Adjusting The Mower Belt Tension - Toro 74271 Operator's Manual

Adjusting the Mower Belt
Tension
1. Disengage the PTO, move the motion control levers
to the neutral locked position, and set the parking
brake.
2. Stop the engine, remove the key, and wait for all
moving parts to stop before leaving the operating
position.
3. Raise the mower to the transport position.
Important: Check the amount of twist in the
belt between the pulleys. Make sure it is only
what is specified in Figure 50.
Important: Check and make sure the belt is
installed into both the front and rear belt guides
(Figure 52).
4. Check the belt tension. The spring loaded idler
center bolt needs to be near the top alignment hole
in left support plate (Figure 52).
Figure 52
1. Center bolt
2. Alignment hole
5. If adjustment is required, loosen the idler plate to
adjust it (Figure 53).
6. Insert a ratchet or breaker bar into the square hole in
the idler plate to adjust the tension (Figure 53).
7. To increase belt tension, rotate the ratchet or breaker
bar to move the fixed idler until you feel increased
resistance and the spring-loaded idler pulley stops
moving (Figure 53).
Note: Do not increase the belt tension beyond the
point where the fixed idler arm stops.
8. While holding the belt tension, tighten the idler plate
bolts that secure the idler plate (Figure 53).
3. Left support plate
4. Spring loaded idler
1. Mower idler plate
2. Square hole
9. Check the distance from the rubber stop and the
arm of the spring loaded idler pulley when the idler
plate is tightened. It needs to be 0 to 1/4 inch (0 to
6 mm) from the rubber stop (Figure 54).
1. Spring loaded idler pulley
2. Top alignment hole
3. 0 to 1/4 inch gap (0 to 6
mm)
10. Adjust the belt tension and the idler plate, if
necessary, and tighten all hardware securely
(Figure 53).
11. If the idler plate contacts the end of the adjustment
slot and more belt tension is required, a small change
to the right side fixed idler can create more belt
tension adjustment (Figure 55).
41
Figure 53
3. Ratchet or breaker bar
4. Idler plate bolt
Figure 54
4. Idler pulley arm
5. Belt
6. Rubber bumper