Craftsman riding lawn mower help

Bustedknuckle84

Bustedknuckle84

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Not sure what year it is because my grandma gave it to me. It has a briggs and stratton 19hp motor on it and has 6 speeds.

THE PROBLEM: the 1st, 2nd, 3rd gears are jerky. like its slipping then it catches and jerks you then it starts to move. You have to pull the left pedal or clutch I guess its called all the way back to try to get it to engage. Im not familiar with the operation of these rising lawn mower. But when I increase the gears i increase speed but when I give it more throttle (rpms goes up) but i don't go any faster. the 4,5,6 gears seem to catch pretty good and keeps the mower running.

I inspected the drive belt and when the left pedal is pulled back the pulley (above the rear transmission) and belt seem to be catching good I dont see much slippage.

What else can I check? Im thinking about tearin the transmission apart and examining in there. need some advice
 
Bondo

Bondo

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Re: Craftsman riding lawn mower help

Ayuh,... Is it chain driven off the transmission,..?? is the chain reasonably tight,..??

Fix the clutch linkage, so's ya don't have to pull the pedal back...
Maybe a bad, loose, or missin' return spring,..??

Maybe a New drive belt while yer in there....

'n Pictures, so We know what ya got...
 
R

rbh

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Re: Craftsman riding lawn mower help

I think your unit was a transaxle style, belt drive off the motor to transaxle.
Change the belt and adjust the linkage as bondo said, there is a good sized return spring you need to look at and I believe it is a clutch/brake all in one depending on how far you push the lever down.

and it really makes a big differense if you change out the transaxle fluid once in awhile 80/90 wt, 2 plugs one on bottom drains the one on the side fills.
 
Bustedknuckle84

Bustedknuckle84

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Re: Craftsman riding lawn mower help

I did play with that clutch cable, i made adjustment but I dont know whats normal either haha. which way do I make the adjustment?
also what normal clutch should engage before the pedal is pushed all the way back I assume correct? right now you have to pull it all the way out to engage gear.
 
Bob_VT

Bob_VT

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Re: Craftsman riding lawn mower help

Lift the seat (look at the seat bottom) and get the exact model number / serial number and google it. You will find repair manuals, parts and advice if you use google. DO NOT pay for a manual....... they are out on the internet free.

Chances are the final drive belt is stretched.

The jerkyness is from worn gears which are easy to replace ;)
 
Bustedknuckle84

Bustedknuckle84

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Re: Craftsman riding lawn mower help

Bob_VT said:
Lift the seat (look at the seat bottom) and get the exact model number / serial number and google it. You will find repair manuals, parts and advice if you use google. DO NOT pay for a manual....... they are out on the internet free.

Chances are the final drive belt is stretched.

The jerkyness is from worn gears which are easy to replace ;)
Click to expand...

good info yeah i have the s/n for my mower its 917.256563 ill look tonight

boom found it already
http://www.managemylife.com/mmh/owner_manuals/4199/CRAFTSMAN-Lawn-Tractor-L0709354
 
NYBo

NYBo

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Re: Craftsman riding lawn mower help

Get the clutch working correctly before worrying about the trans. You have to release the pedal slowly and smoothly to avoid jerkiness, which will be a lot worse in the lower gears.
 
markheck1

markheck1

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Re: Craftsman riding lawn mower help

There's no cable for the drive system on that machine.....
Hard to see from the picture but there might be some on the rod that attached the clutch pedal rod to the moveable idler arm.
belts really don't stretch much, they wear more than anything making them seem stretched.....
You should not have to pull the pedal back, that's what the the spring attatched to the idler arm does.
The belt is probably the wrong one, IE auto parts store, etc, or worn out.
My advice...check the spring, get the right belt....get a Deere...LOL
 
markheck1

markheck1

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Re: Craftsman riding lawn mower help

Fishing Dude too said:
Overpriced MTD mower. Just saying
Click to expand...
Yep, if you buy the machine built to compete with the MTD stuff.....you get the same quality/longevity

If you buy the better Deere's ....big difference.......


Scott Danforth said:
Agreed.

also, MTD makes the craftsman stuff.
Click to expand...

Nope, MTD makes Yard Machines, White, and all those brands, lately Toro's riding mowers.....and CUB CADET! :eek:

Craftsman tractors are Electrolux, Frigidaire, Roper, American Yard Products, Husqvarna Outdoor, or whatever they decide to call themselves this month. There were a couple years they were built by Murray, but only a couple
 
dingbat

dingbat

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Re: Craftsman riding lawn mower help

My BIL bought a new Deere last year. The deck on my 680 Cub weighs more than his entire machine. :D
 
markheck1

markheck1

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Re: Craftsman riding lawn mower help

LOL, he didn't buy a real deere then, I'm guessing LA140, apples and oranges, my friend....
 
F

Fishing Dude too

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Re: Craftsman riding lawn mower help

Toro and JD are the same mower at the end of the line, same parts.
 
markheck1

markheck1

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Re: Craftsman riding lawn mower help

LOL, where does this keep coming from? I hear it about once a week...usually MTD making John Deere, but still

Actually Toro built all their own tractors until about 4 years ago....now they have MTD build the little ones for them....and are the same tractor as a yard machines, etc.....just different paint.
They still build a big garden tractor themselves, but we don't sell them anymore

John Deere has 2 separate lines....100 series tractors are built in their own factory in Greenville Tennesee.
The Select series is still built at the main factory in Horicon Wisconsin.....
 
dingbat

dingbat

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Re: Craftsman riding lawn mower help

markheck1 said:
LOL, he didn't buy a real deere then, I'm guessing LA140, apples and oranges, my friend....
Click to expand...
A Deere is a Deere is a Deere. You put your name on it, it's you're product and it's your reputation that is on the line.

I don't see any New Hollands at Home Depot LOL
 
markheck1

markheck1

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Re: Craftsman riding lawn mower help

Yeah, I wasn't real pleased at that move, but the cheap tractor market is HUGE, and they wanted a piece of it....

Funny you should mention new holland as some of their tractors were fords, some were Ariens, and the newer ones are Toro, go figure, LOL
 
greenbush future

greenbush future

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Re: Craftsman riding lawn mower help

I just finished doing the what's the difference in this and that on yard tractors, and ended up with a Simplicity/23HP Briggs n Stratton. I looked at all the stuff Lowes and Home Depot had, must admit they were all the same, with very thin steel construction. My neighbor purchased his Deere from HD was is already regretting it. He cuts about 1.5 acres and he 's thinking he went too small. I traded 3 junk MTD types for $400 in credit for the new one and couldn't be more happy. The mower deck is what sold me on the Simplicity, and I guess time will tell if this one last's. It did get very good reviews, and it sure wasn't competitive in price.
 
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