Troy Bilt Bronco 2005 (Model#13AJ609G766) Loose Drive Belt

My husband replaced the drive belt on this mower two times with two different belts, one from our local Napa parts store and one from Lowes. The problem is that the belt has too much slack in it. We found the manual online at the Troy Bilt site and we have it threaded the way that is shown, however there is still too much slack and the mower will sometimes go into gear and sometimes not -- this is an automatic transmission machine. He has not put the deck back on yet, but he says that the deck doesn't have anything to do with the drive belt.

Just want to see if anyone has any ideas. We're to the point of trying a shorter belt, but the ones we got were replacements for the original.

Thanks in advance for any suggestions.

 

You can check to see if any pulley brackets have gotten bent which would allow the extra slack to appear. Also check and see if everything is bolted up tight, such as the motor and rear axel. Then assuming that everything checks out ok, maybe try a belt that's 1/2" shorter.

 

Don't try a shorter bet or it will never work right. These are very sensitive to belt length, width, AND pitch. The proper belt must be used. Have you tried the mower? The belt won't always tighten until the mower is put into gear and the variator can travel back into place.

 

mtd also has an adjustment procedure for doing after replacing drive belts. will be in the manual

 

Which belt was replaced?

There are two belts on the drive, one from the engine to the variable speed pulley and one from the vari pulley to the transaxle. There is a spring loaded idler pulley that keeps tension on the belt, sometimes the idler spring will break or come off the idler arm and need to be reinstalled.