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I brought it home a few days ago. It may need more parts than it's worth. The guy had it running when I got to his house. It had the choke out but it was idling OK. The electric PTO is missing, when it's moving there is a grinding sound coming from the rear end. It's one of the chain cases I think since the plug is gone out of the outside case. The deck is not beat up, spindles are tight but it needs paint. I may have bought a motor.
Cannon

Yesterday I put a hot battery in it and still did not turn the motor very well. I took the solenoid off and cleaned all the wires and where it grounded to the frame and it cranked much better. It would only run with the choke out so I've got the carburetor of and soaking now. I dread disassembling the chain case to find that grinding, that going to be nasty.
Cannon

That's funny, I've got that exact same mower, but mine is badged as an LT16. I am willing to let go of some parts off it if you need any. Let me know.

Thanks, The biggest thing I know of now is the PTO but I haven't torn into the rear end yet. I ordered a carb kit on Ebay last night and will try to get the engine running right before proceeding to the axle. I have 3 other lawn tractors so there is no hurry on the Snapper. What's wrong with yours?
Cannon

A few more pictures.
Cannon

Nothing particular was wrong with it, other than it was spending more time down than mowing. I got tired off messing with it, so I found a Snapper Hydro to replace it. Basically the exact same mower, lots of interchangable parts, but with a heavy duty Eaton hydro axle and 23x10.50x12 rear tires. I have since also retired the Hydro from mowing duty, but now I use it as a garden tractor and small dozer when the tractor is too big for a particular job.

I ended up pulling the engine and deck from the LT16 and built an offset mower to pull behind the lawn tractor. As it turns out, all the problems I was having with the LT16 was in the wiring. When it was still on the tractor, that engine would run fine, then die and not restart for hours. But when I built a new wiring harness for the offset mower, it has run perfectly for three years now.

If you want the rear axle from the LT16, I'm certain it has the same dual range 6-speed disk drive your YT16 has, you can have it. I will admit one thing, I inadvertantly pulled the wrong bolt from it and heard something drop inside the case. It's locked up now, but was near perfect prior to that with no noises whatsoever. It is HEAVY, so shipping would be pricey, but give me a yell sometime if you decide you need it.

The ebay carb kit came in Saturday and I got it back on this morning. It cranked right up with the choke and ran smooth at 3300 RPM. I put a VOM on it and got 16.8 volts at 3300, I think thats about 3 volts to many. It has one of the square regulator boxes on it like my later v-twins but when they have failed there is nothing but battery voltage. I need to change the oil but looks like it's going to go all over everything. Guess the transmission is next.
Cannon

This is how I left it at 5PM. After I got the engine hot I changed the oil. I couldn't find a good way to get to either drain plug so I removed the mule drive and front frame rail. I can't tell if the roar is coming from the primary case or the main case, I guess I should check them both if I ever get the right hub off.
Cannon

Sorry I didn't see this sooner, I could have saved you a bunch of time and mess. There is a drain plug on the bottom of the engine, it is a hex key plug. Oh well, you'll know for next time. I am surprised to see your engine has an external voltage regulator, mine does not. Or if it does, it's hidden under the flywheel where I can't see it.

mullins87 said:

Sorry I didn't see this sooner, I could have saved you a bunch of time and mess. There is a drain plug on the bottom of the engine, it is a hex key plug. Oh well, you'll know for next time. I am surprised to see your engine has an external voltage regulator, mine does not. Or if it does, it's hidden under the flywheel where I can't see it.

Click to expand...

Thanks, I should have thought to look under the engine. I was surprised by the voltage regulator too. I cant read the tractor's ID tag but the engine date code is 88. Like the RER's there seem to be different series numbers for these tractors and I don't know which one mine is.
Cannon

You're absolutely right, my old LT16 was a Series One, not sure what year the Series Two came about, and I couldn't tell you if my Hydro is a Series or not.

After 4 days of soaking in PB Blaster, heating and trying 2 different pullers my patients ended this afternoon. I got out the HF 3 inch cutoff tool and started in on the hub. I cut a slot through the hub down to the shaft and with a chisel and old screw driver got it to spread open. I cut into the shaft a little but don't think that will hurt anything.
Cannon

That's funny, I never could get mine off.

This morning I cleaned up the shaft, Loosened up the bolts on the right side support and tried to get the bearing to move. After about 10 minutes I decided I was tired of working bent over and removed the axle with the support on it. I may not get the bearing off but at least I won't be bent over while I fool with it.
Cannon

I got a some time to fool with the Snapper this morning. I clamped it onto the woodworking bench and started beating on the shaft using the piece of wood in the photo, when that didn't work I got the large pin and started using it. I never hit the shaft itself but the bearing did catch at the end of the shaft. I'll need to do some grinding to get it the rest of the way off.
Cannon

This afternoon after catching a few other things I started taking the case apart. I needed to get the tractor out of the way so I redneck engineered a way to move it around. One large flat washer was laying in the bottom of the case, it could have came off when I removed the cover but I don't think so. The gear that goes on the short hex shaft has some odd scratching on it like it was dragging on the chain. I have yet to find a bearing coming apart like I expected to. Thanks for the feedback.
Cannon

Thanks for posting those pics, now I at least have an idea of what the inside of mine looks like. I don't think I'll ever fix it, but if I do, they should help.

Mullins87, thought you might be interested in one more Picture. This is the washer I found in the bottom of the case, I suspect the bolt was removed in this one at one time.
Cannon

That makes me wonder if that same washer is what dropped in mine and locked it up......:tongue:

A few disturbing finds yesterday. The bearing for the round shaft was installed with the lip for the locking flange turned inside, it came out with the shaft. I got it off the shaft and turned it around and installed it in the case. The chain on the drive gear under the HI/LO cluster gear has chewed a trench in the case, IPL shows a washer/spacer under it but none was there. The HI/LO cluster gear calls for two needle bearings but this doesn't look like needle bearings. Maybe it's right, I haven't checked part numbers yet. It's looking like I'm not the first amateur to open this thing up, though I don't know how they did it with the right hub and bearing in place.
Cannon

I can't believe that chain wear is normal. That doesn't look good, at least you know what was making the grinding noise!!

I just checked the parts on line, total comes to about $150 +shipping. I'm debating what to do. Have any of you ever seen Jay Leno do a thing on "White Trash Repairs"? I might figure up how much gas it would take to go see Mullins87.
Cannon

Unless you're driving something that's thirsty, I can't imagine it costing you that much in gas. I'm roughly 8 hours from Atlanta, depending on how fast you drive. You're more than welcome to the part, or just about anything else off that mower. One caveat however, I can't guarantee my tranny is in any better shape than your's, I can only say it was functioning perfectly without any noises the last time I used that tractor.

This morning after my wife and I ate at Hardies I went by the hardware and picked up a 1/2id x 5/8od bushing to make a half-fast repair and get this thing back together while I remember what went where. The 3rd reduction shaft has a "tolerance ring" between the shaft and bearing that got chewed up and scored the shaft. I decided this bushing would work just as well but I had to grind the shaft down to 1/2. I did that on the drill press with a file, cut the bushing off while it was in the DP with a 3 corner file and sanded the bushing OD down until it would tap in the bearing. I doubt that the gear alignment is anywhere near perfect but if I can get it moving I can get it out of the garage.
Cannon

I'm impressed!! I've always thought of myself as being able to improvise, but I never would have thought of using a drill press as a lathe.

I got the trans back in the tractor. I don't hear any sound coming out of the trans anymore but there is a rattle at the rubber hub-primary drive area. This is my second video and I'm not improving any. Opinions welcome.

Cannon

Snapper YT16 Trans - YouTube

I watched your video, that clutch disk is most likely the source of all that noise, not to mention the vibrations. Mine had a fair amount of play in the same bushing you pointed out, but I never bothered to replace it. Those clutch disks aren't very expensive and only take a couple of minutes to replace.

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I was trying to figure out how to adjust the disk drive so the rubber wheel did not touch when in neutral. When I looked in the manual I saw that there should be a bearing and "button" in the center of the metal disk for the rubber wheel to rest on. Neither are there. Partstree has the bearing but has the button listed as Obsolete. No wonder the rubber wheel is chewed up.
Cannon

Yep, I believe that would do it. I didn't realize there was a button and bearing there. I may have to go pull mine out of the pile to see if that button still spins. Looks like you're getting there, at this rate you'll be mowing with it in no time.

If you do, would you post a picture and the dimensions. I searched Google and Bing for 1-4547 and 7014547 and didn't find any place that had it. I may end up back on the drill press.
Cannon

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I took a few weeks off this project to go to Alaska with my wife and some friends. Yesterday I ran a Craigslist add for LT or YT parts and got a response on this LT with no engine. The guy runs a small repair business and wanted $75 for it, that's probably more than it's worth but I bought it anyway. It has several parts I need if I can get them off in one piece.
mullins87, I wish you had been a little closer but thanks for the offer.
Cannon

$75 isn't too bad, especially if you get several parts off it.

Started taking the LT apart yesterday and found some parts I don't think are original. The hubs are shorter than the ones that came off the YT and Partstree calls for the same number. They are probably right side RER hubs. After checking part numbers I don' think LT's came with the small wheels on this one. I'll probably use the hub anyway, it will set the wheel out about 3/4 more then the original hub.
Cannon

I noticed those small rear tires, but I've seen pictures of a YT12 that had rear tires like yours. However, I don't think a YT12 ever came with the 48" deck either.

I got some parts ordered yesterday, rubber wheel, friction disk. air filter and seal holder. The parts tractor has the button for the metal drive disk but I haven't got it out yet. I made an small effort to remove the disk from the shaft but decided I would probably break something. If I ever need the disk I will change the whole assembly. I may have to drill a hole in the button and use a screw and slide hammer to get it out, I can fill the hole with JB after I get it back in. It's about to get to hot to fight rusty tractor parts.
Cannon

I got the button out. I JB welded a small piece of wood to the button, let it dry a few hours and got it out with a slide hammer. The bearing is still in but I can buy one of those.
annon

I got a change to change the rubber wheel and friction disk this afternoon. I've been wanting to see if that would eliminate the noise in the primary drive area but between 3 yards and a garden( plus the 2 Murrays I bought) I haven't got to it. I don't have the bearing for the neutral button yet so I was careful to keep the new disk away from the hole. I let the clutch out and there was no noise at all from anywhere. I drove it up and down the driveway a few times in High and low range and everything seems OK. Still got to get the bearing and button in, find the clamps for the boots and seal holder. When I put the battery in I disconnected the stator because it's showing 17 volts last time I had it running and I don't want to cook one of my few good batteries.
Cannon

The voltage regulator shouldn't be an issue, but now if you can find that neutral button.......:thumbsup:

I picked up the bearing for the neutral button yesterday and drove it in. The button is a little higher than the disk but I drove the bearing in as far as I could. I got all the clamps on the boots. I'm going to add 85-140 gear oil to the "Corn Head" grease until it comes up to the full hole.
Cannon

Is 85-140 grease the same as the JD cornhead grease? I admit the cornhead grease spec seems strange to me though.

The 85W-140 is a gear oil, the "Corn Head" grease is a John Deere product that is rated 0 (Snapper recommends 00) on the scale for grease. I had read somewhere that Corn Head could be substituted for Snapper 00 but after buying 2 tubes I saw that it will not flow and could simply stand away from the gears in the case. I decided to add some gear oil to the tube I put in the YT gear case to either thin it or fill any cavities in the grease. Here is a picture of the grease that had been setting overnight.
Cannon

Looks like axle or bearing grease to me, which makes me wonder why a specific product like John Deere Corn Head grease was recommended.