Just bought a used MTD - Yard Machines this past week. It's, I believe, a 42" cut and it's a somewhat newer machine. Seems like I saw 2007 underneath the seat.
Anyhow, I don't know the history on this mower whatsoever. Aesthetically, it looks like it has been very well maintained. The person I bought it from I know personally and I never did ask where he got it, but knowing him, it was more than likely an auction or a garage sale. He has a couple dozen riding mowers and dozens and dozens of push mowers. lol
Anyhow, I went straight to mowing with it as soon as I got it and it did just fine for an hour and a half or so and then on a pass going uphill, the machine started to slow down and after a minute or so it actually came to a stop. I pushed in the clutch/brake and put the transmission in reverse and it went, then back to forward and it went. This happened several times over the course of four hours of straight mowing, only stopping a couple of times for more fuel.
I got all of my field mowed and stopped a minute to look it all over as this was the first time I'd ever mowed it since I bought it January of this year. Looked good! Then I started to mow around my trailer house and once I got situated, kicked the mower on (the PTO), I let off the clutch to get after it with the little daylight I had left and it wouldn't go. Went to reverse and forward a couple times but it didn't want to go. I could hear it wanting to go, but it wouldn't. After I just let it spin a minute or so then it grabbed and took off, but I barely got it back to my shop and I wound up having to push it inside.
I should note that it only "slipped out of gear" only on a slight incline and not ever going downhill or on flat ground. That is until the end of the evening after it had gone and gone and gone and that was on flat ground when it quit.
Also, I should mention that it's drivable now. I didn't go but about ten feet with it, but I am almost certain that it's the belt and that the other night it just got so hot and stretched out that it had expanded and would grab the pulleys. I did notice that the belt has a bunch of weather cracks in it, so it's more than likely due for a change anyhow.
So, after a little research, I think that the drive belt has stretched and it slipping.
1.) Does it sound like it's a belt problem to ya'll?
2.) How hard is it to change this particular belt? It looks like it's directly underneath the seat. Also, it looks like the seat and the whole part of where your feet go can come off somewhat easily and get to the belt(s) from the top. Is this so?
3.) Is there a .pdf file or some such that I can look at a manual for this mower?
Thanks, ya'll!!!
Anyhow, I don't know the history on this mower whatsoever. Aesthetically, it looks like it has been very well maintained. The person I bought it from I know personally and I never did ask where he got it, but knowing him, it was more than likely an auction or a garage sale. He has a couple dozen riding mowers and dozens and dozens of push mowers. lol
Anyhow, I went straight to mowing with it as soon as I got it and it did just fine for an hour and a half or so and then on a pass going uphill, the machine started to slow down and after a minute or so it actually came to a stop. I pushed in the clutch/brake and put the transmission in reverse and it went, then back to forward and it went. This happened several times over the course of four hours of straight mowing, only stopping a couple of times for more fuel.
I got all of my field mowed and stopped a minute to look it all over as this was the first time I'd ever mowed it since I bought it January of this year. Looked good! Then I started to mow around my trailer house and once I got situated, kicked the mower on (the PTO), I let off the clutch to get after it with the little daylight I had left and it wouldn't go. Went to reverse and forward a couple times but it didn't want to go. I could hear it wanting to go, but it wouldn't. After I just let it spin a minute or so then it grabbed and took off, but I barely got it back to my shop and I wound up having to push it inside.
I should note that it only "slipped out of gear" only on a slight incline and not ever going downhill or on flat ground. That is until the end of the evening after it had gone and gone and gone and that was on flat ground when it quit.
Also, I should mention that it's drivable now. I didn't go but about ten feet with it, but I am almost certain that it's the belt and that the other night it just got so hot and stretched out that it had expanded and would grab the pulleys. I did notice that the belt has a bunch of weather cracks in it, so it's more than likely due for a change anyhow.
So, after a little research, I think that the drive belt has stretched and it slipping.
1.) Does it sound like it's a belt problem to ya'll?
2.) How hard is it to change this particular belt? It looks like it's directly underneath the seat. Also, it looks like the seat and the whole part of where your feet go can come off somewhat easily and get to the belt(s) from the top. Is this so?
3.) Is there a .pdf file or some such that I can look at a manual for this mower?
Thanks, ya'll!!!
Last edited: