MTD riding mower, mid 90s, stops moving intermittently

2stroke1971 · Mar 2, 2021

I have a 14.5 hp riding mower by MTD. It has the speed range lever on the rear of the left hand side, over the rear wheel, and the forward/neutral/reverse in the middle of the floor area, where you reach down between your legs to shift that....

Ive had it two years, cut grass for two seasons just fine. I dug it out today because I had to move my trailer to the driveway. Its the first time its run in 5 months, grass is not growing yet. It stopped moving, and I took it in and out of forward and it went again. Stopped moving a little later, and despite moving it in and out of forward/reverse, it took several times before it went. Also, at that time, I had shut the motor off, and went to move the mower by hand...to roll it back a little to line up with my trailer and it wouldnt roll despite it being in neutral and the brake off....

Pulling the trailer across the yard, it stopped a third time, and I literally took my hand and pushed the rear tire forward and it started moving again.
there werent any "clunks" or anything...the rear end might have been a little noisy while moving....it never skipped a beat last summer even in 98 degree weather running 1.5 hours at a time...any ideas what is going on?

ILENGINE · Mar 2, 2021

Worn drive belts, and/or worn drive pulleys or variable speed pulley.

Rivets · Mar 2, 2021

98% of the time it will be caused by the items IL posted. Pull the deck and get under the give those items a careful once over and if the belts have not been changed in three years, start there.

Born2Mow · Mar 2, 2021

Yes, to all the above. Plus worn belts are hardened. With lower winter temps and short use, the belts don't have time to heat up and get "sticky". Those belts may (seem to) work fine next July.

Fish · Mar 2, 2021

Those models use a variable speed double pulley and two belts. The inner sheave goes up and down to give different ratios for different gearing like a 10 speed bike. Sitting a while, that inner sheave likes to get stuck, a little squirt of wd-40 on the center usually helps, and when/if it happens again, move the speed selector up and down while moving, without depressing the pedal with your foot. It usually comes around.

Fish · Mar 2, 2021

But don't spray too much lube there, as that is where the belts need to grip.

VRR.DYNDNS>BIZ · Mar 3, 2021

Fish said:
Those models use a variable speed double pulley and two belts. The inner sheave goes up and down to give different ratios for different gearing like a 10 speed bike. Sitting a while, that inner sheave likes to get stuck, a little squirt of wd-40 on the center usually helps, and when/if it happens again, move the speed selector up and down while moving, without depressing the pedal with your foot. It usually comes around.

some models have details on the hood or pedestal as to this procedure, other's are found in the owners manual. IN NUETRAL let pedal up and go thru the speeds up and down. Exercise it a bit with the instructions given and lube applied. If that does not bring it around, you have a failure in need of repair.

2stroke1971 · Apr 16, 2021

Cut the grass for the first time this year last week, and it did just fine. Probably the temperature I guess. I did ALL new belts last year as well as the deck bearings. When we bought this house, (our first large yard) I cut it for 3 years with a push mower, and I had had enough. I picked up this old MTD for $100, and did some work to it. It had a lot of quirks at first, but at the beginning of my second season with this mower, my oldest son saw another MTD with a FREE sign on it right up the street while he was headed to work. Without asking, he stopped his car and rolled it down the hill to our yard, so I was able to pick parts from that one and get mine straight. I was even able to swap the front body onto it, as the free mower was newer, and had a more solid all metal front end. Love it so far. I find it far more satisfying to keep an old one going rather then shelling out the $$$ for a new one.. Starting it's 4th season now. Im an industrial mechanic by trade so doing the work is no problem.

Anyway thanks for the replies...I was worried that the axle might have been going out.

Born2Mow · Apr 16, 2021