# John Deere 261 Finish Mower Idler Pulley replacements



## bmaverick

It seems that the previous owner neglected this heavy duty mower for about 7-years outside in the rain, frost and lite snow. It was a home to rabbits under the deck and squirrels living under the pulley deck cover. Now it's mine.  

In the past year, I've done a complete power washing, sharpened the blades, and a new first belt. It squealed like a pig. I thought that was normal until the first belt went in a weeks time.  I just added another new B-147 belt and it had ran a little longer. My logic was, the mower was sitting so long, it needs to be worked a bit to free everything up. :kookoo:

OK, this summer, I had replaced a V-pulley guide. The bearings just self destructed. It was easy enough as Tractor Supply had one that is nearly identical. This task removed the annoying pig squealing.

Fast forward to this week as I went mowing the pasture at the end of the season down here, the belt had started SMOKING. I had then torn the mower apart once again. The two flat idle pulleys seized up their bearings now.  The problem is, these pulleys are not cheap at all, nor the size readily available. The flat pulley diameter is an odd 5.5-inches vs. the standard 5-inches found on most mowers.

So, has anyone ever taken the rivets out of a flanged flat pulley to just replace the bearings? If so, what did you use to fasten the two halves back together again? 










Here is the JD-261 belt and pulley install diagram too.


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## RM-MN

I have taken them apart and riveted them back together. I have also used penetrating oil and some work to free them up and then added oil to lubricate them until a replacement could be found. It may be difficult to get the bearing to start turning but if you can get it moving at all it can be salvaged. This will NOT be a permanent fix.


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## bmaverick

Well, each flat belt pulley has six inner press-fit rivets and six outer. I only had a Dewalt high speed drill. Took some time getting both pulleys free to access the bearings.

Now, the bearings are a standard size, just in the area most autoparts stores only carry one or two at most. Why? Because it's easier to buy a power steering pump vs. rent the tool and press the old bearings out and re-assemble. Thus, I think I got the only 4 in my entire town from AutoZone, Advanced Auto and NAPA. Tractor Supply was out of them and they charge way toooooo much. 

OK, after the old bearing got pressed out using a vice and a deep socket to carefully pound out, I got the two halves of the pulley in hand. One of the pulleys bearing seat was not concentric enough, thus the bearing road to one side at a slight angle. Maybe this was the failure cause? Anyways, took a circular file on the drill to ever so slightly true things up. Wow, the bear fit like a glove.

Got some stainless 1/4-20x1/2 bolts and locking nuts and put everything back together. 

The pulleys look grand, but looking at the mowing deck, the rust was getting worse. So, I then spend the afternoon scraping, wire brush and sanding it smooth. Cleaning it all up and then did the metal farm AG paint in black. That's all I had BTW. Only did the area under the shield, thus from the outside everything still looks JD yellow.  This paint takes 48-hours to cure. It treats the metal and then becomes a hardener too. It's also very slick, thus no belt rubbing sticking either. 

Hoping when this rain stops to get back to this job to complete everything. Got the mower under tarp and a flat bed trailer and the shield in the garage drying. 

Oh, those pulleys road on some spindle bolts too. Changed those out for stainless as well. It seems that everything rusts in a mower deck. Even down south.


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## herdsman

Late reply, here but I'd bet that a the more readily available 5" diameter wouldn't make much difference?


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