How To Remove A Pulley From A Mower Spindle (6 Easy Steps)

Upgraded Home Team
by Upgraded Home Team

Lawnmowers rely on numerous components working in unison in order to deliver the performance expected of them. If even one of those components is not working properly, you may encounter issues while trying to maintain your yard.

Among the lawnmower components that may suffer from some issues is the pulley. If that does indeed happen, you must fix the issue right away. You don’t want to end up stuck with a poorly performing lawnmower after all.

To remove the pulley, you first have to remove the deck and the process varies depending on the lawnmower model. After that, use an impact driver or a wrench to remove the pulley mounting nut. You should now be able to lift out the pulley from the spindle shaft.

Lawnmower repair can be intimidating. Still, it’s a process you can handle safely on your own as long as you follow the right steps. Find out what those steps are and other important topics related to lawn mowers by continuing with this article.

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The Problems That Could Affect Your Lawnmower’s Pulley

As you would expect from a machine often tasked with yard work, the lawnmower is prone to having mechanical issues. The pulley is a part of the lawnmower that is likely to experience those troubles. Let’s discuss some of those problems now.

Accumulated Clippings and Debris

Probably the most common issue that affects lawn mower pulleys is the accumulation of grass clippings and debris. This is pretty hard to avoid if you use your lawnmower with any sort of regularity. The more you use it, the more debris and grass clippings are going to slip inside and cause problems.

You may be able to remove some of the debris and grass clippings without getting inside the pulley. However, some of the foreign materials that have made their way into the mower may be lodged in there good. The only option may be to remove the pulley and clean it and the belt thoroughly.

Mounting Issues

After cleaning out your lawnmower last time, you may have made a mistake while putting it back together. To be more specific, the bearing mount that could affect the pulley shaft may be loose.

Loose bearing mounts are going to make their presence felt while mowing. They’ll saddle you with all kinds of annoying issues. You’ll have to go inside the mower to make the required fixes.

Inadequate Bearing Lubrication

Speaking of the bearing, that could also cause issues for the lawnmower pulley if it’s not adequately lubricated. It’s easy to forget about that important part of maintenance. Your lawn mower will be sure to remind you if it’s a matter you’ve neglected though.

Improper Belt Placement

The belt that wraps around the pulley of your lawnmower is critical to the whole machine functioning properly. If it’s not installed the right way, the lawnmower won’t be able to work as designed.

The tension of the belt could be too low thus causing it to constantly slip out of position. You’ll have to fix that problem before you can start using your lawnmower properly again.

Damaged Spindle Shaft

The spindle shaft the pulley’s resting on is not immune to having problems. Gradual wear and tear could cause it to bend and move out of position. Replacing that shaft is necessary, but you’ll have to remove the pulley first.

How Can You Tell if There’s a Problem Affecting Your Lawnmower’s Pulley?

Issues affecting your lawnmower and its pulley can grow significantly worse over time. If you don’t want to spring for a new lawnmower earlier than expected, you need to monitor it closely.

In this section, we’ll discuss some of the signs indicating that the lawnmower pulley is having some problems. Watch out for them as they are telling you something important.

The Lawnmower Is Making a Lot of Noise

Arguably the most obvious sign that the lawnmower pulley is having some trouble is excessive noise. Things can get really loud when something’s wrong with the pulley. It may get to the point where it’s impossible not to notice.

At first, you’ll likely hear loud grinding noises. They will be hard to miss. If you don’t do something about those noises right away, they may turn into loud squeals.

Mowing the lawn can be tiring, but some also find it to be a somewhat relaxing experience. You’re not going to experience any sort of relaxation with all the noise coming from your lawnmower.

The Lawnmower Is Moving Slowly or Seizes Up

The lawnmower stopping from time to time is another indicator of a faulty pulley. The shaft being damaged or the bearing having some problems could lead to the pulley itself not functioning properly. You have to fix those components first before the lawnmower can return to normal.

The Lawnmower’s Pulley Is Visibly Damaged

If the lawn mower’s making plenty of noise and freezing up, you must take a closer look to see what’s wrong. Upon doing so, you’ll likely notice the damaged belt and/or pulley. This isn’t really a warning sign and is instead more of a confirmation that there’s a problem.

How to Remove the Pulley from Your Lawnmower’s Spindle

Removing the pulley properly is something you must know if you want to get better at lawn mower repair. Check out the steps included in this section so you can handle the process yourself with no problem.

Step 1: Prepare the Tools for Pulley Removal

It may surprise you to learn that removing the lawn mower pulley doesn’t necessitate the usage of many tools. Often, a single wrench or impact driver will do. There are even some pulleys that can be removed without the help of any tool.

You may also want to prepare a stopper of sorts. A block of wood or brick will do.

Step 2: Switch Off Your Lawnmower Completely

Before you start working on the lawnmower, make sure that it is completely shut off. Turn off the ignition and remove the key. Switch off the clutch too.

There’s no such thing as working too cautiously when it comes to lawnmowers. Make sure that it is completely off before you even get started. Also, don’t forget to lower the mower deck during this step.

Step 3: Detach the Mower Deck

This next step is tricky because we cannot detail the things you need to do completely. Lawnmowers are designed differently, meaning their mower decks may also be attached in dissimilar ways.

In order to remove your lawn mower’s deck, you’ll have to check the owner’s manual. Just follow the instructions included there. The good news is that most mower decks can be detached without using any tools.

Step 4: Put the Lawnmower in a Safer and More Accessible Working Position

With the mower deck removed, slide it out from under the lawnmower so you can reach the pulley easily. This is also a good time to secure the blades so they don’t accidentally go in motion.

Place some kind of stopper next to the blade to keep it stationary. You can use the brick or the block of wood you prepared earlier.

Step 5: Remove the Pulley Mounting Nut

You should now be able to remove the pulley mounting nut. Using an impact driver is recommended because it can remove the mounting nut faster. If you don’t have an impact driver, a wrench and some elbow grease will work just fine.

Step 6: Lift the Pulley Out of Position

All that’s left to do now is to remove the pulley from its position. Simply slide away the belt and then lift it up away from the spindle shaft.

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Related Questions

How Often Do You Need to Lubricate the Lawnmower?

We noted earlier that inadequate bearing lubrication could be one of the reasons why your mower’s pulley is having problems. It’s not that hard to stay up-to-date with mower lubrication. Lubricating the lawnmower about twice per season should suffice.The process of lubricating the lawn mower also involves many of the steps included in removing the pulley. You’ll still have to lower the deck and remove it. Instead of removing the pulley though, you can just use a grease gun to lubricate the bearings and spindles.


How Much Will a New Lawnmower Pulley Cost?

The exact cost of a replacement lawn mower pulley will depend on the kind of machine you have. Some replacement pulleys can be had for just a bit over $10. Others are closer to $30 in price.


How Should a Lawnmower Be Stored?

Do you want to prevent issues like the pulley malfunctioning from popping up frequently? In that case, you need to care better for your lawnmower.Focusing on proper lawn mower storage is a good idea. Leaving it constantly exposed to the elements is not an option. You have to keep it protected it somehow.Store it inside a shed or cover it with a tarp if possible. Smaller lawnmowers can also be stored indoors by hanging them from a wall or placing them on the shelf. Choose whichever storage option works best for you in order to prolong the life of your lawnmower and its components.

Upgraded Home Team
Upgraded Home Team

We are a team of passionate homeowners, home improvement pros, and DIY enthusiasts who enjoy sharing home improvement, housekeeping, decorating, and more with other homeowners! Whether you're looking for a step-by-step guide on fixing an appliance or the cost of installing a fence, we've here to help.

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