Murray 42906x8A Drive Belt issue

[Jim131]

Hi, I bought this Murray in 1994. Had the motor replaced on it once but otherwise never had the drive belt replaced that I can recall. Today the belt for the deck came off so I drove it to the house but I’m thinking somehow this loose deck belt May have caused the drive belt to come off and it made a screeching sound so I immediately turned off the mower. The drive belt Is off the drive Pulley in the rear. I followed the Diagram and put the belt back on but the pulley drive that moves when you release the brake is now hitting the fan on the transaxle pulley. Is my belt that stretched in a few minutes...or is there an adjustment which moves this brake pulley away from the fan pulley? In the attached pic the pulley 45 is hitting the fan pulley on the transaxle 50 when the brake is released. Thanks!!!

 

[StarTech]

Since you have never changed the drive belt and it is a 1994 model the belt would be worn out. 037X80MA BELT,MURRAY 1/2 X 86-1/8. Normally belt don't stretch but do effectively get longer as the sides of V wear thinner. It is the same with V pulley except the V groove gets wider and the belt rides lower in the pulley.


Also check engine pulley, idler pulleys (especially the V idler), and transaxle pulley for excessive wear, on the idler pulley for bearing wear.

The transaxle appears to be the Peerless LTH2000 but that is just a guess.