Smokin' pulleys

[bigcountry]

I put a new PTO belt on the Big Ten this afternoon and hooked up the mower deck and went for a test mow. Ran it about 5 minutes and then I begin to smell something like hot grease or something coming from under the tractor. I look and the intermediate pulley that transfers power from the PTO belt to the deck belt and it is rolling smoke out. I looked for a grease point and could not find one. I happened to bump my hand into that pulley and it burnt my hand real good. I let it cool and cranked it up again and once again, after 5 mintues, the pulley began to smoke again. The PTO does not disengage, even after I adjusted the linkage. I figured I'd have to let the belt stretch, but I didn't think it'd go like this! I did notice the tensioner spring was rubbing the inner pulley but I didn't think it would rub so much so to cause that much heat. I need to relocate that spring, but as most of you know, there's not but so many places that things can be moved. Any advice from you seasoned veterans out there?

[D-17_Dave]

Check while it's cool and see what the pto bearings feel like. If they are free but rough or noisy, then it sounds like bearings are the next thing. Look from the front of the pto and halfway between the 2 pulleys there should be a hole. Inside is a grease zerk. Or it's there on the one's I have. It's rather hiden so it doesn't get ripped off or catch stuff on it. As for the not disengageing problem, I've only seen this if the improper belts were being used. On my 212 I added a small helper spring under the tractor to help keep it from creeping into "engage" position. That way it stays out when flipped up. Hope this helps,Dave.

[Chris727]

I also have a small helper spring on my B110's pto engagment handle. I had lots of center PTO problems until I got the right belts. You need both the BGB to PTO belt and the pto to arbor belt to be the correct size. And Dave is right about the grease fitting. It should be there somewhere or at least a hole where it once was. According to the Belt & Blade book the belt sizes are: BGB to PTO: 34.1" Cross section is 1/2" x 11/32" PTO to Deck: 44.1" Cross section is 1/2" x 11/32" Did you download a parts manual yet? The B series service manual can also be downloaded and is very helpful.

[bigcountry]

I haven't had time to look at it since yesterday afternoon. I went to my girlfriend's house after I cleaned up where they threw a party for her cousin who just returned home safe from Iraq, which is a great reason not to work on tractors.:D I do think it's either the belt is too tight, or it needs grease whenever I can find the time to find the grease zerk. Where can I get the shop manual again?