[daviscd]

How do you put the spring back on after you have replaced the drive belt on your 14sb mower?

[crigby]

Hi,
Which spring. Have worked on hundreds of that model. Was the clutch fun? I think you meant that spring, so I will go ahead!
Firstly, you do not need to remove all the bolts, just the front ones and the back one with the clutch stay. The best thing to do then, after the belt is on is to reach under the mower and start the front bolts with the mower on its wheels(flat on the ground.) Raise the height settings if necessary. Just start them 3 or 4 turns. Now you can cock the mower over with handle down(many ways to do that) and install the BBC. It will move freely and allow you to attach the BBC spring on the hook(BBC first, hook second; no need to ever detach the hook!) Now you have a loose engine(three out of four loose bolts) a spring attached(loose enough to fall off, they have for me) and you ready to finish up.
Hook up the BBC cable and physically pull the arm toward the rear of the machine. This will move the clutch stay to the rear and allow you to line up the fourth bolt, spacer and washer, and put them in. Spring will now be under tension. Just tighten your bolts, adjust anything else and you are done.
I have been a Deere mechanic, but thank David Hughes(another Deere mechanic) for teaching me some of these tricks. I worked with him for a number of years and he "loved" the old 14SBs.
Hope it was clear!
Peace,
Clarke