# Craftsman LT1500 - Blades Won't Turn On - Spring Fell Off



## John Myers (Apr 4, 2020)

Good Afternoon all,

First of all, I apologize for my ignorance of proper terminology. I'm not really experienced with fixing tractors but I am capable of fixing other things. I'm trying to fix my Craftsman LT1500 tractor I bought from Sears back in 2010. The blades will not turn on anymore. I was cutting my lawn one day and out of nowhere, I heard a noise and blades stopped turning. I found a spring in my lawn that was about 5" long. When I investigate the deck, there's a pulley/belt assembly that's just sitting on the deck. I can literally wiggle it around easily and it is just sitting on the deck like it fell off of something. I assume the spring I found on the ground was holding it in place. The problem is, I can't figure out how to re-attach it. I checked the owners manual which was not helpful. I looked up tutorials on YouTube but couldn't find much on my problem. 

I was hoping someone could tell me what this part is called, how I can re-attach it or fix the problem, or what I should do. When I put the blade level down to turn the blades on, I don't see much going on underneath the tractor, but it does seem like some belts tighten up. Here are some pictures, I did the best I could to show the area I'm talking about from different angles.

This is a Craftsman LT1500 tractor with a 42" deck. Briggs & Stratton engine. No other problems that I'm aware of.


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## Jogrady (Apr 28, 2020)

Looks like a tensioner for the deck pulley and belt


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## EdF (Sep 15, 2014)

Hi John, welcome to the forum. Attached are diagrams/pictures that show you how the deck belt is routed.


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## Bob Driver (Nov 1, 2017)

That spring is easy to install if you have a spring tool....









Not so much if you don't. It's usually easiest to attach the spring at the pivoting idler pulley first. The take a coat hanger, or a piece of baling wire, and make a strong loop. Hook the open end of your spring on the loop, place a stout screw driver, or bar on the other end. Stretch it back to the other mounting point (usually a deck stud). It helps to make a long loop to give you more leverage to stretch the spring. You usually have to cut the loop to get it off....


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## Jacobsen (Jan 21, 2020)

There is also a safety switch that that controls the blades on the lever that raises and lowers the deck that could be broken which prevents the blades from turning


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## EdF (Sep 15, 2014)

If you know someone with a trampoline, they should have a spring stretcher like Bob Driver illustrates. Works well, I've used mine quite a few times over the years.


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