How to Replace the Drive Belt on a Cub Cadet LT 1042 Riding Mower

The Cub Cadet LT 1042, a lawn tractor with a double-blade mower deck suspended from its bottom side uses a rubber drive belt to spin the blades. The belt must remain a certain length even though the mower deck has a built in tensioning system called an idler pulley. When the belt gets old, it stretches beyond the idler pulleys ability to correct. When the pulley runs out of travel, you must replace the belt with a new one.

Screwdriver
Socket set

Instructions

- 1
  Lower the lift lever to the bottom notch on the right rear fender to lower the deck into its lowest position. This maximizes clearance between the Cub Cadet and the deck.
- 2
  Remove the self-tapping screws that hold each belt guard onto the deck with a screwdriver. Place the belt guards off to the side.
- 3
  Remove the belt keeper that rests over the drive pulley mounted on the bottom of the engine with a socket set and then place the belt keeper off to the side.
- 4
  Place a 3/8-inch ratchet driver into the square hole located on the idler pulley bracket and then rotate the idler pulley inward to loosen tension on the belt.
- 5
  Remove the belt from the spindle pulley on the mower deck and then remove the belt from the drive pulley mounted under the engine.
- 6
  Place the new belt onto the drive pulley and then onto the spindle pulley on the mower deck. Remove the socket from the idler pulley bracket to increase tension on the belt.
- 7
  Place the belt keeper onto the bottom of the engine and secure it with the ratchet.
- 8
  Place the belt guards onto the mower deck and secure them with the self-tapping screws and screwdriver.

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