MTD 618 Operator's Manual page 26

Transmission Pulley
(Beneath Cooling Fan)
Hydrostatic
Transmission
Changing The Transmission Drive Belt
NOTE:
The engine pulley must be removed from the
engine's crankshaft in order to change the tractor's
drive belt. Doing so requires an air/impact wrench.
All belts on your tractor are subject to wear and should
be replaced if any signs of wear are present.
The V-belts found on your tractor are
IMPORTANT:
specially designed to engage and disengage safely. A
substitute (non-OEM) V-belt can be dangerous by not
disengaging completely. For a proper working machine,
use factory approved belts.
To change or replace the drive belt on your tractor,
proceed as follows:
• Remove the cutting deck as instructed earlier in this
section.
• After disconnecting the battery cables, remove the
battery and battery tray from beneath the seat.
When removing the battery, disconnect
IMPORTANT:
the NEGATIVE (Black) wire from it's terminal first,
followed by the POSITIVE (Red) wire. Re-install in
reverse order.
Fixed V-idler Pulley
Left Frame Rail
V-idler Pulley
Flat idler Pulley
Idler Extension Spring
Double-Idler Bracket
Drive Belt
Figure 25
NOTE:
removal of several tractor components. Read through
the following procedure prior to attempting it to
determine if you feel you could successfully complete it.
If you don't, see an authorized MTD service dealer
have the belt changed.
IMPORTANT:
around all the pulleys and the belt keepers (if present)
BEFORE performing the following steps.
• Locate the fixed v-idler pulley found on the left
underside of the frame. See Figure 25.
• Grasp the belt on both sides of the pulley and
gently move it toward the left frame rail allowing it to
unseat itself from the fixed v-idler. See .
• Pivot the double-idler bracket forward slightly
before removing the idler extension spring from the
stud and the double-idler bracket itself. Do NOT
discard the spring.
• Roll the drive belt out from around both the v-idler
pulley and the flat idler pulley found on the double-
idler bracket.
• Carefully unplug the tractor's wire harness from the
connector on the electric PTO clutch (if present).
26
Engine Pulley
FRONT OF TRACTOR
NOTE:
View shown from above tractor.
Proper removal of the drive belt requires the
Note the routing of the lower drive belt