Lawn mower belt replacement

[Bishoop]

Has anyone replaced the drive belt on a Lawn-Boy Insight self propelled lawn mower?

I'd like to try it myself but I'm not sure how far to take the mower apart to replace the belt. There is a *belt cover* that if it can be removed would sure make the job allot easier. According to the Lawn-Boy parts manual the cover (plastic) just pushes on and not screwed in place. I'm afraid to pry it off in fear of it not going back on.

I think the belt is not up to the task after 3-1/2 years of cutting really thick St. Augustine grass here in Florida. I seem to be doing a lot more pushing that when it was new. It takes me 1-1/2 hours to do the job every four days from about May thru October. The rest of the year of course is less frequently. I would estimate the belt has 300~400 hours of use.

Any suggestions? Thanks....

[Blattus Slafaly]

It's not rocket science. You have to have access to the pulleys, one of which is on the motor shaft. Remove the blade underneath. Remove a possible cover. If that don't do it, jerk the motor off. The other pulley should be under that cover on top. Just pop it off if you don't see any screws.

[gfretwell]

Make sure you unplug the spark plug wire before you do anything. Remove the blade and the cover.

[mkirsch1]

Quit being so timid and just go for it. It's not brain surgery.

The cover is likely held on by push tabs. You can see them if you look carefully. Squeeze, and wiggle, don't force the cover off, and it will go back on.

[Bishoop]

The problem is that I cannot see just how the belt cover is attached. The parts drawing does not show any screws that's why I assume it's a push-on fit. Maybe I'll wait til winter when the grass doesn't need cutting so often, pry the cover off and if it won't go back on, order a new. Or maybe just order a new cover before I start the project.

[Claude Hopper]

You don't really need the cover if you break it anyway. It would run fine without the cover.

[politicallycorrect]