Front mounted mule drive paired with older style mower deck

[kto434 108]

Does anyone know whether I can mount/use a newer style front mounted mule drive on my 1968 Charger to spin my older style mower deck?  Something is out-of-whack with the original style side mount mule drive that came on the tractor and I am getting tired of reattaching the PTO to mower drive belt every 5 minutes and want to try something else.  I would like to leave everything else as-is, if possible.  Any suggestions are much appreciated--thanks!  If you have made the conversion yourself, any pics would be helpful as I am not a professional mechanic and benefit greatly from seeing things, if you know what I mean.

 

Please note the engine to tranny belt is set up for temporary use only--I had to order a new idler pulley and am waiting for it to arrive--in the meantime, I installed the pulley shown in the pic (which is larger than the stock pulley and is only being used so I can drive the tractor around pending receipt of the correct pulley).

 

Bert

[wfrpalm 218]

If you are running it without the belt cover that probably is the problem.

[953 nut 55,081]

If you want to put the newer type mule drive on there would be no problem doing it and it would work fine.

As shown in your picture there are a few missing pieces. These pictures will show you how it should be hooked up.

 

[kto434 108]

Hi guys.  Thanks for your comments/suggestions.  I attached a few pics of the way (possibly wrong) I hooked everything up.  The pics in the old manual are pretty grainy and hard for me to make out with precision.  Please let me know if you see anything I screwed up.  The tractor is new to me, I am not familiar with this side mounted set up, and this is the first time I have tried using the mower deck.  I had to order some pieces/bearings to even be able to try it out.  I will reinstall the belt cover hoping it helps too—thanks for that tip.

[953 nut 55,081]

The pivot point that the cam rides on is way too far away from the frame of your tractor. I can post a picture and dimensions tomorrow.

[kto434 108]

OK, thanks.

[kto434 108]

Pics from manual.  All parts shown in above pics are OEM parts.

Edited September 1, 2018 by kto434

[Racinbob 11,045]

Excellent info on setting up your mower drive to the factory set-up. The belt guard isn't an issue here. As far as your question on using the newer style front mount mule drive the answer is yes. Wheel Horse made a hitch for the front that bolts to the frame allowing you to hook one up. Maybe someone here can post a picture of one. I ran an older style deck like you have on a newer tractor utilizing the front mule drive for quite a while. The only issue I had was that the geometry of the deck brackets caused it to move to the rear a bit when it was raised. This seemed to over tighten the belt in the raised position. Maybe I was overly paranoid about it but I would always loosen the pto belt when I was done mowing. 

[953 nut 55,081]

13 hours ago, kto434 said:

OK, thanks.

The mower drive in this picture came from a 1267 and is mounted on a 953. It is the same as the drive pictured on the black '69 Charger previously shown. As you will see the rear pivot point is inside the frame and the cam pivot is only three inches from the frame. I never had any belt problems mowing with this setup.

[pfrederi 17,667]

This old girl mowed 3 acres Thursday with this set up.  (Rich you should have kept her)

 

If you belt is set too loose the vertical plate will jump out of the cam roller.

 

If you want period correct you could put on this early mule drive that came with later Chargers

[953 nut 55,081]

6 minutes ago, pfrederi said:

(Rich you should have kept her)

When I bought the Charger it was as a parts tractor, once I got it running I figured it was too nice to part out. Glad you are getting good service from it.       

[kto434 108]

Thanks so much for the additional info and ideas--very helpful to me.  At least one of my problems, based on your comments, is I have the belt "too loose" as the vertical plate has jumped out of the cam roller (I have actually seen that happen in operation).  The other thing that seems not-quite-right (to me) is the mule pulley, as I have also seen the belt slide off the mule pulley in operation--I mean the pulley that is attached to the vertical plate and is mounted at an angle to the vertical plate.  The belt has slid off the mule pulley where shown in the attached pic (I have seen it happen in operation for no apparent reason--obviously there is a reason, I just cannot figure it out).  I will try to make adjustments here/there using all the info shared before scraping the set up for something else (maybe another side mount set up per your ideas or the newer style front mount set up).  Thanks again for all the help/suggestions/comments/info.  I appreciate all!

[pfrederi 17,667]

The flat idler in you r picture looks about right to me.  The belt is sitting in the enter.  The idler is not angled as much as the V pulley.  A too loose belt would explain the belt running off the idler.  The manual shows you should be able to pinch the belt in to 2-3/4 -3" inside to inside up near the PTO

[ztnoo 2,298]

It looks to me like you have a lot more idler pulley adjustment left on the cam lever plate.

The belt will tighten as the idler pulley is adjust toward the front of the cam plate (i.e. front of the tractor).

Mine (on a GT 14) runs near the end of the slot in the cam plate, even with the correct deck belt.

Also, that belt needs to run tighter than you might envision it should.

Paul's dimension is correct (from my memory of my owner's manual).

My guess is you probably don't have the belt tensioned properly and/or you have the wrong length belt.

See edited pic below noting adjustment slot for the idler pulley. Note area circled in yellow.

Edited September 1, 2018 by ztnoo

[kto434 108]

OK, thanks guys.  It’s been raining on/off here today so I have not been able to get outside to work on it yet.  I will check the belt tension, adjust as needed, try out (as weather permits) , and report.  Thanks again for all the help!

[kto434 108]

I tightened the belt a little as recommended and sure enough the belt now stays put—am very pleased with it.  I mowed with it for about 15 minutes without any trouble.  Before, the belt was slipping off within the first minute or two.  So I think the problem is fixed for now—thanks!