You brought up the BIG point of contention I had in installing the new drive belt. Until I released the brake it was impossible to get it on. Thanks for the aid..............
Take photos of the underside config first before starting. Craftsman DYT4000 Kohler 26HP V-Twin is my mower. Important to utilize the deck height handle to facilitate the repair. When pulling off the cotter pins, be sure to spin them upwards first to pull them more easily. Spin them hanging downward after putting back in at end. Remember to disconnect the wire harness to the electric clutch BEFORE loosening the crankshaft bolt and removing the clutch/lower crank pulley. Why? Because the clutch is as heavy as a dumbbell and you'll need both hands to set it aside. Be careful if under the mower, that clutch could fall on you or your head if not ready for it. The wiring connector is best pryed initially from the side at the end where a tiny plastic nub/tab hides that keeps the two parts of the harness connected. After prying around that tiny nub w a very small screwdriver, you can use snaplock pliers to tug each part apart and thereby disconnect the electric clutch. Spray the connector's insides with rubbing alcohol and use toothpicks to clean and apply conductive grease. If the crankshaft nut is stuck, consider sliding a clean nylon rope up in a spark plug hole. (My neighbor pushed the cylinder closed first by gently sliding a screwdriver in through the spark plug hole--dunno, but surprisingly it worked &didnt damage). The nylon is soft, may have to melt the strands/ end of the rope together. Goes in maybe 10" so get couple feet. When you loosen the cranknut, the engine will bite into the nylon and lock the engine from turning. (May hear a soft chomp noise, no worries). Leave the rope in spark plug hole for tightening the nut after replacing the trans belt. When ready to remove the rope, turn the crankpulley a tad to allow the engine to release the rope and then pull gently out. Some people feel this is a risky trick but worked ok for me. Remember to lube the cotter pins when reattaching the deck, spun upwards on entry, then downwards to fasten. IMO easier to attach one side of deck first then other. Don't forget the cross bar brace/pin at rear of deck.
Thanks, your tips should save me time working out my belt replacement . I have a manual transmission and a brand new Lawnmower Jack. It's time to see how the Jack works out.
this is old one , but jack the front of mower up , you have room to remove the bolt and spindle then remove belt , if not the motor just turn , they be pin inside the pully don't loose it .
The pulleys already went bad on a machine that new? They must be some real garbage made parts. I had an 89, 90, 92 and 93 Craftsman, none of those pulleys had ever gone bad. On one of the machines they had gotten rusted siezed bad and after I hit them with penetrant and broke them free they still came back to fully functional.
Thank you. I have a YTS3000 very similar to your 4000. my Drive belt was a 1/2 X 89 and not the 1/2 X 90 listed ,,.when I used the 90" it was too loose . Save yourself some work having to pull the deck again F@#K. If its loose when the pedal is up, it will be loose when you use it and will eventually NOT work in any direction. Use an incline for a test BEFORE PUTTING BACK ON DECK. If you have an incline at least 30 degrees or more . if it can go up the incline in at 30 to 40 % forward speed ( slow ) and 60 % in reverse you should be good to go. If not you need a shorter belt ( 89"? ) for the drive belt.
thanks for the vid. I was hell-bent that I could do this without removing the deck. folks- REMOVE the deck. it's ridiculously easy to do and makes this job so much easier (and faster). thx again.
My chickens always crowd my work space! Good tip you gave with the model number to get the correct belt. Bought a belt from Menards and did not have the model number. Not even a close fit.
if you pause at 9:26 just to the left of his hand isn't that a belt keeper? looks like the belt is on the outside of it but should be on the inside touching the pulley.
Nice Video I am pretty much ready to tackle my drive belt To clarify about the brake pedal position. Its easier to install or remove the belt if you don't set the brake?
I have this same tractor and what mine is doing is when you apply the smallest amount of pressure to the brake pedal everything is fine but when you take your foot completely off the pedal and underneath the machine starts chattering like crazy loud is that what yours did and changing out the idler pulleys fixed this? I really would appreciate any help with this please and thank you
At 5 minutes, use a jack, jack up the machine so you can get under their better and than you can use your impact if necessary, not because its cool, but because it makes it easy and you wont have to lock the pulley either if its necessary, but as we saw later that wasnt required. MTD took over the build of them right? The older AYP made units were much better and before that the roper made Suburbans were built like farm machinary. Its why I would never consider most of these new products. You can still buy a used older machine, even in half descent shape it can be brought back to being fully functional and will work better and outlast these new machines 9 times out of 10.
The older TAP Craftsman rider mowers(lt1000,ect) were a breeze to change. Remove deck, tilt right side(carb side up) onto a chair, and change belt. You could see everything, all at once, pullies, ect. Tilt back down and install deck. Seriously, about 20mins my first time.
My drive belt has somehow gotten off the rear pulley and is BELOW the pulley now. There is very little space between the OD of the pulley and the transmission casting. I can not get the belt up through that tiny gap. I plan to drop the whole transmission. Any better ideas?
@@Duf It is the old belt that somehow got below the pulley. I have dropped the transmission and now see more problems. There are stress cracks around all the transmission mounts. I have to remove the plastic fan, which requires a snap ring pliers, that I have to buy tomorrow.
Dufisthenics ok mine dint start. it cranks bit wont start. when i spray startwr fluid it will stark and run as long as im spraying startwr fluid. took fuel.lines off and its not getting any gas. bit if suck on tje hose gas will come out....so what...fuel pump?
Well I actually had ethanol clog the fuel lines in my tractor, it turns to a gel. I blew all the lines out with carb cleaner and either use ethanol free gas or add fuel stabilizer ot any gas I use.
