Outdoor Power Equipment and Small Engines - Garden Tractor Engine Pulley won't drop

We're trying to replace a belt on a26hp 54in cut MTD Huskee garden tractor, Model 808K. Got the deck off, belts off, various pulleys off, all according to directions. Next step is to get the engine pulley to drop. Have the hex bolt out, but the engine pulley just won't drop. Any ideas? We dropped themower off at the repair shop, but it will likely be a couple of weeks before they get to it, even though all they have to do is get that pulley off. Thanksw for the help.

Why do you have to remove the engine pulley just to change a belt?

Usually, it is only necessary to remove 2 or 3 belt guides/keepers and/or a plate underneath the engine.

If you do indeed have to remove the pulley, it may be a little tight but usually not seized. You could try a prybar on each side and pry down equally, or sometimes a little heat with a propane torch will expand the hub enough to slide it off.

That's what the owner's manual says to do. My son said there are parts of the frame or something that interfere with removing the belt without taking off the pulley.

We tried prying on the pulley but didn't want to work too hard at it for fear of bending something since we didn't know why it wouldn't come off. So you are saying we should have tried harder to pry it off? JThere isn't any pin or something holding it on?

Thanks.

It should be keyed but not pinned or cliped. With the bolt removed it should come off. It will not rotate on the shaft due to the key. Squirt some engine oil on top of the shaft just above the pulley shaft and let it soak in overnight. I have even had em fall off on their own overnight so leave the bolt in just started to catch it.

The manual is right. The belt guides are not removeable and are part of the frame. I have run into this before, and have had to actually cut the pulley off one of these. I don't know why, but they can be nearly impossible to remove.