I'm having a similar issue with my Craftsman 917.274640 "DYT 4000". It has a Peerless LTH2000 hydrostatic transaxle. When I go in reverse it jumps into reverse and the motion lever shifts forward slightly (reverse being the furthest back the lever can go) and the mower proceeds to reverse, no problem. When I go forward, I'll move the motion control lever forward and let off the clutch/brake slowly and it will jerk forward and then start moving. When I hit the slightest incline the mower stops dead in it's tracks and won't move and starts making a high pitched whining sound like gears grinding. I read one forum where a guy said he put a spring on the "neutral cut out lever" to put tension on it pulling it toward the front of the mower. He said it was behind the battery, but the only thing on mine I see is the parking brake rod. I tried replying, but that forum seems to know longer function and is floating in cyber limbo. I read elsewhere that you put your foot under the clutch/brake and pull it towards you and see if the issue stops. No dice. I read another post online where someone claimed you need to clean the space between the frame and the rod from the clutch pedal because it gets gunked up and stops it from moving all the way up. Not the issue. I have no idea what it is and I'm way out of my depth. This was my grandfather's mower and he passed a decade ago and I am now taking care of my mother after several "mini strokes" and I'm trying to get the house up to some level of maintenance since she and my schizophrenic uncle have let it get to the point it looks like the Klopek's house in the movie The 'Burbs. Maybe the gears are toast inside the transaxle? I read in the manual it is factory sealed and you can't change the fluid in it. I did find a rubber plug located in the back and in the manual it says it's an oil plug and the oil is 80W90. I added a little, not too much, until it was a little over and inch from the hole and plugged it back up. It didn't help. I purged the transaxle. It didn't help. I changed the drive belt. It didn't help. If anybody has any input please let me know and thank you in advance.
