By pwalkin on Unrecorded Date: Edit

I just finished a total rebuild on a '76 hustler, and I replaced the 16 hp Kohler with an 18 hp Honda engine. My problem is that the belt only goes down about a quarter of the way down the driven clutch, down maybe an inch or an inch and a half at the most. It will do that even if I rev it with the tranny in neutral. It runs fine but does not go as fast as I would have expected. How far should the belt go, and what if anything may be wrong?

Pat

By Attex Bob on Unrecorded Date: Edit

Pat: The belt should go all the way down on both the driven and drive clutch. Otherwise you don't get the full gear ratio advantage (no speed or no torque). Was this thing sitting for awhile? I would pop the cover off and see if anything looks worn or rusty. I would bet things are a bit rusty and stuck.

By liflod (Liflod) on Unrecorded Date: Edit

Sounds like the belt is too loose. I'm not sure of the exact spec but my belts are fairly tight with the engine off. You should gain alot of low end also if the belt needs tightened.

By david berger (Davidrrrd) on Unrecorded Date: Edit

you may need a longer belt,when not running is the belt just over or at least leavle with top of driven pully? it should be.
and is there some clearence between crank shaft and belt? some aplications call for as much as 3/8"between shaft and belt to alow it to slip in idle without rubbing belt,
next maybe you can open the driven pully while engine is off, simply rotate the spring side of "trany" pully counter to direction engine rotation would be, while at same time pulling on one half of belt too fill in the v between pully halfes as it opens,if you get to bottom pull the both sides of belt to give maxamem extra at engine side, now match the belt to the engine cluch pully,
if perfict it would just about if not toutch the edge around the outside, now if it dose your belt is corect size but your engine is not running its best,if it go's half way up from shaft to the edge equily around than congrats to you, your engine is too far from trany,
it's best to build your custom engine mounts with slots for adjusting fwd and back so you can get the optimum setting for your belt and clutches.
otherwise you can meshure your setup for a longer belt,heh heh heh
downside to new belt is you may have to cut old belt to run it along outside of cluch by the edge to meshur how much it is short,
i atatched a piese of duct tape to one end of a cut belt and test fited as in above paragraphes,
i then marked it where it met other end of belt and took it to local power equipment and snow mobile shop to match it up to a new belt,the best mach may be 1/4" + or - of your belt tape meashure, also keep in mind condition of belt you used for meshurment, if it was worn it will be off a little on the long side as it can go lower into v than when new, so your choice may be the same size as meshuring thingy to just shy of it to alow for streach in and ware n tear over lifetime,
hey that would make a good how too video huh,
could you video the procedure and send it too me?
maybe i could make it into one,heh heh
"with your machine on the cover too"

By Marc Stobinski (Jerseybigfoot) on Unrecorded Date: Edit

Your trans belt is too long, and or too long and too narrow.

By Marc Stobinski (Jerseybigfoot) on Unrecorded Date: Edit

Your trans belt is too long, and or too long and too narrow.

By david berger (Davidrrrd) on Unrecorded Date: Edit

OOPS,WRED IT WRONG,BUT THE SAME PROCEDURE WILL TELL YOU HOW MUCH YOU NEED TO MOVE YOUR ENGINE AWAY FROM TRANY PREHAPS AND OR HELP YOU FIG. LENTH OF SHORTER REPACEMENT,SORRY I WRED IT WRONG THE FIRST TIME

By pwalkin on Unrecorded Date: Edit

Thanks for the replies and advice. The belt is about even with the top of the clutch. To fit the Honda engine in, it was 1/4 inch further back than the Kohler was, so if anything I was expecting the belt to be too tight. There is no problem though because it idles just fine. The machine had been sitting several years, and EVERYTHING had to be rebuilt. The driven clutch was frozen but I got it free, took it apart and got it to where I thought I was working freely, but that was a couple of months ago. I tried to rotate the driven clutch yesterday, and that is where the problem is. It catches at about an inch down. I put some Kroil on it and wil try it again. This has been a six month project and I cant face taking the thing apart again right now. Besides, my four year old loves riding in it and would throw a fit if I did. She loved it when we went in the pond, and thought it was great fun when I ran out of gas in the pond. I will just drive the way it is hope that in time the clutch will work itself free. Thanks again.

pat

By liflod (Liflod) on Unrecorded Date: Edit

You're on the right track. I had some intital problems with my Attex after I put it toghether. One of the problems was with the driven clutch not expanding. After a few hours of driving time and some oil, it worked it self out just fine. BTW I aslo have a 4 year old daughter who loves to ride with me. If its, running, take her. She'll make the walk back home much more interesting!!!