John Deere x380 lawn tractor backing problems, need help

bwatts

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  • / John Deere x380 lawn tractor backing problems, need help
Just recently the lawn tractor has started backing up very slowly. Forward is fine. Any help would be much appreciated.
 

Tiger Small Engine

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  • / John Deere x380 lawn tractor backing problems, need help
Just recently the lawn tractor has started backing up very slowly. Forward is fine. Any help would be much appreciated.
How many hours on mower? Did the backing up problem occur gradually or all at once? Take a flashlight and look closely at transaxle for build up of grass and debris and clean.
 

StarTech

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  • / John Deere x380 lawn tractor backing problems, need help
Let ask this. Which is this? Is the unit creeping in neutral or is it actual a backing up problem on this K58 transaxle? Neutral creeping is a simple neutral adjustment problem.

And for transaxle parts we need to which one of the three+ K58's is mounted in your unit. Model number located on the transaxle's axle housing along with its serial number.
 

bwatts

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  • / John Deere x380 lawn tractor backing problems, need help
139 hours. Does not creep. It is clean. I could not see the model number without jacking it up. I felt the rod leading back from the pedals to the transaxle and it barely moves when the reverse pedal is depressed.
 

Kenbu

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  • / John Deere x380 lawn tractor backing problems, need help
Check the linkage. I had a similar problem caused by an acorn (left by a little critter) stuck in a pivot point at the transmission. Hope your problem turns out to be that simple.

Ken
 

Tiger Small Engine

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  • / John Deere x380 lawn tractor backing problems, need help
139 hours. Does not creep. It is clean. I could not see the model number without jacking it up. I felt the rod leading back from the pedals to the transaxle and it barely moves when the reverse pedal is depressed.
Did the problem happen gradually with loss of power when backing up, or all of a sudden? Look hard at the linkage, pedal, and point where linkage hooks onto the transaxle.
 

WDF1988

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  • / John Deere x380 lawn tractor backing problems, need help
Go behind your machine and look to the right of the transmission pulley. You will see the pedal linkage and control arm. The front jam nut is known to work loose, and you lose reverse. Forward will work just fine. DO NOT MOVE THE REAR LOCK NUT!! That will screw up everything. Just simply retighten the front jam nut, and reverse should work again. Take your time. It's a tight area, but make sure you get the jam nut as tight as you can get it. But, again, I can not stress enough, do NOT move the rear lock nut. Very common issue.
 

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StarTech

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  • / John Deere x380 lawn tractor backing problems, need help
Then it sounds like JD needs to change the nut to a lock nut too.

To me the removal of the current lock nut should possible by counting the turns it takes to remove it and then reinstalling it the same number turns. Of some blue Loctite will also work on the non lock nut.
 

WDF1988

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  • / John Deere x380 lawn tractor backing problems, need help
Then it sounds like JD needs to change the nut to a lock nut too.

To me the removal of the current lock nut should possible by counting the turns it takes to remove it and then reinstalling it the same number turns. Of some blue Loctite will also work on the non lock nut.
You are correct. We professionals would do that. Harry Homeowner, you don't want him to mess with that because he'll screw up his forward/reverse travel. It's a guaranteed service call lol. There is no point of a second lock nut, in my opinion. Usually once you tighten it, it will never come loose again. I like your lok-tite idea for the jam nut, although I've never had one come loose again after tightening it. The factory sometimes just didnt get them tight enough. I've done quite a few under warranty!
 
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