# What is this spring?



## SuffA12A12 (May 7, 2018)

Hi, can anyone please tell me what this spring is, which fell from my John Deere x350 lawn tractor today? I can't move forward or back. I've looked in the manual and still can't figure it out. I'd like to re-attach it myself, if I can identify where each end of the spring attaches to. I'm a novice at lawn tractor maintenance.


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## pogobill (Jan 31, 2012)

https://partscatalog.deere.com/jdrc/sidebyside/equipment/68636/referrer/navigation/pgId/121228814
Looks to be like spring 8 hooks to pin 2 and then to arm 11. Keeps tension on the drive belt.


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## FredM (Nov 18, 2015)

I wonder if the pin mount would be still there (#1,2,3 and 9) --- rather odd that a tension spring would jump off.


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## pogobill (Jan 31, 2012)

Good point FredM.


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## SuffA12A12 (May 7, 2018)

pogobill said:


> Good point FredM.


Thanks *pogobill *for the advice and the link to the diagram. I removed the mower deck after watching someone do it on youtube, so I could get to the main drive belt and then thanks to the diagram I worked out how to re-attach the tension spring. *FredM* the pin mount is still in place, but I guess that makes it strange that the spring just jumped out. Anyway after fitting the drive belt and tension spring it worked and the machine was moving again. It took me the whole day - but every step was new to me so learning as I go. Unfortunately I've got another problem because the mower is vibrating a lot and after running a few seconds there's a hot/burning smell, so I must have messed up re-attaching the mower deck. I'll have to take a look tomorrow and see what the problem is.


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## FredM (Nov 18, 2015)

That is good you had a win with the pin still being in place, now is the deck vibrating or the mower itself??.

I wonder if you have run the deck belt over a retainer instead of under, have a look around the drive pulley, if not there, down on the deck, that will give you the burning smell.


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## wjjones (May 28, 2010)

Yep belt alignment issue, rolled in the pulley, or out of the pulley. Keep us updated.


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## SuffA12A12 (May 7, 2018)

Thanks FredM and wjjones - you were right. Now the weekend is here I finally got the time to see what the problem was. The belt had rolled over, sort of twisted and gone under the pulley. I released the tension spring with a dog lead (great tip that - so much easier than with pliers) and got the belt back on. There was a very thin strip of the belt that had been torn off, so I cut that away and tried it out. All good, mower is cutting great ... then the rain came down, but really pleased to be up and running again. Grass is growing like crazy this time of year.


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## wjjones (May 28, 2010)

Glad we could help. Dont be a stranger come back on the site as much as your able.


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