My guess is that when the belt shifted it placed a high axial load on the ball bearings shown in the pic. This pushed the bearings out of position on the shaft (the inner races were loose on the shaft). This allowed the in-out movement of the shaft when you tugged on it. Putting the belt back in place seated the bearings just enough that a slight tug won't separate them. A good yank may break them apart again. Like I said, just a guess.
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