Craftsman Table Saw Belt Comes off

[Tman]

While using my table saw, the belt suddenly came off. After inspection, I noticed the saw belt arbor came off. I tried putting it on again and tightening it but the alan screw was stripped. I replaced the screw and put the arbor back on, the belt still keeps coming off.

While taking pics to post on this thread, I noticed the rotator bolt missing? Would that cause the belt to come off?

Any ideas would be greatly appreciated.

 

[pop-pop]

Without that bolt, the motor pulley is going to climb the belt when starting and pop off.

 

[bob vaughan]

It looks like the missing bolt holds the motor in a fixed position. Replace the bolt, put some tension on the belt, and try the saw.

 

[Tman]

Thank you. I thought the bolt keeps the motor from going left or right? Or does bolt need to be tightened so the motor doesn't slide up/down?

 

[pop-pop]

Thank you. I thought the bolt keeps the motor from going left or right? Or does bolt need to be tightened so the motor doesn't slide up/down?

Think of it as a belt tension lock as Bob mentioned above.

 

[pcooper]

I had one of those saws, if you tighten the bolt where yours is missing, the motor won't move when you raise and lower the blade, so the bolt's job is to keep the motor from going too far up and down and left and right. It needs to be just nearly tight, but not seated tight.

 

[Charlie]

I had one of those saws, if you tighten the bolt where yours is missing, the motor won't move when you raise and lower the blade, so the bolt's job is to keep the motor from going too far up and down and left and right. It needs to be just nearly tight, but not seated tight.

Correct as far as up and down, not side to side. If the motor moves side to side the motor/mounting bracket may be loose, etc. The belt tension is controlled by the weight of the motor. I used one of those saws for over 50 years. Never had a belt come off. The motor and arbor pullies "must" be aligned properly. Scrap the link belt and put on a "good" V-belt.