I just munched my second drive belt last week. :mad: Now my mower is stranded in an acre of growing grass, getting taller by the minute! Before I drop another $30 on a belt, any ideas on adjustment? It seems really loose when the brake/clutch pedal is engaged and I've had to monkey with the belt guard to keep the belt on the main drive pulley behind the engine. Seems like the idler should take up the slack. How loose should it be when the clutch/brake pedal is engaged?
Thanks, Rick

The belt should be good and tight when the clutch is released. The pulley that's moved by pushing down the clutch brake pedal, that should be adjustable I believe.

I'll check the idler pulley and see if I can adjust it. As I recall, I did have some slack in it when the clutch was release. Thanks for the input.
Rick

I have the same problem with a 15.5 HP 42" deck Sears mower. I think the problem to be that when the clutch/brake is depressed that there is too much slack given to the drive belt and it jumps off the transmission pulley when the clutch is released. I am going try and adjust some of the slack out of the belt that is created when the clutch/brake pedal is depressed.

In the owner's manual for my 15.5 hp Sears mower under the section that addresses the brake adjustment for the hydrostatic transmission, it says that the width of the compressed spring on the rod that connects the brake pedal to the transmission should be 1 9/16". There is a jam nut that can be loosened and allow the spring width to be adjusted. Mine had loosened and the compressed spring width was almost 2". I have tightened it down to the recommended 1 9/16" and my belt has not jumped the pulley since. Hope this helps.

Hello
Was checking the net for a replacement or other one of these Craftsman II
And came about this problem of yours
Had the same problem
When putting your drive belt on make sure that you donot put the belt on top of the stop pine off back top idler wheel, its only there as a guard so it doesn't fall out when you press the clutch
Took me a bit to find that one
Hope it helps out

Hello again, is it working yet.
To let you know that my tractor takes a96/4L980 now, that would be 98" Belt
My belt wasn't made any more so I found a close to what I had
And it works
Also my CrafstmanII has a Diagram under the left step, you should
Check if yours has the same