LT1500 pedal extension?

Hello,
I have a Craftsman LT1 1500 mower but I have to lift enough off the seat to fully depress the brake pedal. This stalls the machine due to the low tolerance on the safety switch.


I have the seat moved all the way forward but I am 5'3" and the pedal is too far away.

I removed one of the connectors on the seat and that disables if I have to lift off but still it will stall out the machine if I get off the mower completely.

However , I still dont feel this is comfortable especially if I have to react fast.

I am seeking elegant ways to adjust the pedal or extend it. Being round stock for the "pedal" It makes it harder to picture attaching something to it.

Is there a product out there already? Anyone else have this issue?

Thanks

Hi, do you have a picture of it?

Photos of pedal in both states- not pressed and parking brake.
A 2x4 block of wood is about what I need with seat all the way forward. So a full 2" is probably better but 1.5" is ok.

With the space cut out seen in the frame, you would think it is adjustable. I think us not mentioned in the manual.

When you use the brake pedal do you push it with your toes or heel of foot?

Heel can't reach. I use Ball of foot but I can not flex far enough forward and with enough force to get the full stop.(without rising off the seat. )

Doesn't it seem like it should return deeper into the notch?

It does look like it should be further up yes. How old is this machine? It looks new, or not very old. What year is it? I will see if i can find others and look at 5he pedal placement. It would be hard to make something to extend it. But it may be a bent wrong part.

I have had a customer bring in for service a John Deere with wood block extensions. Just 2x4 blocks held on with hose clamps. I offered to make something else for her, but she said she was happy with what she had. And she was substantially shorter than 5'3". If I made them, I would consider notching the 2x4s for better grip on the pedal. (like in the second picture)

Pull the deck off, remove the battery then put some cling wrap over the tank filler & replace the cap or drain the tank.
Stand the mower up on its back wheels so you can get underneath easily.
There are 2 adjustments on the clutch / brake and a third if you include belt length.
Firstly check there is no build up that is preventing the pedal returning fully.
The shaft should be fully vertical in that slot , not canting forward.

A belt that is too short will prevent the pedal returning but the most common thing is something stuck under the deck.
Send us a photo of the underside and in particular the belt run around the clutching pulleys.

There is an adjustment nut on the end of the brake rod, this is used to balance the clutching & braking so the mower dissengages drive just as the brake comes on.
The short brake lever has a bolt in the middle that is used to adjust the brake but people oft adjust the brake rod to make the brake stronger which leads to a pedal position like yours.

Craftsman design the mowers and other factories make them so we need the numbers from the tag under the seat to work out which company made the mower so we can give you the proper adjustment proceedures

jester5900 said:

It does look like it should be further up yes. How old is this machine? It looks new, or not very old. What year is it? I will see if i can find others and look at 5he pedal placement. It would be hard to make something to extend it. But it may be a bent wrong part.

Click to expand...

It is from 2011. A video I saw of it seems to show that is how it came out of the factory. https://youtu.be/MgclaIRzg_k?t=23 shows one and you an see it does not retract in the notch.