How to replace belt on sears tractor mower model # 917271080. The belt # 140294. I have adjusted the linkage pulley and the belt is too short to fit over the last pulley. I cannot find any other place to get slack in belt. Earl Patton [email protected] 940-482-3390

Safety and Preparation Serious injury can occur if the engine or mower blades accidentally start while you are working with lawn tractors. To prevent this, drive the Murray lawn tractor onto a flat work surface and disengage the mowing deck cutting blades. Engage the parking brake to keep the mower from moving; chock the wheels with a wooden block or brick. Adjust the mowing deck to the lowest position. Turn off the engine and remove the key from the ignition. While not necessary, you may even wish to disconnect the spark plug wire from the spark plug. Mowing Deck Removal You must remove the mowing deck on a Murray lawn tractor to gain access to the belts. Remove the adjustment rod hairpins, followed by the adjustment rod pins from the front left and right sides of the mowing deck. At the rear on the left and right sides, pull out the retaining hairpins and slide the mowing deck suspension links from the adjuster plates to separate the rear mowing deck from the frame. Remove the blade control rod stud, including the hairpin and washer, from the top of the blade control lever shift linkage at the left rear of the deck. Remove the front hanger rod, including the hairpin and flat washer that hold the rod in place. Loosen the belt guide retaining bolts with a socket wrench and remove the engine stack pulley belt so you can slide the mower deck out from under the tractor Transmission Drive Belt Installation Slide the new transmission drive belt between the engine stack pulley belt guides, over the belt guide plate and under the engine stack pulley. Fit the transmission drive belt around the top engine stack pulley. Push the free end of the transmission drive belt up through the transmission shifter hole in the lawn tractor floorboard. Slip the transmission drive belt loop over the transmission shifter. Pull the transmission drive belt down through the transmission shifter hole. Fit the transmission drive belt around the transmission drive pulley and tighten the transmission drive pulley belt guide retaining bolts to hold it in place. Fit the transmission drive belt flat side around the idler pulley. Slide the idler pulley onto the idler pulley stud while holding the belt in place. Tighten the transmission idler pulley retaining nut with a socket wrench to secure the idler pulley to the idler pulley stud. Mowing Deck Drive Belt Installation Pull back on the right side mowing deck mandrel pulley spring-tensioned belt retainer. Guide the new mowing deck drive belt around the right side mandrel pulley and release the belt retainer. Pull the drive belt spring-tensioned retainer away from the mowing deck idler pulley, guiding the deck drive belt around the idler pulley. Fit the mowing deck drive belt around the left side mandrel pulley and under the rear mowing deck cross link rod between the right and left side mandrel pulley. Slide the mowing deck under the right side lawn tractor frame, reconnecting the deck to the frame in reverse order of removal. Engage and disengage the mower deck while driving the mower to test the belt for proper operation.

1. Step 1 - Loosen tension and remove belt. Locate the adjustment fastener and loosen it. ...
2. Step 2 - Inspect drive and drive pulleys. Check the drive and pulley wheels. ...
3. Step 3 - Select correct replacement belt. ...
4. Step 4 - Install V-belt. ...
5. Step 5 - Correctly tension new belt. ...
6. Step 6 - Start the engine.

If you mean,that the tractor is moving slow in both directions?Chances are,the motion belt from the transaxle pulley to the pulley at the bottom of the motor. Is slipping,do to,all belts stretch over time. There isn't any adjustments,that can be made to tighten up the belt. You will have to replace the belt. Can order these belts from SearsPartsDirect.com. You will need the Craftsman Tractor Model #. The number usually starts with 917.xxxxxx. If you have the belt part #,that would help also. You don't,have to order on line,most Sears stores has them stocked. Sincerely Brad Locke

I would say,that the Motion Drive Belt,has stretched to the point,that it is slipping on the pulleys. Over time all belts stretch or break. There is no adjustment,that can be made,once stretched,its time for a new belt. Look in your Owner's Manual,to see,a picture and directions of how to remove and replace a motion drive belt. If there isn't a picture of the drive belt in your manual,then look under the left foot rest. There you will find a decal,showing the correct method to install the belt over the pulleys. This is going to be a long belt,it runs from the Transaxle to the motor's upper pulley assembly. You can,it will be hard to do,remove and replace the drive belt with the mower deck attached. First,try lowering the mower deck,to the lowest position. This will give some room,to get to the motion belt,you will have to remove the mower belt,to get to the motion belt. I find it is easier to just remove the mower deck entirely. Doing this,give you ample room to work on the motion belt. The mower belt,can be purchased from Sears Parts Direct. Give them the tractor's Model Number and the Belt Part #,if you have the number,they will look it up anyway,if not. I gave more information,than you asked for. I hope this will help you. Sincerely,Brad Locke DTD. 12/04/15

dont understand your question ... get the belt ... it was designed to fit ... there are probably at least three pulleys. put the belt around the motor pulley and the trans pulley then figure out how the clutch or tensioner pulley interact with it.

First: check your drive belt. Don't have the product manual? Download it from the Sears or Murray website. Second: Check your clutch/brake linkage. The clutch may need adjustment. Procedure on manual. The clutch wears over time and needs to be readjusted.

First things first! Before you installed the new belt, did you check the blades and idler pulleys to see if they all turned freely with no resistance while the belt was off and the blade brakes released? Release the blade brakes by engaging the handle with the engine off!
When you installed the new belt, did you put the back side of the belt against the flat pulleys and the inside of the belt in the V-pulleys? Did you double check to make sure you didn't inadvertently miss a belt guide getting the belt on the outside of it instead of underneath it. Did you look at the picture in your owners manual to make sure you had it routed correctly and make sure it is not rubbing against anything when you have the blade lever engaged? CHECK THIS WITH THE ENGINE OFF If you don't have your owners manual, look under the foot boards on the tractor, many of the Sears tractors have the routing diagrams there. If it is not there you can go to searspartsdirect.com , enter model number 917.257644 (NOTE the number difference) and look at the picture of the deck, it shows what the belt should look like when it is installed. You can also download an owners manual there. As best as I can remember, there is no adjustment for the idler pulleys.

try looking on the flat part of the belt for numbers go to napa auto parts and they will cross reference it or measure it.
or go to sears.com and enter the model # from your mower after you click on parts direct at sears site and find your belt #
or check all your pulleys with the belt off to be sure they turn free.( except pto )
be sure the belt guards are adjusted as close to the pulleys as possible with out hitting the belt when belt is engaged for the blades to turn

my murray Riding Mower will not move forward or backward

MOST OF WHAT YOU SAID IS CORRECT.NORMALY WHEN YOUR BELT STARTS DOING THAT YOU SHOULD REPLACE BOTH YOUR DECK SPINDLES AS THERE IS NO ZERK FITTING TO ADD GREASE.THIS HAPPENED TO ME A FEW YEARS BACK.HOPE THIS HELPED