Changed drive belts on 2012 Troy-Bilt Pony (13WN77KS011), Now it doesn't want to shift between forward/neutral/reverse while running.

[mr.tea]

Troy-Bilt Pony 2012 (Model 13WN77KS011)

This mower was struggling to climb uphill, and even threw the upper transmission belt. Upon inspection, all the belts needed to be replaced. I changed the deck belt, & both upper and lower drive belts with the Lowe's equivalent Sunbelt replacements, careful to get the proper belts. Put it back together, it drives great! No issues at all with belt slipping and the mower climbs a hill like a champ.
However, a new problem immediately appeared: the mower does not want to switch gears (Forward/Neutral/Reverse) while running. I can start it, get it into gear, and it moves great - like a new mower. The problem is when I then need to change gears, the shifter is super stiff and fights me and pretty much won't move into Forward, neutral, or reverse. I would have to seriously force it for the shifter to move, so I have avoided doing that. I can move the shifter smoothly and normally when the motor is off. The shifter adjustment bolt is in the same position as before my maintenance & the little shifter spring is in its normal spot.

What could be my issue here? Surely it has to be something to do with my recent maintenance.

Thanks for the help!

 

[sgkent]

is the clutch releasing?

 

[Rivets]

Check to make sure that the idler pulley is moving properly and the belt is not still moving when trying to shift. Also, try this. Lock the parking brake and then try to shift. If it still won’t shift, belt is routed wrong or idler arm is not operating properly.

 

[mr.tea]

is the clutch releasing?

Check to make sure that the idler pulley is moving properly and the belt is not still moving when trying to shift. Also, try this. Lock the parking brake and then try to shift. If it still won’t shift, belt is routed wrong or idler arm is not operating properly.

That was my thought about the clutch, but couldn't really investigate this very well by myself with the mower running. Best to my memory it would not shift correctly even with parking brake locked.

I had someone suggest to me that the shape or even potentially the length of the Sunbelt belts might not be a perfect match to the OEM belts, to where they were keeping tension when they should release while the clutch is pressed. To test the theory, I took the mower apart and reinstalled my old, worn belts. One reassembled, the gear shifting problem disappeared. Belt routing was the same both times, so my reassembly was correct. Problem seems to have followed the new belts.

How often have you guys heard of the absolute necessity of sticking with an OEM belt? It seems stupid to me that Sunbelt/Lowe's would even bother making/selling them if they aren't going to work comparably or meet the apparently low-tolerance of the machines they are designed for.

Guess I will order some OEM belts for a premium (about $25 bucks more - $80 total) to see how it behaves.

 

[sgkent]

put the belts side by side between two people to measure the length. Use your calipers to measure the thickness. If they are V shaped then measure both widths and the thickness. I'll bet you find the ones from Lowes are slightly different.

 

[StarTech]

Troy-Bilt Pony 2012 (Model 13KWN77KS011)

This mower was struggling to climb uphill, and even threw the upper transmission belt. Upon inspection, all the belts needed to be replaced. I changed the deck belt, & both upper and lower drive belts with the Lowe's equivalent Sunbelt replacements, careful to get the proper belts. Put it back together, it drives great! No issues at all with belt slipping and the mower climbs a hill like a champ.
However, a new problem immediately appeared: the mower does not want to switch gears (Forward/Neutral/Reverse) while running. I can start it, get it into gear, and it moves great - like a new mower. The problem is when I then need to change gears, the shifter is super stiff and fights me and pretty much won't move into Forward, neutral, or reverse. I would have to seriously force it for the shifter to move, so I have avoided doing that. I can move the shifter smoothly and normally when the motor is off. The shifter adjustment bolt is in the same position as before my maintenance & the little shifter spring is in its normal spot.

What could be my issue here? Surely it has to be something to do with my recent maintenance.

Thanks for the help!

Your problem is using the after market belts. I was a Sunbelt Outdoors (now A&I) dealer for 13 yrs. I still am for now but their pricing is out my range now so I have sources that are more cost effective for both the customer and my business.

Those belts are wrongly sized for MTD products. They are selling standard 5/8 (B) belts that too thick for the CVT drive system. On top of that many of the Sunbelt (A&I) belts are not even the correct length even they are label as a particular size. I proved that many times. I had so many problems with A&I that I have completely quit buying their belts. Most were made in India by someone with a broken tape measure in my opinion. I took nearly $2000 in new belts to the nearly landfill (of course I made it where no one could use them in the first place).

I simply got tired of their lies about correcting the v-belt problems among other lies. It didn't hurt that I landed two OEM distributors so I am back to using only OEM belts.

 

[mr.tea]

Your problem is using the after market belts. I was a Sunbelt Outdoors (now A&I) dealer for 13 yrs. I still am for now but their pricing is out my range now so I have sources that are more cost effective for both the customer and my business.

Those belts are wrongly sized for MTD products. They are selling standard 5/8 (B) belts that too thick for the CVT drive system. On top of that many of the Sunbelt (A&I) belts are not even the correct length even they are label as a particular size. I proved that many times. I had so many problems with A&I that I have completely quit buying their belts. Most were made in India by someone with a broken tape measure in my opinion. I took nearly $2000 in new belts to the nearly landfill (of course I made it where no one could use them in the first place).

I simply got tired of their lies about correcting the v-belt problems among other lies. It didn't hurt that I landed two OEM distributors so I am back to using only OEM belts.

The new OEM drive belts arrived yesterday. Pictured above, you can see the OEM belt (underneath - the brown one) pulled taut with the Sunbelt belt (grey) on top. Length difference is obvious. Width was pretty close but not exact. Installed the OEM belt and the shifting problem is no more, drives like a new mower. Belt was definitely the problem. Hopefully this thread will help someone else in the future.

I'll be taking the sunbelts back to Lowe's for a refund and will leave a warning review for those belts on the Lowe's website.

Thanks to everyone for all the help.

 

[StarTech]

The new OEM drive belts arrived yesterday. Pictured above, you can see the OEM belt (underneath - the brown one) pulled taut with the Sunbelt belt (grey) on top. Length difference is obvious. Width was pretty close but not exact. Installed the OEM belt and the shifting problem is no more, drives like a new mower. Belt was definitely the problem. Hopefully this thread will help someone else in the future.

I'll be taking the sunbelts back to Lowe's for a refund and will leave a warning review for those belts on the Lowe's website.

Thanks to everyone for all the help.

That is one of the reason I no longer sell Sunbelt (A&I) belts many were under sized. Many didn't even match the sleeve specs. I was a dealer for them from 2009 thru 2021. This year is probably my last year with them. Just cant trust them to be the right spec. I actually threw away over $1000 in belts (cost) because A&I would not make them up.

And to all MTD CVT drive system is very picky in the first place about which belts so it is always MTD belts here for these CVT mowers.