I have a Columbia 16 HP lawn tractor(rebranded MTD) and the rear wheels have locked up on me. The tractor is fitted with a "hydrostatic relief valve" which normally you pull back on a lever and it release the transmission when it is in neutral. You can then push the tractor around without starting the engine. The relief valve worked last year when I put the tractor away, but it won't work now. I took it out a couple weeks ago to adjust the valves and clean the carb and had to push it from the shed to the basement. The only way I can move it is to lift the rear end off the ground and push it on the front wheels. I pull back on the hydrostatic release valve and the wheels stay locked up.
I forgot to mention the parking brake was disabled before I bought the tractor. There are a few safety features that have been disconnected and I wish I could restore them. But, the hydrostatic lock has always worked properly.
raise the rear wheels free of the ground.
Try to turn a wheel
If it turns one way easily & the other wheel turns in the opposite direction then the parking brake is locked on or the entire tranny is trash.
Dissabled tells us nothing.
Remoived the brake mpads ?
Removed the brake rotor ?
or just backed off the brake rod ?
raise the rear wheels free of the ground.
Try to turn a wheel
If it turns one way easily & the other wheel turns in the opposite direction then the parking brake is locked on or the entire tranny is trash.
Dissabled tells us nothing.
Remoived the brake mpads ?
Removed the brake rotor ?
or just backed off the brake rod ?
I will give that a try on the weekend. Tractor is at my cottage and I will be there on the weekend . I don't know how the brake was disabled as it was done before I bought it but I will try to investigate.
When I was moving it the right wheel would turn and the left was locked.
raise the rear wheels free of the ground.
Try to turn a wheel
If it turns one way easily & the other wheel turns in the opposite direction then the parking brake is locked on or the entire tranny is trash.
Dissabled tells us nothing.
Remoived the brake mpads ?
Removed the brake rotor ?
or just backed off the brake rod ?
I jacked it up and the left wheel rotates forward and the right wheel rotates backwards.
They do not rotate independently, if I rotate the left wheel forward the right wheel rotates backwards on its own and vice versa. Don’t know if that helps you guide me in a fix or not. To get at the brakes I am going to have to remove most of the body panels. What a pain to work on.
#8
Berniebac
I got it. Removed the rear wheel and checked to see if the disc brake rotor was loose. It was tight. So I tried to move the brake lever where it attaches to the caliper and it moved about 1/4 “ freeing up the the rotor. Put wheel back on and it rolls as it should.
Well done.
Now you see how it works you might like to think about getting the brake to work.
Using a mower without a brake is just a tad on the dangerous side for both the operator & the mower.
Well done.
Now you see how it works you might like to think about getting the brake to work.
Using a mower without a brake is just a tad on the dangerous side for both the operator & the mower.
Take the brake off and clean all of the parts.
You remove it by undoing the bolt at either end of the caliper, not the centre one , that is for adjusting.
IT gets full of crud & the pins get quite corroded so they get stuck in the caliper.
Put some thing underneath as there is usually a shim under both shoes.
Take a few photos of how the return spring is set up to aid reassembly.
If the brake arm has a clock spring to return it these do corrode through & the hook end breaks off.
