached to the top end of the control arm out of its slot.
  
  
• 14
  
  Pivot the control arm away from the idler pulley and push it downward to clear the crankshaft pulley and belt. Remove the vice-grip pliers to release tension on the belt.
  
  
• 15
  
  Grip the outside of the belt surrounding the central split crankshaft pulley and pull it upward to separate the two halves of the split pulley. Raise the lower half of the split crankshaft pulley assembly with your fingers. Remove the worn belt from around the crankshaft split pulley, the idler pulley, and the transmission pulley.
  
  

Belt Replacement

• 1). Thread a new Troy-Bilt drive belt over the transmission pulley so that the V side of the belt is seated in the pulley groove.
  
  
• 2). Feed the flat side of the new belt over the idler pulley so that the V shaped belt section faces outward. Thread the belt between the idler pulley and the previously displaced belt keeper bracket.
  
  
• 3). Rotate the belt keeper bracket back into place with a pair of pliers until it snaps into the slot on the idler bracket attached to the idler pulley.
  
  
• 4). Tighten the central idler pulley bolt half a turn and then tighten the lock nut with an opposing pair of 7/16 wrenches.
  
  
• 5). Place the belt between the two halves of the split crankshaft pulley with the belt routed on the inside of the belt guard pin in the idler pulley bracket.
  
  
• 6). Squeeze the two halves of the belt together and push the lower half of the split crankshaft pulley toward the engine.
  
  
• 7). Raise the control arm and pivot it inward so that it snaps back to its original position spanning the underside of the mower; this will cover the upper half of the split crankshaft pulley and force it down, squeezing the two halves of the crankshaft pulley together.
  
  
• 8). Re-install the three-speed cable on the end of the control arm. Tilt the transmission assembly back into place. Insert the bolt removed earlier and tighten it securely with a socket wrench.
  
  
• 9). Pivot the grass catcher baffle back into place and secure it with the three 3/8 hex head screws removed earlier.
  
  
• 10
  
  Lubricate the blade adapter with a thin layer of mower engine oil, and replace the cutting blade by reversing the steps carried out earlier. Wedge the blade with a block of wood and tighten the securing bolt with a torque wrench set to 600 inch/lbs.
  
  
• 11
  
  Lower the mower back onto its wheels. Remove the plastic from under the filter cap and replace the spark plug lead to complete the installation.