Bent Belt Tightener Pulley Arm Ventrac

[TBH]

Hello All
I'm just wanting to confirm this arm that holds the double groove PTO pulley is bent or not. See picture of arm that has a slight angle to it. I noticed this when I was reattaching the deck mower and I'm even afraid to engage the PTO thinking the belt will just slip off or bust.

 

[prestond]

Mine is a 4500 so the PTO pulley looks a little different. On my 4500 the pulley bracket is straight.

The second picture you have with the belt on, it certainly looks bent. Did someone hit something?

 

[MountainBuck]

Mine is also the 4500 and I agree with prestond, it looks bent. You want that pulley to be in as close to the same plane as the upper engine pulley.

What you have there looks like it will fall off or wear the belt rapidly.

When I zoom in on the picture of the bracket hanging down, it appears that there is a circular crack in the bracket around the nut holding on the pulley.

You may need to straighten it and weld up the crack or replace it.

 

[TBH]

Ok thanks. Admitting what happen so others can avoid if possible!

Attached aerator on Saturday and forgot to raise / engage the pulley to get it up and out of the way. At some point I noticed the belt from the engine clutch to the pulley had broke. I thought, huh? must have gotten caught on the aerator some how. then flipped up the belt tightener to get the pulley up out of the way. Didn't notice anything then bent until I reattach the mower deck and the belt seemed oddly angled.