How to Replace the Drive Belt on a Toro Walk Behind Mower

Mower going slower? It's time to face the fix. Whether you are a lawn care professional or a monthly mower, eReplacementParts.com provides the parts, procedures and facts you need to fearlessly fix what fails you.

As a result of stretching, cracking our outright breakage, the belt on your Toro walk-behind mower will eventually need to be replaced. Symptoms of an overstretched (loose) drive belt are a gradual loss of power to the front wheels, or difficulty engaging the drive. If the belt breaks, the drive function will stop working entirely, and you'll find yourself pushing the mower to move it across your lawn.

Fortunately, it's easy to revive the drive on your Toro mower. This article provides step-by-step instructions for removing and installing the drive belt on a Toro walk-behind mower.

Let's get started.

  REMOVING THE DRIVE BELT [top] 1. Remove the drive belt cover.

Tip the mower onto its side. To prevent fuel from leaking, tilt the mower so that the carburetor remains at the top.

Remove the (2) bolts from the belt cover (on the underside of the mower deck).

Remove the belt cover from the top of the mower.

  2. Move the belt guard.

Remove 1 of the 2 bolts (either is fine) from the belt guard (on the underside of the mower deck).

Pivot the belt guard away from the drive belt.

  3. Remove the drive belt.

Remove the drive belt from the transmission pulley (on the deck of the mower).

Disengage the drive belt from the drive pulley (on the underside of the mower deck).

Remove the drive belt from the blade assembly.

  INSTALLING THE NEW DRIVE BELT [top] 4. Install the drive belt.

Slide the new drive belt over the blade assembly.

Feed the belt through opening in the mower deck (from the bottom to the top).

Pull gently on the drive belt (from the top of the mower deck) until it engages the drive pulley.

Tip the mower back onto its wheels.

Install the drive belt onto the transmission pulley.

  REASSEMBLING THE UNIT [top] 5. Reinstall the blade guard.

Tip the mower onto its side.

Pivot the blade guard until the mounting holes align.

Secure the blade guard with the (1) bolt.

  6. Reinstall the belt cover.

Install the belt cover.

Secure the belt cover with the (2) bolts.

Tip the mower back onto its wheels.

  7. Adjust the drive cable.

After installing a new drive belt, it may be necessary to adjust the drive cable. To test the drive cable, start the mower engine and raise the front wheels off the ground (using the handle as you normally would). When the drive cable is properly adjusted, the front wheels should not spin at all during this test.

Loosen the bolt securing the drive cable to the handle.

Loosen the drive cable by pushing it toward the handle; or

Tighten the drive cable by pulling it toward the engine.

Secure the drive cable to the handle with the bolt.

Repeat this step (as necessary) until the drive cable is properly adjusted.

You don't have to empty your pockets to level your lawns. Repairing your own powered equipment is easy and economical when you follow our step-by-step guides. Not only did you revive driver functionality at a fraction of the cost of replacement; you widened your drive to face the next fix, whatever it may be.

Find your next fix here.   [top]