Adjust a Belt on a Husqvarna Self-Propelled Lawn Mower

One of the important parts of the Husqvarna self-propelled lawnmower is its belt. It dives the wheels that push the lawnmower forward. Usually, users check many things like the fuel, check the oil level, and clean the filters. But they overlook the belt from a Husqvarna self-propelled lawnmower since it is less obvious than those from a sitting mower. They are also a bit more complicated than some of the other maintenance. But for a self-propelled lawnmower to perform its function efficiently, the drive system must be in good shape. A damaged or faulty belt means an inefficient drive system, leading to a lower mower speed. This blog post will help with a step-by-step approach to adjusting and, if needed, replacing the belt on your Husqvarna self-propelled lawnmower.

How to adjust a belt on a Husqvarna self-propelled lawnmower, step by step:

Step 1: Set the Husqvarna self-propelled lawnmower to its lowest height and remove the belt covers
Step 2:Access the spring hook and release tension
Step 3: Remove the spring and raise the mower to its highest position
Step 4: Remove the nut bolts to disengage the idler assembly
Step 5: Remove the belt from the pulleys and the belt finger
Step 6: Check the belt thoroughly; if it is damaged, replace it with a new one
Step 7: Install the new belt
Step 8: Reinstall the idler assembly tightening its nut bolts with raised height
Step 9: Reinstall the spring and check its tension with lowered height
Step 10: Fix the spacer on the idler and reinstall the belt covers

Contents

1 Step by Step Procedure of Husqvarna Self-propelled Lawnmower Belt Adjustment:
2 Why does the belt need to be adjusted:
3 Things to Keep in Mind when working on your Husqvarna Self-propelled Lawnmower:
4 Final Remarks:

Step by Step Procedure of Husqvarna Self-propelled Lawnmower Belt Adjustment:

Depending upon the belt condition, belt adjustment sometimes requires removing the belt from the self-propelled lawnmower’s deck. But this is not needed in all cases. If an unbalance arises due to a fault in any assembly component, there is no need for belt replacement. In such a case, adjusting those individual components would be good enough to bring your Husqvarna self-propelled lawnmower back to its best.

If you are good with machines and know your way around a self-propelled lawnmower, belt adjustment won’t be an issue for you. But if it’s your first time performing belt adjustment, the procedure might take more time, and some of the steps might confuse you.

Follow the detailed procedure given below to adjust or replace the belt on your Husqvarna self-propelled lawnmower:

● Collect the Necessary Equipment

Before starting with the belt adjustment procedure, ensure that you have the required tools on hand. It would be best if you had the following tools:

Safety goggles
Safety gloves
Set of screwdriver and Pry bars
Set of wrenches

If you need to replace the belt, you need a new one. Ensure that it fits your Husqvarna Self propelled lawnmower. It means that the length and shape should be the same. Check your user manual for the correct part number. Using an OEM or good quality aftermarket belt is recommended.

With the basic tools, and if needed, your replacement belt, you are set to start with the actual adjustment procedure.

● Step 1: Remove the belt covers and adjust the mower height.

A Husqvarna self-propelled lawnmower has a knob-type setup for height adjustment. So, first of all, lower the mower height to its lowest position to take the belt covers off. The belt covers are there for the protection of belts and pulleys. It is a good idea to remove the spark plug cable to ensure that no unintentional engine start can occur when working on or close to moving parts.

● Step 2: Access the spring hook and release tension.

Locate the belt idler spring. You’ll find it to be in tension, which needs to be released. To release the idler spring tension, remove the belt from the left side spindle pulley of your Husqvarna lawnmower.

Locate the belt idler arm and remove the attached hardware on the guide above it. With this done, you’ll be able to access the spring hook.

As said before, if the problem with any one component of the system gets identified, you don’t necessarily need to take down the whole system. If you find out that the only problem is the spring hook’s tensioning level, you can fix it by just removing and again reinstalling the spring hook. In case you have been using your Husqvarna mower for a long time and the spring has become lousy, you might want to replace it with a new matching one.

● Step 3: Remove the spring and raise the mower to its highest cutting position

After confirming that the spring hook was not the problem, proceed to the spring removal step. Now remove the spring from the idler arm with extreme care to not hurt your hands. Ensure that you have your work gloves on while taking the spring off the idler arm. With the spring removed, raise your Husqvarna self-propelled lawnmower to its highest cutting position.

● Step 4: Remove the nut bolts to disengage the idler assembly

The idler assembly on the mower’s deck has its nuts and bolts to hold the setup. Locate all the nut bolts and remove them all using a wrench to disengage the assembly.

● Step 5: Remove the belt from the pulleys and the belt finger

The belt passes over three pulleys, one of which is the clutch pulley. All three pulleys contribute to the total stretch in the belt, and an unbalance in any one of these will affect power transmission. If you find out that the problem lies here, for example, the belt has gotten off one of the pulleys, or a pulley is stuck, you should adjust the issue here, and your Husqvarna self-propelled mower will be good to go.

On the other hand, if the issue is not with pulleys, but the belt is broken or frayed, you should proceed to take it out. For this purpose, carefully take the belt off the pulleys, which is not too difficult. Then release the belt from the belt finger to free it completely.

● Step 6: Check the belt thoroughly

With the belt removed, look for the wear and tear on the belt because belt wear and tear cause slippage or loosening. Thus if the belt is in bad condition, it should be replaced with a new one.

● Step 7: Install the new belt

Installing the new belt means passing it over the clutch and idler pulleys. The new belt should match the one being replaced in width and shape to sit perfectly on the pulleys. Usually, Husqvarna self-propelled mower belts are of V-shape. Ensure that the new belt wraps around each pulley with proper tension and is in the stretched position.

● Step 8: Reinstall the idler assembly

Reinstall the idler assembly you took off, make sure that all the nut bolts are correctly tightened.

For idler assembly reinstallation, your Husqvarna self-propelled lawnmower should be in the highest cutting position.

-Step 9: Reinstall the spring

Lower your Husqvarna self-propelled lawnmower’s height and attach the idler spring back to the idler assembly on the deck with extreme care.

-Step 10: Fixing the spacer on the idler and reinstall the belt covers

Use a wrench to fix the spacer on the bolt-on to which the idler spring end is attached. ReinstallReinstall the belt covers using a wrench to tighten the bolts properly.

Why does the belt need to be adjusted:

The unbalancing of your Husqvarna self-propelled lawnmower’s belt may occur due to many reasons, some of which are highlighted here:

Wear and tear: The first and the simplest reason is belt wear and tear due to continuous loading.
Belt tension: Improper belt tension could be a reason too, which means that the belt is loose over the pulleys.
Pulley damage: The wear and tear of pulleys also enhance the belt wear resulting in an unbalancing.
Loose nuts and bolts: Nuts and bolts lose their grip eventually due to continuous vibrations during use. Make sure that all nuts and bolts in the drive system are tight.
Deck positioning: The mower deck positioning also causes unbalancing of the belts. If the mounting system is not properly balanced, then the deck of your Husqvarna self-propelled lawnmower hangs. Consequently, an immediate adjustment of the deck along with the belts is required.
Belt slippage: An excess of oil, grease, or dirt adheres to the belts after mowing also affects the belt working and may cause the belt to slip. Thus regular checking and cleaning of belts are advised.

Things to Keep in Mind when working on your Husqvarna Self-propelled Lawnmower:

Consult the manual: Make sure you have the correct Husqvarna Self-Propelled Lawn Mower model manual with you. You’ll get the accurate location of all the parts mentioned above from the manual.
Tools: Gather all the important tools before starting the procedure. Make sure that you are not wearing loose clothes during the process.
Regular inspection: We would recommend all Husqvarna self-propelled lawnmower owners check the belt from time to time, especially if the mower is losing speed or making noise.
Let the mower cool: Before adjusting the belt on your Husqvarna self-propelled lawnmower, let it cool down and wait till all the moving parts stop.

Final Remarks:

Husqvarna self-propelled mowers are popular among lawn owners who desire their lawns to look good but don’t enjoy pushing their mowers around. Self-propelled mowers are perfect for people with bigger or challenging yards. Belt issues are common in self-propelled mowers because the belts get damaged over time and have to be replaced. In some cases, it’s the moving components such as the pulleys that are causing the unbalance. These issues cause speed reduction and noise; therefore, they should be addressed immediately. Adjusting the belt doesn’t necessarily mean belt replacement; maybe it’s just that the belt has gotten off a pulley and needs to be put back. In any case, the step-by-step guideline given above will help you adjust the belt on your Husqvarna self-propelled mower even if you are not a pro.