[sashiery]

Two winters ago I put new John Deere drive belts on the 1983 212 I push snow with. I did that because the old belts were slipping and burning, after several hard years, but only in a heavy load. I only had to push snow a couple of times the next winter but this last winter I ran into the same problem. I checked and found the variator in good shape and the primary spring is fully tensioned.

I also have a beater 1979 210 that I use to mow at an empty rental property while it gets rehabbed and sold. Same thing happened with it on the worst of the uphill mowing - drive belts slipping and smoking. I haven't looked underneath it to see where the primary spring adjustment is.

I know I wasted my money on the two new belts I put on the 212, but has anyone dealt successfully with this? Do those spring lose tension with age?

I have bought a new primary spring and set of belts. Is there something else I need to check while I am crawling around under there in pain?

 

[sashiery]

I only lock the brake if I need to park the tractor with the engine running.
I will check those other things, hopefully this week.