Can anyone please tell me how to replace the drive belt on a Westwood T1200? The front end is easy enough but how do you get it onto the rear pulley above the gearbox??

Griffo, August 2008

I have a 2000 yr S1300H and the instructions provided before have been good.

I found it easy to crawl underneath once the deck had been removed to take the pulley wheels off. This reduced the tension.
Before removing the belt I undid a couple of belt retainers around the gearbox wheel so that I could slip the belt up and off it.
There is a plate just back from the drive shaft used to retain the deck belt. This needs removing.
With that and the pulleys removed the belt could be taken off the front.
There were no springs to be moved or taken off, the PTO Assembly remained intact and I didn't to take the PTO plate off.
Maybe the automatic makes the rear end simpler?

MBH, June 2019

Honestly, its not that difficult a task but needs two people. Also ensure that the replacement belt is a 75 - 484 Oregon Type A (1/2 inch by 84 inches). The fiddly bit is removal of the power take-off plate under the seat space. Make sure you put the longer bolts from this in the correct holes together with the spacers and make sure that the reduced collar on the insert spacer is uppermost, so it fits on the sprung tensioner plate.

Mike Giles, July 2016

You can remove and replace the belt without removing the gearbox or grass collector belt pulley assembly. After removing deck and clutch pulleys, it takes about 30 minutes to remove and replace the belt by feeding it between the gearbox and pto pulleys.

Glyn, June 2015

Hello,

Just wondered if the T1400 is the same method as the 1200 ??

Sam, July 2012

Here is how to remove the drive belt on a Westwood T1200.

1. Remove cutting deck and set aside.
2. Remove two idler/clutch pulleys. This pulleys have a belt guard to prevent the belt coming off when the clutch is engaged. When removing the pulleys, be careful that you don't lose the washers.
3. Remove the front gear linkage. This is secured by a split pin, however to release the linkage you will need to remove the holding bolt to allow enough space to remove the linkage once the split pin is out.
4. Remove the front pulley belt guard by removing split pin and push guard toward front of the mower.
5. By now the only thing preventing the belt being removed is the rear pully. Remove the seat of the tractor by removing split pin on left hand side of seat and retracting pivot bar. Remove the tool box under the seat. You will now see the pulley and belt tensioner for the Westwood grass collector. There are 4 bolts holding base plate which secures the grass collector pulley. Before removing these 4 bolts, mark the position of the tensioner. Also remove the end of the spring which operates the cutting deck lowering lever. Remove the 4 bolts from the base plate. This can be a bit tricky as you need to hold the nuts underneath the mower. Two people will make this a lot easier. Remove the rear grass collector base plate & pulley completely. Please note you do not have to undo the pulley bolt. Once this has been removed, you will now be able to pull the belt over the rear axle pulley beneath the mower.
6. Fitting is the reverse of removing. However a couple of items to look out for. The majority of belt failures and wear is due to the idler / clutch bearings failing. A lot of people put new belts on, but don't check or replace the idler bearings. When refitting the rear base plate and pulley for the grass collector, 99% of the time, there is corrosion on lower plate. You will need to remove the rust, treat the plate and paint. I also suggest that all nuts are replace with new Nylock nuts. Whilst replacing the belt, lubricate all joints and other movable parts with suitable grease and oil where necessary.

Andy Swanson, June 2009

I have just removed the belt from my T1200. It took about 45 mins. First remove the deck and then put the tractor in gear and lift it upright. Undo the tension pullies and L bars and set it back down. Then do as Phill suggested and remove the 5 bolts from the pto under the seat. This is a bit fiddly but when removed the pto lifts clear and the belt can then be slid throught the gap.

Richard, March 2009

Yeah, taking of the whole gearbox is the thing to do, its what our local tractor-man told us to do! Just pull it up against a wall to make it easier for you:)

Aaron (15), December 2008

make sure the two small tention pullys are removed,

the belt will go through the gap between the two pullys

robert, November 2008

The easiest way I found was to unbolt the gearbox from the chassis, lifting the chassis (and PTO pully assembly) off the Rear axle. The Rear PTO just locates in the top of the pulley with a 'dog' type engagment. Then you can replace the belt on the pulley, then lower the chassis with PTO assembly back onto the main pully, lining up the two pins in the top holes of the pully. A bit fiddly and might cause you to swear a bit !

Gary Jenkins, September 2008

Unbolt the PTO pulley from under the seat. You can then push the belt through the gap.

phil_saunders@bigfoot.com

Phil Saunders, August 2008