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Ariens 34 Zero Turn Blade Engage / Belt issue?

#1

J

jab111111

Hello. I have an Ariens 34 Zero Turn mower. Recently had some work on it and one repair was replacing the PTO belt. The guy told me he used a "stock" belt and not one specific to Ariens.

It was running alright, but the issue I ran into now is when I try to engage the blade sometimes it will start but most of the time it won't do anything. If I stop the mower and start screwing around with the belt (it's not snug like the old belt) by jiggling / manually turning the spindels for a few rotations on the mower deck and then try again sometimes it works, but most of the time it doesn't.

What can I do to make a real diagnosis? I don't want to buy a new belt only to have the problem be something else. Any ideas?


#2

B

bertsmobile1

Start the way every scientfic / engineering problem should.
Observe what is happening.
Look closely at your mower and notice if the the clutch is working is working properly.
Thus you will know if it is the clutch or the belt.


#3

reynoldston

reynoldston

bertsmobile1 said:
Start the way every scientfic / engineering problem should.
Observe what is happening.
Look closely at your mower and notice if the the clutch is working is working properly.
Thus you will know if it is the clutch or the belt.
Click to expand...

I agree good answer. I find when it comes to mower belts always use Original equipment manufacturer (OEM), it will save you problems for the extra cost.


#4

J

jab111111

Thanks, how do I know if the clutch is indeed working properly? I'm not a lawn mower repair wizard by any stretch.


#5

B

bertsmobile1

The bottom pulley on the engine is the deck or clutch pulley.
It is controlled by a solenoid inside the pulley and with no power the solenoid is out and the pulley does not turn.
When you engage the blades the solenoid trips and the pulley spins.
So with some one else jockying your mower, you watch what happens when they engage & dissengage the blades.
If the pulley starts to spin each and every time then good chance the clutch is ok.
You should be able to hear it click then the engine will slow down for a second or two then it will get back up to full speed


#6

J

jab111111

Thanks for the info, I'll try this today.


#7

J

jab111111

Alright so I just tried this. At the very back of the mower under the engine a pulley is constantly spinning whether the blade is engaged or not. The belt isn't moving when the blade is not engaged, but the pulley is spinning. When I engage the blade, the belt does not begin to move, there is no engine slow down / click (this normally would happen when the blade is working properly) and none of the pulley's on the deck spin at all.

I can take a video / pics if that will help, thanks for all the advice so far.

Based on what I said above does it sound like the clutch is bad and the belt is fine (even though the belt is not snug like it use to be)?


#8

reynoldston

reynoldston

jab111111 said:
Alright so I just tried this. At the very back of the mower under the engine a pulley is constantly spinning whether the blade is engaged or not. The belt isn't moving when the blade is not engaged, but the pulley is spinning. When I engage the blade, the belt does not begin to move, there is no engine slow down / click (this normally would happen when the blade is working properly) and none of the pulley's on the deck spin at all.

I can take a video / pics if that will help, thanks for all the advice so far.

Based on what I said above does it sound like the clutch is bad and the belt is fine (even though the belt is not snug like it use to be)?
Click to expand...

Reread my post about a OEM belt. I think you better talk to the person who installed your belt because it has to be snug like it use to be. Have the same problem with a John Deere model 345 in my shop right now and waiting for the John Deere dealer to open tomorrow so I can buy the right belt.. For some reason a lot of members on this forum think it doesn't matter what they use for a belt so I will say (so be it go for it)


#9

S

shiftsuper175607

jab111111 said:
Hello. I have an Ariens 34 Zero Turn mower. Recently had some work on it and one repair was replacing the PTO belt. The guy told me he used a "stock" belt and not one specific to Ariens.

It was running alright, but the issue I ran into now is when I try to engage the blade sometimes it will start but most of the time it won't do anything. If I stop the mower and start screwing around with the belt (it's not snug like the old belt) by jiggling / manually turning the spindels for a few rotations on the mower deck and then try again sometimes it works, but most of the time it doesn't.

What can I do to make a real diagnosis? I don't want to buy a new belt only to have the problem be something else. Any ideas?
Click to expand...


Take away all the other and read this...

guy told me he used a "stock" belt and not one specific to Ariens, (it's not snug like the old belt)by jiggling / manually turning the spindels for a few rotations on the mower deck and then try again sometimes it works,


No doubt it is the belt!!!! Go back to the guy who worked on it...how do you know that the belt is even close to the right size?


#10

G

gainestruk

I'm with reynoldson on this, most manufacturers use a different angle on their belts so a generic belt most times will be loose.

To see if you are getting power to clutch turn engine off then turn key back to run position then pull the PTO button up (like you are starting blades) if power going thru you will hear a loud thump when clutch energizes.
You will need to be sitting on seat and parking brake off.


#11

J

jab111111

I'll just buy the Ariens belt and put it on myself. Taking it back to the original service shop is not an option at this point. It took 4+ months to have my mower serviced and now that's two bad experiences at two places I've been to in my area.

I guess I'll find out soon enough if it's the belt but I assume it is as well, even I can tell that thing is not installed / fitting properly... Thanks for the advice.


#12

B

bertsmobile1

jab111111 said:
Alright so I just tried this. At the very back of the mower under the engine a pulley is constantly spinning whether the blade is engaged or not. The belt isn't moving when the blade is not engaged, but the pulley is spinning. When I engage the blade, the belt does not begin to move, there is no engine slow down / click (this normally would happen when the blade is working properly) and none of the pulley's on the deck spin at all.

I can take a video / pics if that will help, thanks for all the advice so far.

Based on what I said above does it sound like the clutch is bad and the belt is fine (even though the belt is not snug like it use to be)?
Click to expand...

there should be 2 pulleys.
One right up high ( hard to see ) that drives the pump that drives the wheels
Down lower should be a second pulley that drives the belt that drives the blades.
The belt on this pulley should always be a tight fit ( snug if you like ) because it never slips as the electric clutch controls the blades start & stop.

Now just to make sure we are singing from the same song sheet.
We are talking aboyt a ZTR Ride on Mower and not a Self propelled push wide area mower arn't we,


#13

J

jab111111

Yes this is a mower that I sit and not stand behind.

There are actually three pulleys directly under the engine that always spin and the belt always spins too, not the belt in question (these pulleys are a bit hard to see as you say).

There is one pulley at the bottom under the engine that holds the belt for the blade. This belt is loose, I am going to just buy the proper Ariens belt and put it on (the owners manual tells you how to replace it). Looks like Home Depot has it in stock.

Thanks.


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