drive belt

[Willy49]

How do you change the drive belt on a max IV? I got it off, broke the new one and can't get the old one back on this really is making me mad. I just rebuilt just about everything on this and this belt is kicking my arsss.

[Mike]

You can try opening the driven clutch to give you more play in the belt or take out the four bolts holding the motor down and lean the motor towards the driver's side.

[Willy49]

I tried unbolting the motor I have the belt on but can't bolt the Motor back up there just has to be a better way.

[Mike]

Did you leave the motor on top of the stand? If you leave the motor on the stand you can lean it back up and then slide it over into place. If you are using any shims, don't put them under the motor until it is back in the right location.

[racerone3]

adding to what Mike said. Pretty good odds that your machine had more shims installed to compensate for a stretched belt. Set the engine in place with no shims and start your bolts, then add shims as needed.

[Willy49]

There are no shims anywhere. I just can't believe this is how it's designed must cvt type clutches aren't this much of a pain in the butt I thought I must be missing something.

[jpswift1]

These can be a pain, I know just what you mean. My friend and I actually took the drive clutch off the motor, opened up the driven clutch on the T-20 so we had some extra slack in the belt and then put the belt back on the drive clutch and slid the drive clutch with the belt around it back onto the shaft of the engine.

[Willy49]

Thanks for all the advise I just thought I was missing something but so far this is the hardest part of my rebuild. Now I just can't wait to drive this thing.

[TalSet]

i've takin' my tranny and engine out of my max IV seven times in a year. belt can be a pain. what i do is put the belt on the drive (top) pully, then start to walk it around the bottem pully from the back side first. as you would walk a chain back on a bicycle, start to push the belt with a piece of 1x3 wood and rotate the bottom pully as you push the belt on with the wood. it's the easiest way i have found so far. i can put my belt back on this way in less than a minute.

[tonyk72]

i've takin' my tranny and engine out of my max IV seven times in a year. belt can be a pain. what i do is put the belt on the drive (top) pully, then start to walk it around the bottem pully from the back side first. as you would walk a chain back on a bicycle, start to push the belt with a piece of 1x3 wood and rotate the bottom pully as you push the belt on with the wood. it's the easiest way i have found so far. i can put my belt back on this way in less than a minute.

Thats what I do, plus tilt the engine...works like a charm.

[msafi65]

What engine and belt do you have? I've found the hardest MAX IV to install a belt on is the 20hp. magnum with #018031 belt. I like the fit and opreation of the #018036 belt better on all the kohler engines. Another problem I see a lot is the transmission isnt in the original position, but pulled down into the frame from loose main chains or ???. If the transmission has moved more than 1/8" the belt is tight between the frame and driven clutch.

[Wobbly]

Just replaced my MAX IV drive belt with a DAYCO HP3001 and found that the method recommended by jpswift1 on 09-14-2011 worked very well. -Removed the clutch from the engine, removed the old belt, and then expanded the driven pulley at least a half inch, using a pry bar, -carefully, and placed a wooden wedge between the pulley halves to maintain the spacing. The new belt went on nicely, although the whole process is somewhat of a "Russian tonsillectomy" with so little space to work. I see that I'll have to add a few washers under the engine to get the right tension. -Looking for something a little less than 1-3/4 inches.