Cub Cadet 2166 Cleanup & Inspection 

Check your double pulley. Most of them have slop in between the pulley and the outer bearing race. Take a hammer and punch and peen the pulley around the top and bottom to keep the bearings in place. This will go a long way towards keep that deck belt going.

These are great tractors. Underappreciated engines and drivetrains.

You seem to be the go to guy. I have a 2166 got for free from church friend. Put on new p t o belt. Replaced bearing in double Pulley and new flat pulley. Bought new belt for deck. No noise from spindles they turn by hand With no problem. Issue is deck belt doesn't seem tight enough, So the blades only fully engage to a working's speed of rotation occasionally. Otherwise they spin very slowly. Really need This to work. Really big yard, Really small budget. My old Handy capped body is not enjoying all of this pulling the deck off and putting it back on. Any ideas would be appreciated.

What belts are you using for the deck and PTO?

@@SolunaGarage I went to a Cub Cadet dealer with the tractor number and identification numbers which I located under the hood. They gave me the correct PTO and deck belt I checked online and it matched I just ordered a new spring the small one for the tensioner

Yeah they didn't prep at all, there is no primer under them. Good light duty tractors though, and easy to operate and service.

Nope, that's a 2166 that came with the 16hp stock.

In this video there was, but I eventually end up replacing it and the front seal. The rear seal was really cooked. Poor thing.

Yes sir. Decent little units, not your average lawn tractor, more of a light duty garden tractor.

@@SolunaGarage Yes, notice that it has 4 lugs on the rear wheels ! A lawn tractor would only have a single nut on the shaft. This is what separates the two machine types. I have a 2206 that needs an overhaul and a complete paint job. The paint did suck back then, but it is a great little tractor.