Toro Timecutter trans release lever

jcworks

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I have 2013 Toro MX5060. Drive belt came off and took it into the shop. As we unloaded it off the trailer they noticed the trans was not disengaged, even with the levers pushed in. It had always been like this....and I just thought it was heavy and hard to push. The guy said no way should it be this hard to roll. The right side lever had always been hard to stay in. So, they will be checking this out along with replacing the drive belt. Does anyone have any experience with this issue? Mower runs fine for 9 years no trouble. But the thing has always had this issue with the levers as far as I know. I don't ever recall being anything but a beast to push. Is this an expensive issue or a minor thing?
 

bertsmobile1

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with the bypass open a time cutter will roll easily under it's own weight
 

Flygirl

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I have 2013 Toro MX5060. Drive belt came off and took it into the shop. As we unloaded it off the trailer they noticed the trans was not disengaged, even with the levers pushed in. It had always been like this....and I just thought it was heavy and hard to push. The guy said no way should it be this hard to roll. The right side lever had always been hard to stay in. So, they will be checking this out along with replacing the drive belt. Does anyone have any experience with this issue? Mower runs fine for 9 years no trouble. But the thing has always had this issue with the levers as far as I know. I don't ever recall being anything but a beast to push. Is this an expensive issue or a minor thing?
I have a MX5025. I usually push the pins in, and bring levers/handles together and turn the key to start without starting the engine.?
 

bertsmobile1

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The parking brake has to be manually disengaged because the switch will continually engage it as it is timed .
No doubt it was a knee jerk addition after one rolled out of some ones garage & did some damage
 

jcworks

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I have a MX5025. I usually push the pins in, and bring levers/handles together and turn the key to start without starting the engine.?
Flygirl, I've done that when the drive belt came off. I pushed in both transaxle levers at the back , both handles in driving postion, and ignition turned on disengaging the electric brake. It took two of us to manually to roll it in the yard. The only way I got it up the ramp of the trailer was me on the trailer pulling and a man pushing from behind. Its a bear. The rear wheels did turn but it just seems it should roll easier. I don't know.....but it seems like its rolling against hydraulic pressure -- thats the best way I can think of to describe it. Now, I'm 75 , my helper was 60. So we arent young folks. But still, it seems like it should be easier to roll.
 

jcworks

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with the bypass open a time cutter will roll easily under it's own weight
bertsmobile1, (1) I would think it would be easy to roll too. Videos I've seen shows a guy pushing it pretty easily. Although, he was on concrete and I was in grass.

I got it back from the shop today. They put on the drive belt. But they said they also found 3 of 4 bolts mounting the transaxle was missing. The trans has never been worked on in 9 years! I have no idea how that happened or if it came that way, and has always been that way. No idea! They replaced the missing bolts and told me the disengage feature was working. When I got home I tried to roll it in the yard with the release pins pushed in. It still felt like always to me. It barely rolled in the grass.

I have an idea I'll try. If I push the release pins in and lock, then get on the mower start up and see if it moves when I try to drive it, that should tell me if they're working or not. If it does NOT move with the pin pushed in wouldn't I know for sure that feature is working as it should?

(2) I've not heard of disengaging the brake manually; all I know is move the handles in and the ignition to start position. I can hear the electric brake disengaging. How can I do it manually?
 
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StarTech

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You have to reach the brake module and rotate the brake arm assembly with the power off.

And yes the mower will be harder to push in grass especially if you have sod or moles like I have here that work the ground up.

Just a side note: That 2.25" idler pulley does has a tendency to have the bearings to fail. Also if this was Huslter the LH Hydro fan would curl up from the heat causing drive belt problems so it might be the same here with the Toro.
 

jcworks

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Today I did this. Pushed in both transaxle pins to disengage the transaxle. Then got on the mower, started it and pushed the control handles to drive it. It moves -- so it doesn't make any difference if the pins are pushed in or out, the machine moves. Thats what I suspected; I suspect something is not letting the transaxle disengage on both sides. I could see maybe a problem with that on one side, but both ?? I'm wondering now if its internal -- inside both transaxles. Maybe the pins are not moving something internally. I think its always been like this from the beginning. I wonder if this would be expensive to fix.
 
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