Well looks like Mownie is not going to help you after all.

Walt Conner

Heh Heh. Well, I'm trying, to the best of my disabilities, to gain some information on the subject.
And apparently Model # 917.257631 was not included in the manual list at managemyhome on the Sears direct website.
Viewing the IPL is no help anyway and none of the other Craftsman manuals I have access to really address that there is even a "blade brake" feature that must be maintained, let alone how to service it.
And by clicking the link below, you can see a recently resurrected thread where the exact same problem was posed, and for all practical purposes, still remains "unresolved".
I made a weak appeal for owners of similar Craftsman models to post some pictures of the blade brake system so that there would be some definite examples to show how it works and where the parts go.
So far, no offers of pics have been posted by owners of same or similar models.
I will create a thread dedicated to asking owners of the subject models to post some photos.

Here is a link that might be useful: The unstoppable blade

Well I knew if anyone could dig out the info, you would.

Walt Conner

Seems to me, there is a double slot cut into the front top of the mower deck, and the spring hooks into that, and back to the double pulley mechanism, in the center of the deck.

I have an LT2000 with a 42" inch deck. I'd imagine the deck has the same set up. How do I attach a picture from the user's manual about the deck and where the springs go?

Hot dog!! Now we're getting somewhere.
tomplum sent me some photos to work on too. I'll post tom's when I'm finished with the editing.
Thanks guys.

Here is a link that might be useful: picture postin' primer

Well... I followed the instructions of uploading photo's and hopefully this works. It's a picture of the deck on my LT2000 from the owner's manual. # 148 is the Spring Return Idler. If you want all the listing of each part included, let me know and I'll attach it to my photo bucket.

{{gwi:337626}}

Sboricic,
Ha ha! well, I guess that joke is on me. I thought you had some photos of your deck that you took with your camera.
And real life, real time, real pictures is what is needed.
But at least you now know how to post pictures. :^)

Next time I take the deck off to clean it, I'll get a few REAL pictures. I may try with it on too to see how well they turn out and post them.

Okay...I had the deck off my lawn tractor and took a few pictures where the spring goes.

{{gwi:337627}}

{{gwi:337629}}

{{gwi:337631}}

I am having the same problem, I can not lfind where the return sprong is on my model.

The tractor model number is 917.252610. the return extension spring PN 146927 is missing from the deck, The diagram and pictures in the this thread do not match my deck. I do no have a slot for the spring in my deck.

If anyone has a picture for my deck that would help me a lot.

Better picture

Your deck doesn't have a return spring on it. The only springs are the torsion springs on the brake arms. If you have binding when disengaging, likely the idler cam has a wear spot where the brake arm roller wore into it. An additional spring is used in the linkage at times above, along with the torsion spring on the lever itself.

This may be the spring . It is above the pan.

I think this spring fell off when replacing my drive and mower belts. Unfortunately, my blade doesn't disengage. Can't figure out where it goes, but pretty sure it doesn't belong on the mower deck. It's 3 inches long, 3/4 inch wide. Appreciate any ideas where it goes so I don't wear down the mower belt and safety of course.

I can't quite come up with the correlation between that spring and the deck not disengaging. Springs like you have are most likely from the above lever or the brake rod. A model number would be a great thing 917XXXXXX or at least whether or not the deck engagement is done with a cable or not.