how to fit poly vee drive belt

[allanwalters]

Hi ! I'm a bit of a novice at DIY washing machine repairs, but I'm not entirely inexperienced with mechanical devices - so thought I'd be OK with the simple repair I'm attempting.

All I'm trying to do is reattach the "poly vee" drive belt on my Indesit WG924 washing machine, which seems to have unhooked itself. My problem is I don't know how to slacken things enough to get the drive belt on (and then how to retension it afterwards). At present the belt can't stretch over both the pulley wheel for the drum and the drive shaft of the motor itself (it feels like I'll break something if I try to stretch the belt over both elements). The belt itself doesn't seem damaged or stretched, so I don't think I need a new one.

Clearly I don't want to make matters worse for myself, but I'd have thought this is easy to do "when you know how".

Can anyone help, please !

___________________________
lynda, moderator

please note forum rule 20. Your post has been split

 

[Sleepyhead]

Hook the belt over the motor drive shaft, feed it onto the large pulley and turn the pulley whilst keeping the belt on both pulleys. It'll be tight but it will go on.
An alternative method that avoids nipping your fingers is to hook it over the motor drive shaft and cable tie it to the large pulley, rotate the pulley and the belt will go on. Cut and remove the cable tie.

 

[allanwalters]

Great advice 'sleepyhead', and thanks ! The belt attached nicely using your cable-tie method. It looked like the belt was going to get over stretched in doing it, but I trusted your advice and it went back on nicely.

A BIG thanks for the advice !!