I have to replace the belt idler on my Sears 54" mower deck. I am not sure where it goes.
i.e. inside the belt or outside the belt? Does it go to the step side and be parallel to the centerline? I have a manual but it is not very clear. I called the Sears 800 number. The first guy said the idler goes toward the chute side. (wrong) The second person, a lady said she had no clue what I was talking about. The diagrams are helpful for the belt routing but do not show the belt idler. Also has anyone else had this snap off on them.

First off the belt is removed for this installation and the idler pulley will only fit one way on the spring loaded idler arm. Once you have the pulley mounted follow the directions given by a deacl on the mower deck of all Sears tractors. If you give me your compltete model number I may have a better diagram for you by Sunday evening when I get to my shop.

The model number is 917.27680. 24 hp, 54" Craftsman.

I'll be at my shop in about 6 hours but that model # draws a blank on my search, please double check it.

That's the number I copied off the front of the manual. I believe it is a 2006 model. I went to Sears last night to look at the configuaration but everything has changed, even the size of the belts.

They have two different kinds of pulleys. One is a flat pulley that the back side of the belt goes against. The other is a v-groove pulley that the tapered part of the belt goes into. I don't know if that will help or not.

Thanks for the heads up. I will use this info when I put the thing back together.

Every little bit helps...

Here is your site with parts schematics:

CRAFTSMAN | Model #917276800 | TRACTOR | SearsPartsDirect.com from Sears (http://www.searspartsdirect.com/partsdirect/retrieveModelAction!retrieveModelDetails.action?mo delNumber=917276800&productCategoryId=1509200&brandId=0247&method:retrieveModelDetails=x)

Check the back fender behind the seat for a black and white decal, I think you are missing the final digit. Actually all 3 of these tractors are similar so maybe their manuals are similar. The flat pulley is called an idler and is spring loaded to push againist the belt on the flat back side. Searching Model #917.27680 | 3 Suggested Models | SearsPartsDirect.com from Sears (http://www.searspartsdirect.com/partsdirect/retrieveModelActionHome!retrieve.action?modelNumbe r=917.27680&pop=flush)

That is the schematic I found online but my question is this... the idler keeper... an "L" shaped bar-part no. 192 that attaches to the secod pulley from the left... does this go through the hole in the spring loaded arm ? That's where I am hung up.

Your schematic did not show up on your post, was it this one http://www.searspartsdirect.com/partsdirect/retrieveSubComponentPartsAction.action?diagramPage Id=00008&componentDescription=MOWER%20DECK&documentId=P0603039&modelNumber=917276800&productCategoryId=1509200&brandId=0247&modelName=TRACTOR&backToLink=Return%20to%20Sub%20Components%20list
Keepers are frequently straight sticklike rods attached to the deck and aren't removed when you change a belt. Some of the keppers on your deck are 1/8" steel clips made of bent rod, again not removed for belt replacement.

Yes, that is the schematic. If you zoom to the max and look at part no. 192, belt keeper, it looks like it fits into a hole in part no. 43, the idler arm.

My problem was that the bent rod, the belt keeper, snapped off at the nut on top of the pulley. I purchsed a new belt keeper and want to make sure that I install it properly. Does the belt keeper drop down into the hole in the idler arm?

I apologize for calling the belt keeper the idler keeper. That may have caused a bit of confusion.

Looking at that diagram it shows that it is supposed to go into a hole on the bracket.
That's what it looks like to me anyway.

It looks that way to me also... I wanted to be sure...