Rebuild of MF 1655 mower deck pulley

MacWorld

Tractorologist
Member
I don't remember if I posted this in the past but since I just sent what I did a couple of years back to a member of another forum, here is a copy.

Here is what we did. I started with:
- a brand new center pulley
- the center pulley was worn on the inner splines on half it's height
- both outer pulleys were worn on the belt splines

First we did cut the bad center pulley in half which gave us
- one complete outer pulley
- one outer pulley with the inner splines missing
IMG_1628.jpg

Then we removed the outside of one of the outer pulleys
IMG_1629.jpgIMG_1630.jpg

Then we bored-out the half of the center pulley without inner splines
IMG_1631.jpgIMG_1633.jpgIMG_1636.jpg

And we assembled it with the good inner core (from one outer pulley)
IMG_1639.jpgIMG_1640.jpg

The final step to prevent rotation, I drilled the 6 holes and threaded them (1/4-20 IIRC) and I bolted the 2 steel flanges throughout the pulley. This locks the 2 halfs both from rotation and from vertical movement by the threads and also the steel plates. Originally the plates were "riveted" to the fiber pulleys.

This rebuilt pulley is now installed on the side with the long shaft as to allow the 6 bolts to clear the mower deck.

BTW it was done in 2011, now 9 years later still no problems nor signs of any wear on any of the pulleys.
 

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Oh yeah also... Why did I do this?

The outer pulleys were already NLA in 2011 ): As for the center pulley I was lucky the first one I received was not running true to the axis at all. The parts director where I buy my MF parts from ordered all the remaining center pulleys (from Canada or all North America I don't know) and out of the 5 available, only one of them was running true... BTW the center pulley was something in the order of 450-500$ CAN...

If someone reads this and has similar issues, would I have to fix this issue again I would skip the original fiber pulleys completely. I would get:
- 4x identical timing pulleys from car engine (i.e. from old Honda Civic). Make sure not getting cast pulleys if you weld them! AFAIK Honda most of the time use stamped pulleys! The pulleys diameter do NOT need to match the fiber pulleys, as long as all 4 are the same diameter.
- 2x 1" 15T shaft couplers to use as hubs. Split one coupler in half for the 2 outer pulleys and weld the pulleys to the couplers after having the center of the pulleys drilled out tho the couplers diameter.
- 2x long enough timing belts (can be too long).
- If your belts are too long: 2x timing belt rollers to take-out the slack.

I guess back in the days the fiber pulleys were cheaper to make than stamped/cast metal pulleys...
 
The timed pulleys are because they made (or didn’t have the room) the deck with all three blades inline, correct?
 
Yes exactly and this concept causes the blades to interfere with each other would they not be timed.
 
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