Front PTO alignment problem
 

I was hooking up a QA-42a snow thrower to my 106 last night and I noticed that the front pto on the engine is really offset compared to the hole in the frame under it for the belt to pass through. I had the thrower on it last year and didn't notice this but this year I see the belt is almost hitting the frame and I cant adjust the pulley on the thrower gear box to line up with the pto because that would cause the belt to hit the frame. I did have the engine un-bolted and slid forward this spring so I could add a creeper gear (and again to remove the creeper, change the seals in it and replace the driveshaft:bash2:) I would like to think I bolted the engine back in correctly, but because of this and the fact I had to do some major tweaking on the mule drive for the mower deck this spring has got me wondering (idler pulley brackets were really wore out so I cut the rod they pivot on, drilled the holes on the brackets out, welded in some sleeves and put it back together. thought maybe something wasn't quite right when I put it back together.) it kept throwing and rolling the belt for the mower. I know the snow thrower was on a 1250 before I bought it so I had to move the 2 mounting brackets closer together to make it fit the 106. something just seems off but it could just be me. any ideas would be greatly appreciated.

Did you look to see if the motor was still bolted in? That's about the only thing that can make it that far out of line.

A QA42A uses spacers on the lower mount to line it up better on the NF tractors.
Somewhere there is a thread on this.

yeah the motor is solid, was thinking maybe there might be 2 sets of mounting holes on the engine or something. As for the spacers, if they are the ones I'm thinking about, they only center the thrower to the mount that holds the gear box.

I think Lew is thinking of this thread: http://www.onlycubcadets.net/forum/s...owthrower+belt

By the way, your PTO looks like it's falling apart.....something to look at.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v7...s.jpg~original

That finger is out of position and it looks like it needs adjustment ( too far out )

Good eye Billy :beerchug:

Agreed, darn good eye. I replaced the center wear button this past spring, maybe I didn't adjust it right or something

Maybe it just slipped out of alignment. Getting the two jam nuts tight against each other can be challenging.

definitely looks like the same problem I'm having but going by the one pic of the install manual on page 2 mine is the right side and his is the left side.

How does your clutch basket / pulley line up with your starter generator? If it's too far forward on the crankshaft, you'd see the pulleys not aligning, and causing the belt to wear unevenly on one side. It would also create the problem you're suggesting.

I don't know that all the narrow frames are like this, but my PTO clutch had a snap ring inside the hub that you bottomed out against the crankshaft. i had my crank basket too far forward to where the clutch would bottom out on the fingers on the disk before the crank would bottom out against that snap ring.

old thread, I know, but I am having the exact same problem now,
and I just noticed it too when hooking up the QA42a to my narrow frame 125.
the top of the belt is rubbing on the inside of the grille casting on the right side of the tractor.. the center button of the PTO is also a bit offset from the lever that presses the clutch.

is there a way to align the engine better so it's more centered ??

here's what it looks like, in case anyone was wondering

Are all 4 of the bolts (none missing?) that secure the engine in good shape (not worn partially through) and are they all 4 tight?

If they are all loose and have been that way for a long time the bolts themselves may be badly worn as may be the holes in the mounting plate of the frame proper.

Appears that the engine maybe sitting in there a bit "cockeyed" hence something is rubbing on the frame casting.

Do you have a clamp on the shaft of the release arm such as #7 in the drawing, or does it have a hole with a cotter pin thru it?
Either one is meant to keep the shaft in place

If you have a clamp it may be loose or missing, if you have a cotter pin it may be bent or missing allowing the shaft to slip to that side.

In addition, there are four bolts that hold the front casting in place. The bolt holes in the casting are sloppy big to allow adjustment for the hood to be aligned.
Possibly the casting has shifted. Just throwin' spaghetti at the wall.

In reviewing your pictures looking down at the PTO, I am not sure if I'm seeing a couple bolts missing for the grill casting! I can see then two bolts on the back of the casting but Im not sure if I can see the front bolts? Perhaps maybe if the bolts are missing, then you could be encountering misalignment of the grill...hmmmm?

I've also got a 125 and at one point of time a few years ago the bolts to the grill casting came loose and caused me some grief with setting the gap between the thrust button and the PTO..... couldn't get the adjustment right until I realized those grill casting bolts were loose. Once I tighten those bolts, my problem with adjusting the gap was solved.

Ironman made his point about the bolts before I read his post..not intended to step on his toes.

thanks for the suggestions, I will look into the grill casting and engine centering. I think I am missing two bolts for the grill as well as the clamp for the release arm. maybe all those things are adding up to the poor overall alignment