Clutch/Brake Pedal binding

I have had this craftsman for years and it has a great Kohler 15.5 HP engine. Two years ago the brake pedal began sticking. Last season I had to use a stick to force it back up. So this season I did a major tune-up, new blades, new deck hardware, and new brake pads. I have used all sorts of lubes to unstick the pedal without much help. I am waiting for a service manual I purchased to arrive to tell me how to dismantle and change stuff on the linkage to make it work smoothly Any ideas, pictures, etc. will be greatly appreciated. Craftsman 917.252580

:welcome:

I'm going to move your thread over to our Craftsman section to see if we can find you some advice.