Mower deck Need help diagnosing problem with front wheels

O

Odysseus

Member
My next door neighbor moved to a condo and gave me his Troy-Bilt 12AI869F011 Self-Propelled Walk-Behind Mower (2009).

It has a problem with the right front wheel. There seems to be a sort of suspension system that allows the front wheels to move up and down (I assume to help level out uneven lawns), but have never seen anything like it on a walk behind mower.

The problem is that whatever is supposed to hold the right front wheel in place appears to be missing, and when the right front wheel drops down, it stays down and doesn't "go back into place". I can't figure out what that part might be, even with the help of this diagram:

http://www.partstree.com/parts/troy-bilt/mowers-walk-behind-lawn-mower/12ai869f011-troy-bilt-self-propelled-walk-behind-mower-2009/drive-system/

I can see a hole in the chassis (mower housing) near the right front wheel which looks like it might have at one time had some sort of bolt or other part.

Is anyone familiar enough with this type of mower to help me diagnose the problem and find the needed parts? Thanks.
 
Yes that is the part you need to check and also the spring that's on it. you may find that it is damage on the right side.
 
EngineMan said:
Yes that is the part you need to check and also the spring that's on it. you may find that it is damage on the right side.
Click to expand...

I feel sure something is damaged or missing, but what? Is it part #9 in the diagram?

I feel sure that I could give more helpful input if I just understood what that assembly is for? Is it a suspension system of some sort, or does it have another purpose? I would be very grateful if you would educate me in the next post.

What I can tell you is that if I push down on the handle and the front of the mower raises up, the right front wheel drops down while the left front stays in place. There does not appear to be anything keeping the right wheel from dropping down, and I expect that the part that keeps it in place, and/or moving in tandem with the left front wheel has fallen off or broken. I just cannot see either on the mower, or from the diagram what or where that part might be. Thanks.
 
That part raises or lowers both front wheels at the same time to allow longer or shorter grass cutting. It works in conjunction with the back wheels that do the same thing at the same time by moving part # 2. The spring is an assist for whichever is harder to do.
 
Odysseus said:
I feel sure something is damaged or missing, but what? Is it part #9 in the diagram?

I feel sure that I could give more helpful input if I just understood what that assembly is for? Is it a suspension system of some sort, or does it have another purpose? I would be very grateful if you would educate me in the next post.

What I can tell you is that if I push down on the handle and the front of the mower raises up, the right front wheel drops down while the left front stays in place. There does not appear to be anything keeping the right wheel from dropping down, and I expect that the part that keeps it in place, and/or moving in tandem with the left front wheel has fallen off or broken. I just cannot see either on the mower, or from the diagram what or where that part might be. Thanks.
Click to expand...

Have you taken off the right wheel and had a look at the shaft..? have you taken off part number 8 and had a look to where the damage is..? that's what you need to do.
 
Of course, thank you for pointing out what shuld have been obvious (shows what a crummy weekend mechanic I am).

As I hold up the front of the mower and look at the wheel that drops down, there is absolutely nothing to keep it from doing so.

Can you see anything in the diagram that might account for the problem?
 
EngineMan, my last crossed with yours. I will do as you recommend, but I can see very clearly past the wheel now and I don't see what might be missing. Kind of hard to know what is missing when one doesn't know what they are looking for.
 
Odysseus said:
Of course, thank you for pointing out what shuld have been obvious (shows what a crummy weekend mechanic I am).

As I hold up the front of the mower and look at the wheel that drops down, there is absolutely nothing to keep it from doing so.

Can you see anything in the diagram that might account for the problem?
Click to expand...

You say in your post "the right front wheel drops down while the left front stays in place." so that should tell you there is something wrong with the right side, take off the right wheel and move the shaft and see if there is play in it before the left side wheel moves up or down.
 
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