Replacing a pump belt on a bad boy zero turn

LarryP

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Is there a way to replace the pump belt (not the drive belt) on a bad boy zero turn 60" ZT with Kohler engine without disassembling half the mower?
 

Ron123

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The two jam nuts on the tension spring will decrease the belt tension. Remove belt and replace with a new one. Tighten the two jam nuts to tension the spring. Factory setting is about .030” (about the thickness of a credit card) between coils of the spring. I hope this will help you.

drive belt.jpg
 

Ron123

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One more thing that you might want to consider. The pump belt tensioner is located under the engine and has a grease fitting at its pivot point. It is a lot easier to grease if you replace the grease fitting with a 90 degree one while the belt is off.

GREASE FITTING.jpg
 

LarryP

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Is there a way to replace the pump belt (not the drive belt) on a bad boy zero turn 60" ZT with Kohler engine without disassembling half the mower?

Thanks for the heads up on releasing the tension on the belt and the grease fittings. I had to replace the tension arm last year so I am good with that. The problem I am having is, I have the new belt, and after some thought figured out how to get the new belt over the drive belt and up into positon to put on the 4 pulleys that it rides on. The problem is the that the two pulleys with fan blades on them are connected by drive shafts to the hydraulic system below them and above the pulley there is only about 1/4" between the top lip of the pulley's and the metal deck of the mower. Not enough room to slide the new belt over the pulleys and into position. Is there a simple way to get that belt over those two pulleys. The belt I took off was starting to shred, it had already popped off, and I had to cut it to get it off.
 

Ron123

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Thanks for the heads up on releasing the tension on the belt and the grease fittings. I had to replace the tension arm last year so I am good with that. The problem I am having is, I have the new belt, and after some thought figured out how to get the new belt over the drive belt and up into positon to put on the 4 pulleys that it rides on. The problem is the that the two pulleys with fan blades on them are connected by drive shafts to the hydraulic system below them and above the pulley there is only about 1/4" between the top lip of the pulley's and the metal deck of the mower. Not enough room to slide the new belt over the pulleys and into position. Is there a simple way to get that belt over those two pulleys. The belt I took off was starting to shred, it had already popped off, and I had to cut it to get it off.

There should be enough room if you lower the mower deck as low as it will go. Have you tried to do that?
 

LarryP

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There should be enough room if you lower the mower deck as low as it will go. Have you tried to do that?

Talked to Bad Boy repair shop. They said you have to turn the belt sideways and it should slip over the pulley's. The tech in the shop said it wasn't as easy as the guy at the desk made it out to be. You have to be able to get under the mower on the motor end with room to work. Take the belt up to one of the pulley's and work it back and forth on the top of the pulley until it slides over the top. One of them is worse than the other, once you get the bad one done the other is much easier. No wonder there is no you tube video on how to do this one! At least I got some extra advice as well on replacing the Hydraulic fluid on how to speed up the process so that doesn't take so long. And my mower is back up and cutting grass again.

Thanks guys
 

BadBoy

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Talked to Bad Boy repair shop. They said you have to turn the belt sideways and it should slip over the pulley's. The tech in the shop said it wasn't as easy as the guy at the desk made it out to be. You have to be able to get under the mower on the motor end with room to work. Take the belt up to one of the pulley's and work it back and forth on the top of the pulley until it slides over the top. One of them is worse than the other, once you get the bad one done the other is much easier. No wonder there is no you tube video on how to do this one! At least I got some extra advice as well on replacing the Hydraulic fluid on how to speed up the process so that doesn't take so long. And my mower is back up and cutting grass again.

Thanks guys

First of all, which side was the easiest (drivers / passengers), how about sharing the quick hydro fluid draining. I have to replace the pump, or drive belt, both hydro filters, and of course the hydro fluid. BadBoy treated me well, on delivery of the parts. Friendly and fast! By the way, my BadBoy is the, Elite 54Z
Thanks!!!
 

titusllewelyn

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Talked to Bad Boy repair shop. They said you have to turn the belt sideways and it should slip over the pulley's. The tech in the shop said it wasn't as easy as the guy at the desk made it out to be. You have to be able to get under the mower on the motor end with room to work. Take the belt up to one of the pulley's and work it back and forth on the top of the pulley until it slides over the top. One of them is worse than the other, once you get the bad one done the other is much easier. No wonder there is no you tube video on how to do this one! At least I got some extra advice as well on replacing the Hydraulic fluid on how to speed up the process so that doesn't take so long. And my mower is back up and cutting grass again.

Thanks guys

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For my Magnum 54", the only way I have found to get proper clearance on the pulleys on the transaxles is to place the mower on jack stands and loosen the bolts on each transaxle (as well as the transaxle spacer). Leave the nuts and washer on the end of the bolts. This gives about 1/4 inch of extra space. Turning the belt sideways only seemed to work on the idler pully.
 
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