Self-Propelled WON'T Self-Propel?

[primerbulb120]

Okay, it looks like your pinion gears and/or dowel pins are worn out. The cheapest place to buy them is Mowers4u.com. PLEASE NOTE that Mowers4u may have to backorder them, so if you want them ASAP get them on eBay. Here are the links:

LEFT SIDE pinion gear: mowers4u.com/spur-gear-p-4842.html
RIGHT SIDE pinion gear: mowers4u.com/spur-gear-p-4840.html
Dowel pin (works with both sides): mowers4u.com/dowel-pin-p-4843.html You will have to buy two of these if you want 1 for each side.

You could get just the pins and see if that fixes it, then get the gears too if it doesn't. Or just get the gears and pins for both sides and be done with it. Just keep in mind that you will have to pay $6 shipping and wait for the parts to arrive for each order.

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Or if you're interested in buying used parts, I might have gears and pins that would work. You can have them for the price of shipping.

 

[philadelphia1]

Hey, thanks a lot for the wealth of information Primerbulb120 it's appreciated! :smile:

So, I think I'll start by just replacing the dowel pins and then moving forward from there if need be. According to MTD's website and the part # 915-0221, the dowel Pins are 3/16 in x 3/4 in. .... mtdparts.com/equipment/mtdparts/915-0221

I found that Home Depot carries the same pins at a fraction of the cost and no shipping related costs. They are stainless pins and you get 3-pieces for $0.98 can't beat that. Do you think these pins will suffice though? Or shall I go with the OEM pins?

homedepot.com/s/Dowel%2520Pin%252C%25203%252F16%2520x%25203%252F4%2522?NCNI-5

I have about an acre and a half at my property to mow and primarily use my craftsman 46 inch riding mower to knock a majority of it out. I use the push mower to clean-up the corners. Is it ok in the meantime to use the push mower manually? If so, shall I take the pinion gears off to make it easier to push?

That is very nice of you Primerbulb to offer me your parts for the price of shipping. I really appreciate that but I think its best for to replace everything new so I don't have to revisit this issue anytime soon.

What are the chances that this will not work either? Could it be something like the shaft pulley?

Lemme know your thoughts....

Thanks!

 

[primerbulb120]

If you can get shaft pins for that price, go for it! It can't hurt to try. :smile: If the mower still won't propel, get new gears and pins from Mowers4u.

The problem has something to do with the gears and pins. In your videos, the axle was spinning just fine but the wheels were not. That tells me that the transmission shaft is not engaging the gears, which in turn has something to do with the gears and/or pins.

You can indeed use it as a push mower in the meantime, just take the gears off and you should be good to go. :thumbsup:

 

[philadelphia1]

I got the pins yesterday and installed them today. The difference is that the left wheel tends to spin at sporadic intermittent intervals and the right side is completely dead (unless I tilt the mower up in the air then they both spin). I gettin' ready to set this sucker on a set of railroad tracks for a freight train....lol

I ordered new pinion gears and they are on back order.

So in the meantime I to took apart the transmission just to confirm the is no damage in there . It doesn't appear to have any apparent damage inside the case. The worm gear is metal and looks fine. The main drive gear is made of plastic and looks brand new to me, I don't see any noticeable damage. Also, I did not find any plastic shavings in the trans case or in the oil that would indicate some type of damage.

Have a look at this youtube video......https://youtu.be/GrIn6EmakqU

Does anyone see any damage that I might be missing or I'm not seeing?

Thanks!

 

[primerbulb120]

It's either the pinion gears or the dowel pins. Make sure that your new pins are an exact replacement for the old ones. I hope that the new gears will fix it! :smile:

 

[philadelphia1]

Got the gears and pins today from MTD, installed them and nothing has changed... the wheels still sputter and half want to move. What does that leave me with now? A new transmission? Any other idea's anyone can provide?

 

[primerbulb120]

Remove one of the wheel dust covers. Put the mower together and run it. With the dust cover removed, you should be able to see the pinion gear meshing with the wheel. Make sure the gears are meshing and not slipping. If they aren't meshing properly, you got the wrong wheels.

While you have the dust cover removed, take a video of the mower running without it. :thumbsup:

 

[philadelphia1]

Hiya Primerbulb120,

I'm sure the wheels are Ok, they fit like a glove....they are the same exact wheels as the old ones I replaced. I took a side by side picture of the old and new. There is nothing indicative and slipping as the plastic is not chewed and/or indication of stripping. Have a look at the pic. I also made a video showing the gears with the dust covers off....have a look and tell me what your think?

https://youtu.be/lrhIMYlV_qM

 

[primerbulb120]

You didn't replace the pinion gears/pins for nothing. In this video [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x2uRbkyd0YE&feature=youtu.be] the axle shaft was spinning but the wheels were not. Which definitely points to a problem with the gears/pins.

At this point I'm sure you have a problem with the trans itself. If you can't fix it, I think I've got a good used one that will fit. Let me do some checking and I'll report back.

 

[primerbulb120]

I can't match up the part numbers, but I still think my transmission would fit your mower. (My mower is very similar to yours, it's just red and has a Briggs and Stratton engine. It's a Troy-Bilt Tuff Cut 200 in case you want to look it up.) The part # for your trans is 918-04376A, the part # for mine is 753-05465.

Give me these dimensions:

1. Length of the axle shaft
2. Diameter of the axle shaft
3. Diameter of the pulley