Rear mower tension pulley

[sjm32157]

My 154 has been running great this mowing season. Yesterday when mowing, I started to get a rapping noise that seemed like it was coming from the tunnel. I stopped and opened up the back of the tractor to check the PTO assembly. All looked fine and worked as it should. I checked the PTO adjustments, shaft, and set screws. I ran it without the mower belt connected and it seemed fine. Hooked everything back up and went back to mowing. Almost immediately it started the noise and there was a vibration, and this time it threw the mower belt off. Tore it back down and started checking the PTO again. PTO looked fine but what I didn't notice the first time was that the right rear mower tension pulley had failed. Would a bad pulley make a noise like that? New one on the way from Hamilton Bob.

[mozer71]

Belly deck, right. Both the right idler and spring tension one are cast iron pulleys with ball bearings. I'll admit mine are quite loose and I lube them frequently. When they lose a ball or more, they can make a racket and become unusable. They look to be open balls now, so I need to get on this too.

[BigBill]

Luckily I have a few rear mule drives with good pullies and bearings I just keep on swapping out used parts while I order new ones. I’ve had the belt come apart and slap.

[BigBill]

I made my own belt spring tensioner from a spring using a snowplow spring tensioner stud and a piece of angle iron with a hole drilled in it for adjustment. Never broke again.

[outdoors4evr]

Sure wish those mule drive pulleys had a lubrication point. I ended up replacing my cast iron one with a cheap stamped pulley with a sealed bearing. I don't really expect it to last long.

[sjm32157]

My replacement pulley from Hamilton Bob's was cast. Heavy and solid.