What do I need to do to make my Tro-Bilt Series 26J Mini-Rider "pushable"?

[wnlewis]

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?

 

[wnlewis]

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?

 

[ILENGINE]

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.

 

[wnlewis]

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.

 

[slomo]

"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

 

[ILENGINE]

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.

 

[wnlewis]

"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

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.

 

[ILENGINE]

@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.

 

[wnlewis]

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

 

[ILENGINE]

Correct