I had to look at JD parts to confirm that some STX used a strap! If it is like the design on the JD Scotts, you hook the strap in the front center in the deck lift index bracket and the rears center in the hole. I don't know if it would use a tray or if the battery rests directly on the pan.

Thanks tomplum. So I would guess that the bungie is used to keep the battery in place. I thought it might be used on the gear selector linkage somehow. In lookng closer I do belive your right about the battery sitting directly on the pan.

Do you know if it would hurt to run this mower without a battery installed? I need to get a battery for but want to jump it and drive it around. And is the drive belt hard to adjust. Sorry for all the questions but thank you for the info.

No, you should have a battery in the tractor to run it. Without looking, I think you have two posibilities on making up some tension on the belt. If it has an idler pulley quite close to the engine drive pulley, the mount bolt goes through a slot in the frame and is adjustable. There are two idlers towards the rear. I'm thinking that th rear of the two are adjustable as well. Adjust to the point it works well. I THINK there is a spec on the compression spring on the clutch rod of an 1 1/4"

c3pilot, this post would have gotten more play over in the lawn tractor forum, where there's quite a bit of activity about STX38's.

There is no battery tray. The bungee hooks onto the shift lever which runs horizontally under the rear part of the seat, goes over the battery, and hooks into a hole in the sheet metal below the back of the battery.

This holds the battery in place, and also holds the shift lever up in the right position.