[raylo32]

Craftsman 42" riding mower with "automatic" hydrostatic drive with the tranny shift/speed lever on the right rear. Push it forward to go faster... pull it back through neutral to go in reverse, etc., without needing to press the clutch in.

It's always something out here... we have untold acres to mow and one of the 2 lawn tractors just broke down again. It runs fine, blade engages, etc, but the transmission is stuck in neutral... no matter where the drive lever is placed. And I can push it like when the drive is disengaged by pulling the little pin in the rear of the tractor. In fact that is now hanging loosely with no spring tension like it usually has.

Seems to me something in the linkage popped loose or something but not sure where to start attacking this other than to try to maybe remove the seat and battery to try to follow all the linkages. Unfortunately we don't have any way to lift it here. Anyone have any thoughts?

 

[raylo32]

I found this and will give it a try. Not super hopeful but you never know!

https://www.ifixit.com/Answers/View/51755/Mower+is+stuck+in+neutral+gear

Edit: no joy

 

[raylo32]

I suppose this could be a broken drive belt. Never replaced one of those but it doesn't look all that tough.

 

[DexterII]

I suppose this could be a broken drive belt. Never replaced one of those but it doesn't look all that tough.

Sometimes they're not as easy as they first look, but manageable, and that's the first thing I would check.

 

[raylo32]

It was indeed the drive belt. Luckily we have an outdoor equipment store nearby and they had the belt in stock. Not too bad a job, took me about 30 minutes. The old belt was mostly in place so no trouble figuring out the routing. I didn't have to disassemble anything except to disconnect the mower deck and slide it out. Craftsman said to remove the mower drive pulley from the engine crankshaft and the battery to get access but I was able to wiggle the new belt in place without doing either. Then got to finish the mowing. Grass never sleeps.

 

[raylo32]

I took this pic of the remaining original drive belt to show the routing around the clutch pulley. Then with the clutch engaged there was plenty of slack to work the new belt around everything. The only difficult part of the job was getting the new belt between the guide and over the drive pulley on the engine crankshaft. That would have been easier if the mower belt pulley was out of the way but to do that you need a 1" socket to hold the crankshaft from the top whilst you undo the pulley bolt below. Of course my go tool kit had only up to 7/8".

 

[ukrkoz]

That's way too much slack for drive belt. It will be coming off constantly. Drive belt has to be tight like hell. I used winch on my 60'' ZTR to keep tensioner released while routing belt.
Just saying.

 

[joecaption]

Look on the belt tensioner arm, often times there's a square hole in it that fits a 1/2" ratchet to take the pressure off the belt.
I've had good luck just loosing, not removing that pulley just enough to slip the belt behind that guard that keeps the belt from coming off.
Is there an eye bolt that could be adjusted on the tensioner to put more tention on the belt?

 

[raylo32]

This pic is the broken belt, not the new one. Lots of slack, alright! The new one is properly tensioned. You don't need tools to relieve tension. Just press the clutch pedal and parking lever to lock it in the disengaged loose position, at least on this mower.

That's way too much slack for drive belt. It will be coming off constantly. Drive belt has to be tight like hell. I used winch on my 60'' ZTR to keep tensioner released while routing belt.
Just saying.

 

[raylo32]

Tension is not an issue with the clutch disengaged. I had enough slack to get the belt over the pulleys no problem. But the big mower belt pulley blocks access to get your hands up in there to wangle the belt between the guide and the drive pulley. I was able to do it by using tools to lever the guide and press on the belt to pop it in. It would have been lots easier with that big Frisbee sized mower belt pulley out of the way.

Look on the belt tensioner arm, often times there's a square hole in it that fits a 1/2" ratchet to take the pressure off the belt.
I've had good luck just loosing, not removing that pulley just enough to slip the belt behind that guard that keeps the belt from coming off.
Is there an eye bolt that could be adjusted on the tensioner to put more tention on the belt?