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I have a Troy Built Series 26J Mini-Rider lawn tractor. right now I'm working on the carburetor. But while it won't run, I need to be able to push it around by hand.

What do I need to do to get it into "neutral"?

Right now, the brakes are off, and it is supposedly in "neutral".

However, when I push it, and it goes in a forward direction, or I push it backwards, the powered tires turn opposite directions and just slide (actually, they turn in opposite directions until I get done moving the tractor).

It helps that the tractor is on soft ground. I don't think that I could move it in this condition on concrete.

Anyone have a good answer, other than, "You are not supposed to move it by hand"?

Thanks for your input and help.

The brake may be off but is it stuck in the on position. Post full model number so we can see what transmission configuration that you have.

ILENGINE said:

The brake may be off but is it stuck in the on position. Post full model number so we can see what transmission configuration that you have.

Click to expand...

Model: 13CC26JD011. DOM: 05/2014. S/N: 1E274B20024.

Variable drive setup. Could be a seized transmission but I have only seen one in 23 years. Most likely scenario is the disc brake is stuck in the on position preventing it from rolling. Could also be stuck in gear but that is about as rare as the seized transaxle theory.

I would start by reaching underneath and moving the parking brake lever to see if it moved freely in both directions. If you move the lever and hear and feel a click that means it was stuck.

Thanks for the advice.

I will try what you suggested and let you know.

ILENGINE said:

Variable drive setup. Could be a seized transmission but I have only seen one in 23 years. Most likely scenario is the disc brake is stuck in the on position preventing it from rolling. Could also be stuck in gear but that is about as rare as the seized transaxle theory.

I would start by reaching underneath and moving the parking brake lever to see if it moved freely in both directions. If you move the lever and hear and feel a click that means it was stuck.

Click to expand...

The brake lever will not move and does not click.

The brake pedal is stuck about 80% forward and will not go backwards.

There is enough play to let the pedal go all the way forward, which closes the circuit and lets the engine try to start.

ILENGINE said:

Variable drive setup. Could be a seized transmission but I have only seen one in 23 years. Most likely scenario is the disc brake is stuck in the on position preventing it from rolling. Could also be stuck in gear but that is about as rare as the seized transaxle theory.

I would start by reaching underneath and moving the parking brake lever to see if it moved freely in both directions. If you move the lever and hear and feel a click that means it was stuck.

Click to expand...

ILENGINE said:

Variable drive setup. Could be a seized transmission but I have only seen one in 23 years. Most likely scenario is the disc brake is stuck in the on position preventing it from rolling. Could also be stuck in gear but that is about as rare as the seized transaxle theory.

I would start by reaching underneath and moving the parking brake lever to see if it moved freely in both directions. If you move the lever and hear and feel a click that means it was stuck.

Click to expand...

I jacked up the back of the lawn tractor. I can spin the rear wheels without problem when they are off the ground: one rotates one direction, the other rotates the opposite direction.

Definitely sound like the brake is stuck. Normally you can move the brake lever on the transmission and it will release with a click. Can't really tell from the parts diagrams, but I would think that the brake lever on the disc brake should be facing toward the rear. May need to disassembly the brake assembly to figure out what is going on.

the one wheel forward and one wheel reverse is normal due to an open differential.

After looking at the part's diagram, it appears that the brake is on the idler(?) so the wheels can spin in opposite directions if they are lifted off the ground.

So, back to seeing if the brake lever is locked up. I didn't think it was. But I think I was looking in the wrong place.

ILENGINE said:

Definitely sound like the brake is stuck. Normally you can move the brake lever on the transmission and it will release with a click. Can't really tell from the parts diagrams, but I would think that the brake lever on the disc brake should be facing toward the rear. May need to disassembly the brake assembly to figure out what is going on.

the one wheel forward and one wheel reverse is normal due to an open differential.

Click to expand...

I agree.

So it's time to get out the wrenches and sockets.

Looks like that transaxle mounts backwards compared to most riders. The brake should be on the left side behind the axle. About a 3 inch disc brake and the brake lever should look like a flat piece of metal with a twist in the bottom with a single threaded stud through it with an adjustment nut.

Thank you!

I'll pull and push it out on to the driveway on a flat spot, block the wheels on the right side, then lift the left side a bit to see what is going on.

I'm looking at the parts PDF, 769-09475, dated November 05, 2013. Is that the correct one?

The attached photos show what I think you are talking about.

To engage the brakes: Depress the clutch-brake pedal and move the parking brake/speed control lever into the parking brake position (all the way to the rear). See the photo, brake engaged.

To disengage the brakes: Depress the clutch-brake pedal and move the parking brake lever out of the parking brake position and into any of the speed positions to the front of the parking brake position. See the photo, brake disengaged.

I had to pull the lever out of the engaged position. It was not much difficulty, but I had to do it by hand.

The disc brake disc does not seem to want to rotate.

The rear tires continue to be locked up, except to rotate in opposite directions, if forced (when in contact with a surface such as the driveway or the ramps).

I have the mower up on a couple of car ramps. The rear tires are on the ramps. The front tires are on the driveway with bricks in front and behind both tires. See the photo, mower on ramps.

I have penetrating oil but need to know what not to use it on; or if it should be used at all.

Otherwise, is it time to remove some of the plastic covers and maybe the left rear wheel?

You are looking at the correct thing in the picture. From the corrosion I would be removing the entire brake assembly and clean the rust off of the disc, as well as disassemble the brake actuator and clean the two steel pins that push the pads against the disc.

Thanks!

That sounds reasonable.

How difficult is it to remove the left rear wheel? If it is not a press fit, then it would probably aid the process of tear down and rebuild.

"However, when I push it, and it goes in a forward direction, or I push it backwards, the powered tires turn opposite directions and just slide (actually, they turn in opposite directions until I get done moving the tractor)."

It's still in gear. Oh this is one of those variable jobs.

slomo

The parking brake disc is seized and not allowing the gears inside to the transaxle to turn therefore you are only turning the differential which will cause one wheel to turn forward and the other to turn backwards due to the internal differential pinion gears. The wheels won't turn the same direction unless the main bull gear turns which in your case isn't because the brake doesn't allow it.

slomo said:

"However, when I push it, and it goes in a forward direction, or I push it backwards, the powered tires turn opposite directions and just slide (actually, they turn in opposite directions until I get done moving the tractor)."

It's still in gear. Oh this is one of those variable jobs.

slomo

Click to expand...

Actually, not variable. It's just what ILENGINE said. The brake, which is on the outside of the transmission/differential is rusted seized.

A differential lets one wheel go faster than another when going around a curve, or in this case, since I was trying to force it to go straight ahead or straight backwards, all it could do - because the brake is seized - is for one tire to rotate in the forward direction, and the other tire to rotate in reverse.

So I have the fun task of tearing down a very small, rusted disc brake system. At least it's not hydraulic.

I'll get to find out if I'm still a real mechanic (bloody, skinned knuckles ).

Slomo, I did not realize that little lawn tractors even had variable speed transmissions. This one just has a four or five speed transmission and differential combination. You push lightly on the pedal to disengage the clutch when you shift. Push all the way down and you engage the brake.

@wnlewis Actually your mower is a single speed forward and reverse transaxle with a variable speed belt drive system. The two belts runs on a stack pulley with a center slider and the position of the center slider changes the belt positions on the pulley to bigger and smaller to get the different speeds.

Thanks! That makes even more sense. Like on an old fashioned drill press with two sets of stepped pulleys to allow speed changes.

Correct

A quick reply.

Got the brake freed up. Wasn't quite sure how close to make the brake shoe to the disc, so I made it as close as possible, without dragging (with the brake released).

Took off the intake manifold and the air intake horn. Reinstalled the carburetor after dunking it in carburetor cleaner for about half an hour. Connected everything and started the lawn tractor. It ran.

Next I put a new battery in the lawn tractor (to keep from having to charge the old battery all the time). After a bit of coaxing, I got the engine to run in all different speeds. After similar coaxing, the transmission limbered up and normally finds forward, neutral, and reverse correctly.

By engaging the blade slowly - and sometimes choking the engine if it starts to die - I can regularly run the mower blade and cut grass.

Everything underneath needs cleaning and probably lubricating. It's been at least three years since the mower last ran.

Thanks for everyone's help.

Any other suggestions, are greatly appreciated.

I will try to share photos soon.