The Troy Bilt Pony 42 deck belt is designed to connect the crankshaft to the lawn mower blade and cause them to turn. If you notice a problem with your mower blades or the deck belt, you might need the setup diagram to help you put things in order.
In this piece, you will find the Troy Bilt Pony 42 Deck Belt Diagram as well as a helpful guide on how to remove and install your mower belts.
Troy Bilt Pony 42 Deck Belt Diagram
How to Replace a Troy Bilt Pony 42 Deck Belt
Replacing the drive belt on a Troy-Bilt Pony lawn is a simple process that won’t require the assistance of a technician. If you’re having any issues with following this guide, then you should consult your manual for further assistance.
Removing the Deck
Before you can get to the drive belt, you will have to take apart the deck. Also, make sure the mower is off and parked.
- Lower the deck to its lowest position using the tractor’s lever.
- Using a socket wrench, unscrew the belt guard from the bottom of the mower.
- With the belt guard out of the way, you should be able to remove the belt from the pulley with your hands.
- On each side of the deck are two pins holding it in place. Remove the two pins to detach the rear end of the deck from the mower.
- To remove the front of the deck, remove the small pin and the bar. This will detach the front end of the deck
- Next, you will have to remove the PTO cable. First, remove the pin that secures the cable to the deck, then pull back on the cable to release it.
- The last step is to remove the spring near the PTO cable using your fingers, then slide the detached deck out of the mower.
Removing the Belts
Engage the parking brake to release tension from the belts and make it easier for you to remove them.
- You will have to take out the battery before removing the belt. Using a pair of open-end wrenches, remove the negative terminal and the positive terminal from the battery. Then pull the strap out of the way and take out the battery.
- Remove the cradle straps and then remove the idler spring. You can slide a rope into the spring hook to easily remove it.
- Using a screwdriver to lock the place, take a wrench to remove the nut holding the transmission pulley, after that pull the pulley off of the spindle. You should be able to easily remove the transmission belt of the belt.
- With that out of the way, you will have to remove the motor pulley. Place a pipe wrench around the spindle to secure it, then use a socket wrench to remove the belt. That should give you access to the motor pulley so you can remove it from the mower
- Pull the drive belt off by releasing it from the pulley keepers. Simply lift up on the center section of the pulley while lifting the belt upwards.
Installing the new belt
- Thread the new belt through the frame and back around each pulley. To make it easier, slide the center part of the pulley upwards.
- Slide the pulley spindle back into its original position with the belt already secured by the upper keepers. Take the bolt that was removed previously to secure it in place.
- To install the upper-drive belt, thread it back around the transmission pulley and line up the teeth on the pulley with the teeth on the hub. Secure it with the nut you removed previously then thread the belt around the variable speed pulley and idler pulley.
- Re-hook the spring using the rope you used in the removal process, then pull the spring back through the frame. After that, place the cradle straps back in the original position.
- Reinstall the battery and secure it with the strap. Reattach the positive and negative terminals.
- Before remounting the deck, make sure the discharge chute is pointing out the right side of the mower.
- Hook the spring to the end of the PTO cable before reinstalling, then reattach the spring and secure it with the pin.
- Place the bar back into the mount of the front of the deck and secure it with the pin.
- Place the bars back through the desired mounts and secure them with the spin to reattach the rear of the deck.
- Using the bar control lever on the mower, raise the deck back to the desired position.
Causes of a Belt Coming Off a Riding Mower
There are several reasons why your drive belt may come off your riding mower. With a safety check, you should be able to narrow down the causes and fix the [problem. Take note that when performing a safety check, you should always ensure that the engine is cool, wear your gloves and goggles, remove the spark plug wire or wires, and ground them so that the motor won’t accidentally start as you check the mower.
Below are some of the causes and areas you can check.
Mower Mounting System Problems
When a riding mower’s mounting system is off balance or not properly balanced, it can affect how the mowing deck hangs or cause it to hand unevenly. This will affect the drive belt’s operation and cause the belt to come off during use. While inspecting the mower, check if the deck is mounted properly. Also, check for missing parts and ensure that the clip pins are in place in the rear hangers. Another area to confirm is that the draft rod joining the mower’s front to the front axle is connected.
Damaged Belt
The drive belt of a mower will wear down with continuous use but that won’t happen until the mower has been in use for a long while. When the belt gets damaged or loose, it becomes a problem even if it doesn’t fall off. A loose mower belt may slip resulting in friction which can create too much heat and cause a fire in the mower’s engine.
If the belt is broken or worn, it can break while the engine is running and fly off at a great speed which could lead to injuries. If you notice that your belt is coming off, then you should check it for looseness, cracks, or separation and replace it if necessary.
Damaged Parts
If other parts of the mower are damaged, it could cause the drive belt to come off repeatedly. This is possible if the drive pulley and idler pulleys are not clean or in proper working order. Under normal conditions, the moveable arm should be swinging freely without obstruction and the blade spindle should turn freely as well. Also, if the mower deck slants are not properly adjusted, it could cause the belt to come off.
Debris Interference
The buildup of debris in the mower can interfere with the normal belt operation. This could be due to excessive grass clippings as well as soil lodging anywhere along the drive belt. If this happens, it could cause the belt to slip or malfunction which could lead to mower problems. This is actually very easy to prevent. After each use, inspect the mower and remove any debris you can find, then clean the belt with a cloth.