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Hi, I have a craftsman riding mower and the free wheelng control will not disengage-- HELP PLEASE--ole guy

Im just guessing here but Craftsman has sold over 20,000 different models of lawn mowers.

The "Z" shaped rod that sticks out the back of your mower (the tow plate) ...when is all-the-way OUT and locked in place bypasses the hydro drive. When its all-the-way IN hydro is engaged and ready to drive the wheels. Make sure that the Z-rod is IN and actually moves the small lever that is connected to it.

ole guy here, sorry I failed to give the model # of my mower-- 917.276760 --
The Z shaped control lever feels like it is working when you pull it in and out. It is difficult to see the what the control lever is attached to; would it be advisable to stick the wd-40 nozzle in where the control lever exits the frame and spray the heck out of things and then work the control lever back and forth numerous times to see if this will loosen things up? ole guy

ole guy said:

ole guy here, sorry I failed to give the model # of my mower-- 917.276760 --
The Z shaped control lever feels like it is working when you pull it in and out. It is difficult to see the what the control lever is attached to; would it be advisable to stick the wd-40 nozzle in where the control lever exits the frame and spray the heck out of things and then work the control lever back and forth numerous times to see if this will loosen things up? ole guy

Click to expand...

No a total waste of time.
Go to the link Mark provided and print out the transaxle diagram .
If the bypass rod seems to go in & out then good chance it is actually working.
If the mower will not drive and when you try to push it the rear wheels skid with almost no give at all the brake is jambed on.
The brake works on the layshaft so it locks the tranny drive much like the old diff locks and the same as the Park position on a modern automatic car.
Jack up the back of the mower and try to turn the rear wheels.
If one goes forward and the other goes backwards the the brake is locked on.
Pull off the right wheel and clear all the debris from around the brake lever and brake disc.

If you have been serviceing the mower properly , removing the rear wheels every second season and greasing the axle then it is a 10 minute fix.
If this vital piece of maintanance has not been done then good luck.
I have found some rusted on so badly I end up takeing the boxes out splitting them wheels attached then pressing the axles out of the wheels and some have taken better then 20 tons to shift.

It has a break on the left side. Check to see if it is locked. I circled it in red.

BlazNT said:

It has a break on the left side. Check to see if it is locked. I circled it in red.
View attachment 29360

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Blaz,
please have a good look at things like diagrams before you post.
On the image you posted, which is very helpful you will see the brake & control levers coming in from the top right.
You can also see the belt guard positions on front, so on this diagram the transmission is depicted with the front towards the page as if you are standing at the rear .
So the right is right as on the tractor and the brake is on the right.
Deere is about the only major brand that has the brake on the left

I see it on the right side I know its on the right side and yet I wrote left. Go figure.

bertsmobile1 said:

Blaz,
please have a good look at things like diagrams before you post.
On the image you posted, which is very helpful you will see the brake & control levers coming in from the top right.
You can also see the belt guard positions on front, so on this diagram the transmission is depicted with the front towards the page as if you are standing at the rear .
So the right is right as on the tractor and the brake is on the right.
Deere is about the only major brand that has the brake on the left

Click to expand...

Would have been less typing if you would have just said "You mean the right side, don't you?"

I am always delighted when some one tells me I made a mistake or something I thought was right is wrong, just so long as whoever does so explains why I was wrong so I can understand and correct myself.
Because I am conceited I expect every one else to have the same philosophy as me thus they get treated the same.

And finally, the OP ( and every one else who reads this post ) now has 2 opposing opinions which till one of us goes "oops" which might be in 1 minute , 1 day or a week so the explanation is important.

I too do not mind being corrected when I make a mistake. I was just pointing out the long and short of it. :laughing::laughing:

ole guy here again---- I finally got the free wheeling lever loose so I can now push the mower with the free wheeling control lever pulled out. Once I found the frozen lever I was able to axcess it best thru the grass discharge place---- I sprayed it with a liberal amount of wd-40 and taped it a few times with a small hammer and the thing came unstuck.. Thanks to all you who replied for your help and concern. ole guy