Mower deck D105 Remove Deck -- Cannot unhook a strong tension spring

So I'm on my last step removing the deck of my D105, and there is a big tension spring. I tried for 2 hours and cannot pull it out...
I searched a few youtube videos, what they have seem to be smaller tension springs so that they have some room to find the angle and pull it out with not much effort. But mine is bigger and stronger.
This may be stupid but I'm just not handy at all.... Thanks

Possibly I'm not seeing what your are but why does that spring need to be removed to remove the deck?

I thought MTD was the only manufacturer stupid enough to make a deck mounted to frame spring that needed a D-6 Cat to pull it.

barcajoe said:

So I'm on my last step removing the deck of my D105, and there is a big tension spring. I tried for 2 hours and cannot pull it out...
I searched a few youtube videos, what they have seem to be smaller tension springs so that they have some room to find the angle and pull it out with not much effort. But mine is bigger and stronger.
This may be stupid but I'm just not handy at all.... Thanks

View attachment 30328View attachment 30329

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Some menstural clot has fitted the spring upside down onto the tensioning arm then fitted the arm to the deck, which is how you will have to remove it.
The pivot bolt has a captive nut.
If it is a nut then the bolt is a coach bolt so you just need to put your finger under it to keep the square in the hole.
When you put it back, the open side goes up.
That looks like an aftermarket cable.
All of the D series I have worked on had a Z bend on the end of the PTO spring , not a hook.

I don't see why you have to remove it? Most of the time I am able to just rotate the old belt/new belt onto it. But if your trying to get it off, use some heavy string. I use 550 cord. You thread one end thru the end of spring, then grab both ends of the string and pull. Same when you put it back in, that way, let go of one end of the cord and you can pull it thru. They make spring pliers and spring tension screwdrivers, never had any luck with them, I use the 550 cord.

barcajoe said:

So I'm on my last step removing the deck of my D105, and there is a big tension spring. I tried for 2 hours and cannot pull it out...
I searched a few youtube videos, what they have seem to be smaller tension springs so that they have some room to find the angle and pull it out with not much effort. But mine is bigger and stronger.
This may be stupid but I'm just not handy at all.... Thanks

View attachment 30328View attachment 30329

Click to expand...

Hi there,

Where is the other end of the spring attached that you are having issues with? I see three springs in your picture:

one going to the right brake pad; one going to the deck to pull the idler taunt; and the belt engage spring. I read on another post to this topic that the engage spring is mounted upside down.. I agree with this suggestion, and to turn it over requires taking the pivot bolt out to give you room to turn it over... It does not affect the function to be upside down (other than being a paint in the pa-toot when you do want to remove it).. The one going to the brake pad, I am confused with because both my brake pads have round torsion springs on each of them and not this heavier looking coil one I see in your picture.. Was it that way when you got it? I was wondering if they made some modification on your model or something.. the little one that simply pulls the bar back into neutral position should just lift up with a pair of pliers. When your engagement cable is loose from the tension stand (holder on left side), it should just flop around with no issue outside its being upside down. Yours might be a little different than mine though because I also do not see the linkage from that belt engagement rot to the right brake pad either. Can you take another picture and clear out the leaves in that area? Would be easier to see what is going on over there...

Not sure if that is any help as to what you are getting at, but I think the other posts are correct in needing to take the tension bar loose to get the engage spring off.

Stan

mjb8fj said:

I don't see why you have to remove it? Most of the time I am able to just rotate the old belt/new belt onto it. But if your trying to get it off, use some heavy string. I use 550 cord. You thread one end thru the end of spring, then grab both ends of the string and pull. Same when you put it back in, that way, let go of one end of the cord and you can pull it thru. They make spring pliers and spring tension screwdrivers, never had any luck with them, I use the 550 cord.

Click to expand...

If you read the post, Barcajoe did not state why he wanted to remove the deck he simply asked how to get it out.
He needs to remove the SPRING because it is part of the PTO cable as this mower has a manual PTO.
You can not remove the deck completely with the PTO cable attached.
Some idiot installed the spring upside down as stated 3 posts back so it can not be rotated far enough to come off the lever.
The other end of the spring is captive on the PTO cable.
Correct you don't have to remove the deck to change the belt but on this deck you have to remove both of the pulley covers as they are part of the belt retaining system in order to change the belt.
This is a lot easier with the deck fully out as is checking the spindle bearings .