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Hey, first off I am not a mechanic so if I word something wrong please bear with me.

I thought I was getting a great deal but found out that it has been a little more of a hassle but working through the little things. I had a similar mower but that one is having transmission issues. This is why I bought this used machine.

I bought what I thought was a yard machine model 13AN682G129. This number came off the label under the seat. This says it is a 42" mower but when I went and bought new blades found that it's only a 38" deck. It starts and runs fine but when I took the deck off I didn't think to take a picture of how the deck sat and where everything is connected. I knew I had to take the belt off. Which I disconnected it from the front spindle. The deck looks similar to this diagram.
https://photos.app.goo.gl/f12A8PuLtFu1bZk47

After cleaning the whole deck I went to put the deck back on and a spring and what looks like a hanger fell off . I don't have a picture of those right off. I think it is the tension spring for when the deck is lowered the blades engage. Since I don't see a tension spindle on this deck. The question is how do I find out where these go when I have no idea what they are?

These are the pictures of the mower I am referring to. Am I correct in saying this mower is a MTD 38"? Or how else do I identify what it is?

https://photos.app.goo.gl/Zd4UqLzKYk5yLkyp9

https://photos.app.goo.gl/b8TEYNPjGyYZSyQv6

https://photos.app.goo.gl/Z3NtraLGXJL7SYdv6

Please feel free to give me guidance or ask me more questions to help solve my issue.

The model number that you posted does go to a mower with a 42 inch deck, but that model number doesn't go on that mower. Seems like the model number tag is on the bottom of the seat mounting plate, that plate has come off of another mower.

Would you mind posting the model type and code information from that tag next to the flywheel. Sometimes I can cross that back to a mower or series of mowers that could be a match.

ILENGINE said:

The model number that you posted does go to a mower with a 42 inch deck, but that model number doesn't go on that mower. Seems like the model number tag is on the bottom of the seat mounting plate, that plate has come off of another mower.

Would you mind posting the model type and code information from that tag next to the flywheel. Sometimes I can cross that back to a mower or series of mowers that could be a match.

Click to expand...

Yeah I feel that the seat to include the base has come off another machine.

I need a little more direction on the tag next to the flywheel. Would this be on the side of the engine or underneath?

There is a metal tag on the top of the blower housing as seen in one of your pictures, as you look straight down from the top about an inch or two from the edge of the screen that will actually say model type and code above a series of numbers and letters. I need the model and type to determine which engine it is and the code to narrow down year of manufacturer of the mower.

it is the tag in your third thumbnail picture between the edge of the metal screen on the flywheel and the powerbuilt 12 hp sticker.

ok so i see the tag. I thought that would be for just the motor.

it says.
model 284707 type 0147 01 code 9412034A

The spring will either go on the rectangular stabilizer plate at the back or to a hole in the deck.
get a strong torch and look for the polished spot or hole that has a spring wear cut in it.

I think MTD changed the position of it on every model just to make things impossible for repair technicians.
Some times it goes in a hole in the side of the plate, some times it goes on the pin that connects the plate to the deck and some times it goes into one of the 1/2 dozen holes in the back of the deck.

models 134Y450F129 and 134Y470F336 are possible matches for your mower.

Thanks for your input and guidance. I see a place on the deck that the spring may connect to but don't see where I am suppose to connect he other end. I forgot to mention that this is what came off with the spring.

https://photos.app.goo.gl/MMjcpcWe6NLttcn36

Doesn't look like it straightened out from being pulled on. Wasn't sure if it wraps around something to help hold the spring. Any ideas?

ILENGINE said:

models 134Y450F129 and 134Y470F336 are possible matches for your mower.

Click to expand...

Is this what you found from the model number I gave you that was on the motor?

That is what I found by doing some digging on the MTD Dealer site. On some of their models they list what engine was used on what model. The code part of the model number gave me a basic starting point for year.

The hook that found is what the springs connects to. the short slightly off straight part is where the spring connects the longer more 180 degree bent end hooks over the top of the axle housing in the grooved area on the right side of the axle.

ILENGINE said:

That is what I found by doing some digging on the MTD Dealer site. On some of their models they list what engine was used on what model. The code part of the model number gave me a basic starting point for year.

The hook that found is what the springs connects to. the short slightly off straight part is where the spring connects the longer more 180 degree bent end hooks over the top of the axle housing in the grooved area on the right side of the axle.

Click to expand...

Thanks for doing that search. I had a feeling that the hook went around something but wanted to check. Just found it odd that it didn't have a stop for where the spring connects.

I was able to connect the spring to the hook onto the axle. The belt is tight when deck is lowered.

Next thing I just noticed is that when I lower the deck the level seems loose like it doesn't have any more tension on it. There are 6 slots the top most is the disengaged fully. Then it seems to move down and tighten little by little for the first and second. Then on the third slot it seems like it only changes very little and the last two slots it doesn't change at all. Is there something I should look at?

One the first notch down the deck should move rearward to tension the belt, and then not move backwards since the deck belt should be tight and then the deck should just move downward as the deck is lowered. There may be an adjustment rod connected to the lowering lever that will change the point that the belt tightens.

ILENGINE said:

One the first notch down the deck should move rearward to tension the belt, and then not move backwards since the deck belt should be tight and then the deck should just move downward as the deck is lowered. There may be an adjustment rod connected to the lowering lever that will change the point that the belt tightens.

Click to expand...

CORRECTION: .... when I lower the deck lever past the third notch down the lever seems loose like it doesn't lower any more or do anything.

I know from my other mower. Which is not close for me to compare right now. But when I lower the same lever down past the third notch it seems to still have tension and I can feel it lowering down. I don't know if tension is the right word.

I tested the mower out on some taller grass and it seems to cut on all levels but I don't see a difference from bottom notch up to the third. I didn't measure the height of the cut of each but the all look the same height. Scalping......

The overall adjustment is under the plate that sits between the dash panel and the seat.
The whole deck height control and belt tensioning system is very simple and fits into the "cheap & nasty" catagory.
The adjuster adjusts all 4 deck lifters and sort of compensates for wear in the belt & pulleys but there is no adjustment to compensate for wear in the lifting mechanism.
Right now I have one in the shop and am about to cut the 3 non adjustable hangers to thread them so they can be adjusted.
Usually what happens is the deck just hangs too low so by the time you are at 3 the deck is already on the ground so 3,2 & 1 are all 1/2" cut which is what you use when you want to kill the grass .

At the off position, are both of the pulleys pushing against the brake pads hard enough to stop the blades rotating ?
Good bet they will be hanging 1/2" to 1" below the pads
Every second one of these I work on, some one has put a spacer block under the brake arms to make up for the fact that the deck is lower than it should be, otherwise the blades never really stop spinning and the belt tends to burn on the drive pulley.

bertsmobile1 said:

At the off position, are both of the pulleys pushing against the brake pads hard enough to stop the blades rotating ?
Good bet they will be hanging 1/2" to 1" below the pads
Every second one of these I work on, some one has put a spacer block under the brake arms to make up for the fact that the deck is lower than it should be, otherwise the blades never really stop spinning and the belt tends to burn on the drive pulley.

Click to expand...

I took a look and you're right. One side is just touching the pad and the other is about a 1/2 inch away. I see two hangers on one side that can twist. The other side are just flat bars. The side that has the twists hangers the pads are touching the top of the spindle but I don't think it is pressing very hard. Where the pad touches the spindle I see very little rubbing. I am not able to see much on the other side where the flat bars are for adjustment. Or are the adjustments on the inner side. I can take pictures if needed.

The easiest way out of this is to do what MTD should have done in the first place.
But another pair of adjustable hangers and replace the right side fixed ones with adjustable ones.
Take that plate off and have a look at the lifting mechanism. you will need a torch and perhaps a mirror they are hard to see
Check the stabilizer bar that runs across the deck, usually the mounting hole if flogged out oval allowing even more tilt.
The plate on the mower end is usually a bolt on item so can be replaced but if the bar is wore deeply it will need to be welded or replaced.
And of course the mounting holes on the deck itself.
These are of course welded on so you have to weld some high tensile washers onto the lifting tags to fix them.
Like I said, two extra adjustable arms are the easiest way to go.

The adjuster under the plate is really there to adjust the belt tension in the off position so there is enough play for the belt to slip in the off position while being tight enough to spinn the blades in the on positions.

And of course the owners manual tells you to oil them daily but because it is all under a cover plate thus almost inaccessable no one ever does .

The big downside is then adjusting the deck so that the BLADES not the bottom of the deck is parallel left right with all four adjusters .
Check that the pulleys press hard against the brake pads in the off position. The brake does not lock the blades but puts just enough load on them to slow then down so all of the slack in the belt ends up at the engine pulley so there is enough space for the pulley to spin without touching the belt.
If they do not touch, tighten all 4 adjusters the same number of turns
After that loosen both front adjusters around 2 turns to give the blades the correct attack angle.
Lots of dry lithium spray grease everywhere that 2 parts turn against each other, including under the cover plate.
FWIW I generally get 2 to 3 services out of a big can so be liberal with it.

Wow... Guess I got my work cut out for me.
I looked at the hangers and yeah a couple of them are wore. The holes not so much. I have had to order the hangers. I tried to adjust the ones that were on it but it made the deck level off from right to left.

So update. Found out that whoever put the deck back on put the hangers on wrong. I was able to level the deck but the blades don't stay stopped. The lift bar is really tough to pull all the way up to disengage when at true level. So I adjusted to the best I could. Don't know if I should look at belt to make sure it's the right size. Or if I should look at something else. Any ideas or suggestions would be appreciated.