How to put the belt springs on - Craftsman 20 Hp 42" Deck Lawn Tractor

2004 Ford Freestar:
Accessory belt drive removal and installation:

1.Put the vehicle in neutral, and put it on hoist.
2.Rotate the accessory drive belt tensioner counterclockwise.
3.Push the spring clip towards the belt tensioner to lock the accessory drive belt tensioner in place and remove the belt.
4.To install the accessory drive belt, on the engine, rotate the accessory drive belt tensioner counterclockwise till the spring clip releases.
5.Install the belt.

If you can find make and model I may be able to help you.

I’m happy to assist further over the phone at https://www.6ya.com/expert/layne_0fccff498c319c32

put the belt onto the tension pulley first then use the large diameter drum to assist you in in LEVERING the belt on with tensioner spring in place . Failing that remove and replace spring with vice grips (put spring back on as it came off ).

I'm not familiar with this particular car...but most cars these days use a spring loaded idler to apply tension to the accessory drive belt. Simply rotate the idler against the spring pressure, install the belt, and release.

There is an idler pulley that puts tension on the belt. You unhook the spring from the idler arm, put the new belt on (it will be loose, not tight) then hook the spring back onto the idler by pulling hard on the spring with a pair of visegrip or channellock pliers. Here's a parts diagram. Good luck! Please rate my solution if helpful, thanks.

There is no tightening unless your Idler pulley spring is weak. There is constant pressure on the belt from this spring. In most cases the belts stretch and if you put on a new belt and still have problems; you will need the Idler pulley assembly.

You should see a label under the hood of your car. This will have the belt routing. There is a socket hole in the Idler pulley to reverse the spring tension and slide the old belt off. You use a rachet or breaker bar in the socket hole to move the Idler pulley. Then repeat the process and put the new belt on.

Nothing is adjustable. Belts are usually good for 40000 miles.

Be prepared for sticker shock on maintenance. The belt is not a standard "V" belt and a replacement one is $40.
I was not pleased when trying to replace the belt. Like you said, there are no instructions in the manual, and it is not a simple job. The pulleys are made from cheap casting metal and one of my pulley halves cracked and came off from one of my attempts.
The secret is to not remove the rear pulley with the spring, but the front one. Then when you go to put the belt back on, put it around the rear pulley first and pull hard on the belt so that the spring in the rear opens up and the belt comes forward. Then you can easily reseat the front pulley half with the belt in place.

the best way i can tell you is open the back put the belt on the motor then visually pull the tension pulley back and put the belt on the tension back on the belt. if you are changing the belt you must touch the spring.let me know how it goes.

Hello vanessastar3. Your dryer may have a motor mount with cushion or spring mounts and they may have grown weak with age. If the dryer performes substantially this maybe the lose point. Check your belt route most units have a flate spring supported roller and this maybe your weak spot. I will need Mgfr. & model# to be more pin point to the problem area if these suggestions don't correct the problem. Have fun.

Looking from rear of dryer,one spring on motor is for tension,therefore put belt around drum(groove to the drum surface).Then rotate the motor firmly clockwise tensioning the spring,take belt from right of drum over tension wheel then put grooves of belt on shaft of motor.Release motor to tension spring,job done !!!!!