Can you explain how to replace the drive belt on my Mountfield Empress 18" lawnmower type 83706? -my problem is getting the belt off the drive pully from the engine.

Gerry, April 2008

Thank you, all of you ... what joy to have my mower working again...wish I had found you three years ago though!

Margaret, August 2014

The belt required is 975 CM diameter, you can use a Unipart fanbelt with a part number ending with -------975.
The rest of the advice is correct, to get the belt over the pulley on the roller, remove the centre bolt, and then remove the bearing carrier (2 more bolts) push the roller shaft to the side of the bearing carrier hole and make the new belt into a tight loop and poke it through the hole next to the roller shaft - it's a bit tight. Use a screwdriver to hook the loop and pull through about 4 inches. Place the loop over the roller shaft, and thread the belt round the roller pulley. Replace the bearing carrier and the centre bolt.
Make sure you get the tensioner above the belt, so that when you push the control, it pushed down on the belt and takes the slack out of it.
It looks as if there is a part missing from under the deck, but the belt cover only had one part fitted, even though there mounting holes for an additional part where the engine pulley is. This wasn't fitted to mowers with a drive belt, only on the earlier model with chain drive.

Mister Lobert, June 2011

It's a pain. Best to lift up the rear end of the mower to do this , despite what the manual might say.

1. First, ensure that the plug lead is removed and secured so that the engine cannot start by accident.

2. Underneath the front (drive) pulley, there is a plate which protects it. Remove the 3 small bolts and then the plate.

3. There is a piece which supports the end of the drive shaft/pulley, held by another 2 bolts. Undo them. Make sure that the little sleeve which lives in the support piece does not get lost in all the crud that has fallen off.

4. Remove the 3 large bolts securing the engine to the body.

5. Now pull the engine away from the support piece, and tilt the pulley end down. The belt will now have enough space to slide out over the pulley.

It can be done by one person but 2 is better (the mower is heavy and unstable).

David King, May 2008

You need to unbolt the engine from the chassis, which will create enough room to get the belt off and the new one on. An assistant will be required to stop the engine falling off when the last bolt is removed!. You can do this without disconnecting the throttle cable or removing the blade, but (in the words of the Haynes manual) 'access is improved by removal of these components'!

phil_saunders@bigfoot.com

Phil Saunders, April 2008