[Bill Sinclair]

Randy and Delta.
Thank you for replying.
The idler pulley mechanism fully retracts and the belt is very loose.
I have even tried adjusting it to be so loose that even once fully engaged it was still loose enough that it "flapped".
Yet, somehow the drive pulley is still pulling the belt.
I just replaced belt guide on the idler pulley and it is properly positioned and the drive belt guide is not adjustable.
I have replaced the spring on the deck brake to be sure the brake was pulling as tight as it should and the brake pad is not worn away, even though it was smoking and it grips tight.

It is very perplexing to me and I am a very capable mechanic.
I was hoping that maybe someone had possibly encountered this before and had a solution or some some specific instructions for correcting this.

Am I correct in my presumption that the drive pulley needs to be smooth so as to be able to spin without pulling the belt when it is disengaged since the belt still resides on the pulley even when disengaged?

Also, is there a guide to indicate how much slack should be in the belt when disengaged and how much tension should be in the belt once engaged?
I do not see this in my manual.