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dfixer_gw

917.272261 Lawn Tractor

dfixer
10 years ago

On the back of my mower is a leaver, in the manual, under TO TRANSPORT, it calls the "Free wheel control". However, when I pull it back and lock it in the slot,as it shows, it seems to have no effect. I still can't budge the tractor. When I remove the right-side wheel, to examine more closely, the leaver is hooked to a pivoting arm with a spring that goes to a small leaver coming out of the transaxle (Hydro gear Model 323-0510), so it all seems to be connected. What do I need to do?

Comments (4)

  • bill_kapaun
    10 years ago

    Release the brake?

    The not so obvious may be a stuck brake, especially if the tractor has been sitting for an extended time.
    Page 25 of the OM shows how to adjust the brake, so that should give you an idea where it's located etc.

    This post was edited by bill_kapaun on Sat, May 4, 13 at 12:13

  • dfixer
    Original Author
    10 years ago

    I thought of that too, but it does fine when it is running. I mean, when I start it up and am mowing, it moves just fine. I can engage or disengage the brakes as normal with the brake pedal. But with the engine off, if I just need to move it a few feet, to get it out of the way, I can barely budge it. . .and I think I used to be able to pull that leaver and it seemed to disengage the transaxle and roll freely. When it is lifted, I think I see the problem. If you manually rotate one wheel in a forward direction, the other wheel turns in the opposite direction, which makes me think it is not disengaging the transaxle. Right now that leaver seems to have no effect. I am currently doing a complete overhaul and it is all torn down to just about the last nut and bolt. I don't see anything in the manual to indicate that, but maybe the engine has to be running to allow that leaver to disengage the wheels.

  • mownie
    10 years ago

    When you see the opposite wheel rotate in the opposite direction, you are not observing a fault, problem, or defect.
    What you are observing is simply a normal characteristic of a differential assembly.
    If you can physically reach the lever at the point where it enters the transaxle assembly and try to move it in the direction to free wheel you may find that cumulative wear in the linkage is causing insufficient movement of the lever to affect complete free wheeling when you need it.
    But the parking brake aspect mentioned by Bill might still be causing an issue. Even though you can drive under power does not mean the brake can't be dragging enough to keep you from bodily moving that much mass against a slightly dragging brake puck.
    You might want to douse the entire brake caliper assembly with your favorite "rust bust" product to help ensure the brake can release completely.

  • dfixer
    Original Author
    10 years ago

    Looks like you were both right. I finally had to take the whole break mechanism apart. The two actuating pins were both frozen in place. I managed to drive them out, clean them up and free up their travel. I wanted to change out the break puck anyway, so it worked out just fine. Now I just have to work on the free wheel or bypass leaver. It was just hanging loose when I did this overhaul and I am assuming the spring on the end of the leaver goes to the hole in the end of that rod going into the transaxel. The pictures in the owner's manual are so small and even then, that leaver is shown all by itself (part 95 on page 38) you can't tell how or what it connects to. We'll see what tomorrow brings. Thanks guys for your help.

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