Deck Installation; Using The Idler Pulley To Tension The Belt - Cub Cadet RZT54 Operator's Manual

5. Lower the deck to the ground using the deck lift handle.
6. Locate the LH and RH deck support pins on each side of the
deck. Pull the deck support pins outward and lock in the
disengaged position to release the deck from the tractor's
LH and RH deck lift arms. Refer to Fig. 7-6.
Deck Lift Arm
Rear Hanger
Bracket Slot
Figure 7-6
7. Raise the deck lift arms out of the rear hanger bracket slots
by raising the deck lift handle on the tractor to its highest
position. Refer to Fig. 7-6.
8. Slide the deck forward so that the deck front hanger rod
can be lifted out of the two slots of the front deck bracket.
After lifting the front hanger rod out of the slots, slide the
deck rearward so that the rod can no longer engage the
slots.
9. Using care to prevent the front hanger rod from falling
back into the deck bracket slots, carefully slide the cutting
deck (from the right side) out from underneath the tractor.
Rear Deck
Hanger Bracket
Deck
Support
Pin

Deck Installation

To install the mower deck, proceed as follows:
1. While holding the deck front hanger rod upward, carefully
slide the deck underneath the right side of the tractor.
2. While still holding the front hanger rod, slide the deck
forward until the front hanger rod can be lowered into the
slots of the front deck bracket.
3. Lower the front hanger rod into the slots of the front deck
bracket, then slide the deck rearward.
4. Maneuver the deck so that the slots in the two rear deck
hanger brackets approximately align with the deck lift arms
of the tractor. Refer to Fig. 7-6.
5. Use the tractor deck lift handle to lower the deck lift arms
into the slots of the rear deck hanger brackets.
6. Pull the deck support pins outward and maneuver the deck
as necessary to align the holes in the deck lift arms with the
pins. Refer to Fig. 7-6.
7. When aligned, push each pin fully inward through the lift
arms to secure the arms in the rear hanger bracket slots.
8. Make certain the 'V' belt is in the spindle pulleys on the
deck; then route the belt rearward beneath the tractor
frame, above the transmission tube(s), to the PTO pulley on
the bottom of the engine.
9. Install the 'V' belt onto the PTO pulley using one of the
following two methods.
WARNING!
The muffler at the rear of the tractor
may be extremely hot, and could cause serious
burns. Use extreme caution when near the muffler.
Allow the muffler to fully cool before installing the
belt.

Using the Idler Pulley to Tension the Belt.

1. Using the deck lift handle, raise the deck to the position
that provides the most horizontal run of the belt between
the deck idler pulleys and the PTO pulley on the bottom of
the engine.
2. Install the belt in the PTO pulley on the bottom of the
engine.
3. Route the backside of the belt around the fixed idler pulley
of the deck. Refer to Fig. 7-4.
4. Working from the middle of the tractor, pivot the idler
bracket/movable pulley rearward against the spring
tension and slide the backside of the belt onto the movable
idler pulley. Refer to Fig. 7-4.
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