How to Remove the Mower Deck on a Scotts S2046 Lawn Tractor

Park the Scotts S2046 on a level surface. Engage the parking brake, disengage the mower power take-off lever and turn off the engine. Pull the ignition key out of the mower.

Pull the deck lift lever up to raise the deck to its highest position. Place two 2-inch by 4-inch boards under the mower deck. The boards should be long enough to extend past both sides of the deck. Place one board under the front of the deck, and the remaining board under the rear of the deck. Push the deck lift lever down to lower the deck. The boards help to create some slack in the linkages.

Find the drive belt pulley under the front of the Scotts S2046 near the left front wheel. Pull down on the belt guide bar with one hand, and roll the belt off the pulley with your free hand. The belt guide bar is the angled bar around the belt and connects to the pulley mounting plate.

Remove the cotter pin securing the mower belt tension rod to the mounting flange of the drive arm on the mower deck with a pair of needle-nose pliers. Pull the pin out once you remove the cotter pin, and slowly release the tension rod. The mower deck belt will now have slack.

Unhook the cotter pins connecting the mower front arms to the front of the mower with the needle-nose pliers. Remove the arms from the front of the mower deck. If you are removing the deck to drive the mower without the deck, remove the front adjusting nuts from the front arms and store the arms with the mower deck.

Take off the cotter pins securing the rear arms to the mower deck with the needle-nose pliers. The rear arms are the arms that lift and lower the deck. Once the cotter pins are out, push the retaining pins out to disengage the rear arms.

Raise the deck lift lever to raise the rear arms. Go to the right side of the mower and slide the mower deck from under the Scotts S2046.