pto troubles cadet 147 / 44" deck
 

I just brought home a 147 and a 44" mower deck from two different places on a long 14 hour round trip journey yesterday.

after getting everything hooked up and locating belts that would fit from a local tractor supply company:

i hooked up the pto belt first and it ran the center spindle fine...

then connected the deck drive belt with horrible results:
at first nothing would spin, not even the pto pulley on the front of the motor...

it slowly began to spin the blades but after a few minutes (but not very fast) I began to smell what smelled like burning brakes on a car. I shut everything down and it was smoking. :(

the pto to deck belt I had to install was actually a 1/2" could that be the problem? i will order an IH belt tomorrow...

thanks!

That smell was the smell of a brand new belt burning up....I had the same thing happen on my 123 when I first got it and didn't know any better. My $30 mistake only happened once. You might also check the tension on your belts....you don't want them too tight. I usually adjust mine so that it is tight but I can flex it with the tug of one finger. LOL (Lots Of Luck!!)

Cub Cadet 123

i wondered about the tension... it seemed pretty tight! i had to really work to install the pto belt... could it be too tight because of it being a 1/2" belt instead of the recommended 3/8"?

if so, I could buy a belt 1" or 2" longer?

ih chart recommends a 80" i mistakenly bought an 81" and it's very tight...

i don't think it was the belt though burning up... it wasn't even turning the first time it began to smoke... i believe it's the friction on the inside of the pto clutch... ???

Grease the deck spindles and try to turn it by hand. If it turns without too muh work, check the PTO. Grab the basket pulley in one hand and the PTO pulley in the other hand. If the PTO slips, time for a rebuild. Good luck!!

The "burnt brake" smell is the friction material in the PTO. With the machine shut off and the PTO disengaged (neutral), reach under the deck and try to turn the blades. If everything turns in the deck relatively easily and the belt all the way back to the PTO moves, the PTO needs to be rebuilt. If the belts slip or the whole thing turns very hard, something is bound up/jammed/rusty/broken somewhere in the deck or mule drive that needs attention. I'm guessing it's the PTO at this point, not a big deal, about $50 for the kit and a few hours of work is all.

Thanks all! The pto needs rebuilt for sure. I haven't touched small engine stuff since jr high s e class. I'm not afraid of it. Basic tools and a feeler gague to install the kit? Maybe a torque wrench?

No feeler gauges or torque wrench required. Just a lot of penetrating oil, allen wrenches, hammer and punch, and standard combination wrenches. The kit comes with most everything you need to set it up right. Good luck with the project!

Sweet! A punch for? What about a flywheel puller?

same here
 

I have to do the same thing to mine should have done it over the winter, but when I stored it, I couln't get to it in the barn.