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I inherited a MTD Yardman 42" lawn tractor and discovered the transaxle housing is cracked and worn where the right-side axle comes out. The model number on the transaxle is 618-04381A. MTD calls it a transmission and their P/N is 918-04566A, which replaces obsolete P/N's 918-01566A and 918-04566. I want to find a used replacement transaxle and have found ones with model number 618-04381, but no "A". Does anyone know the difference between 618-04381A and just plain 618-04381?
Thanks for the help, I don't want to end up with a replacement part that won't work.

Roger B.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/like/191788025874?lpid=82&chn=ps&ul_noapp=true

that's a low price for a new transaxle, no guess work involved as far as being original.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/like/262659438997?lpid=82&chn=ps&ul_noapp=true

mechanic mark said:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/like/191788025874?lpid=82&chn=ps&ul_noapp=true

that's a low price for a new transaxle, no guess work involved as far as being original.

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I appreciate the advice Mark, but being a cheap old Maine-iac I'd like to get out of this situation as inexpensively as possible, I can get a used transaxle for around half the cost of a new one, but I would like to be sure it's going to work..

Roger B.

No longer available
P/N: 618-04381, 61804381
618-04381 has been discontinued by MTD
618-04381 has been replaced by 618-04381A
This means they are the same trans with some sort of upgrade. The trans you have is the exact replacement for the one you want to buy. I wish I would have read your post better the first time.

BlazNT said:

This means they are the same trans with some sort of upgrade.

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Ahhh, there's the rub.. One has to wonder 'what' sort of upgrade. I'm still waiting for a starter motor I ordered for this unit to be sure the engine runs before spending any more of my retirement money on it. Hopefully, by the time I've got the engine running, some one will have a used model 618-04381A transaxle for sale. I'll keep my arthritic fingers crossed...

Roger B

I'm not very familiar with MTD p/n's nor with which brand of transaxle you have, but if you keep checking at (surpluscenter.com) you might find what you need at a good price, I replaced the unit in my Murray "46" inch a couple years ago
it was onlt $79.99 plus shipping (cheap) check your unit for a sticker on the rear of the housing ( see my pics) to see if it's made by Peerless ( or other ) then keep an eye on this place for your unit....... they receive their inventories quite often or maybe call them to see if they can help you ......... Best of luck !! .... Boobala..:thumbsup:

Boobala,

Thanks for the link! My transaxle has a sticker like yours, but it does not have a manufacturers name on it, just the model number. It 'looks' very much like the one you have installed on your Murray. I will check out that link and see what I can find.. Right now I am waiting for a replacement starter motor to arrive so I can be certain the engine (a B&S 18.5 HP single cylinder) doesn't have any serious issues. Once I'm certain the engine runs I'll be much more inclined to spend additional $$$ to get the whole unit operating. I guess it doesn't really matter, but I have removed all the equipment that is involved with operating the mower deck, deck included. I only want the tractor as a motivating unit. I hope that doesn't bar me from the forum!!

Roger B

THIS may be be what you are looking for... as I said I'm not familiar with MTD parts but from what I've seen in the pics this looks close to what you have
hoping everything works out for you,........ you might consider sending a P.M. to 2 other members on this site... ( Carscw ) and ( Pumper54 ) I think they build a lot of go-fast mowers (without decks) they seem to be quite knowledgeable about parts swapping and such. .........Boobala ...:cool2:


http://www.mowergraveyard.com/transaxles-c-13/mtd-single-speed-transaxle-75305851-p-17339.html

Click on the larger image icon .....
Just saw the full page for MTD transaxles ........ http://www.mowergraveyard.com/?main_page=index&cPath=13&sort=20a&filter_id=13

Boobala,

There was one axle on that site you supplied the link for, but once again, the model number was missing the "A" at the end. I'd have to know more about substituting MTD model numbers than I currently do before I felt comfortable ordering an axle with a different model number. As I am not in a rush, unless I learn more about the current transaxle that I have and understand what differences there are in the various model numbers that are available, I'm going to wait until I find the right used axel with the correct part number. If the engine turns out to be toast, then it's all academic anyway.

Thanks again, I appreciate your help.

Roger B

It Starts!!!

I've got two forums going here, one for the MTD transaxle and another for the starter on the B&S engine. Just to keep you guys up to date, the starter motor arrived today, so I installed it and made sure the spur gear was the correct one for my flywheel. It was a 14 tooth gear and fit perfectly. I dumped some fuel into the tank and dribbled a little gas into the cylinder, screwed in the sparkplug and turned the key... It started right up but then quickly died. I kept dumping a little gas into the mouth of the carburetor hoping eventually it would suck some up on it's own, but although it started each time, it died as soon as that little bit of fuel was consumed. This tractor sat outside unused for two years and I expect I need to clean or rebuild the carb.

Anyway, things are looking good . . .so far....

Roger B

Roger,
Congrats on getting that starter motor sorted out. As for the parts number many manufacturers add a letter or - number to the part number when they make a change in the design or supplier. In the business world it is called a "superseded" number. Most times it is because the product line that part was first used on has been stopped or changed for whatever reason. Many times the part is the same as before but the number has the letter behind it. I have seen parts with -G, H, I ect behind them. You might contact the seller of that part to see if they can shed more light on it for you.
Tom

Don't know the price you are looking at for the transaxles, but if the crack is in an aluminum housing and IF everything inside is working have you considered welding the crack? The case would have to be disassembled, cleaned, and crack V ground. Guessing the welding would be $75-$100 if you can find a good shop. Lots of "ifs" here. Repairs in aluminum are fairly routine. If a bearing counter bore is involved with extra machining you may reach a trade off point with replacement.

Tom,

Thanks for the reassurance that 'maybe' the "A" at the end of my transaxle model number isn't as critical as I thought it might be. I've got a carburetor problem to sort out before I dive into the transaxle replacement. I promised myself I'd have the engine running 100% before springing the bucks for a transaxle.
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Motoman,

Unfortunately I don't think welding is an option. The bushing end of the upper half of the transaxle housing is badly worn as well as being cracked. Looking at it, you can see it is obviously egg shaped and the axle itself can be moved up and down a considerable amount in the housing. Of course a 'good' welder could repair the crack and build up the worn away aluminum. But, then the housing would have to be machined back to specs and I suspect the cost would be prohibitive. On top of that, I have not disassembled the transaxle, so I don't know if whatever wore out the bushing also wore down the axle at that point. Something bad happened there to cause so much wear on a machine that obviously wasn't used that much.
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Thank you both for your input. I'm out of my element here and need all the help I can get.

Roger B

Roger, Good cautionary analysis. You will not know until you disassemble. If you can do it yourself and like that sort of thing you could take that next step of visiting a "good" machine shop which probably could be a one stop. I have never disassembled such a tractor transaxle, but several auto units, including salvaging one damaged from an accident and welded up. The motor mount had sheared away the block fastener protrusion. Fixed and running that transaxle today after 15 years. There is a youtube tearing down a rider transaxle which is interesting to watch although the workshop hygiene is terrible. I looked at the "low cost" unit above and so if a "normal"cost unit is ? $350 ? it would seem tempting to consider repair.....? other things being equal?.:smile:

Motoman, et al....

Just to keep you guys up to speed, I got the engine running! Some debris got into the carburetor because the plastic engine cowling had been left adrift after the starter was removed. That exposed the intake of the carb and some pine needles got in it. When I removed the fuel solenoid a hemlock needle fell out, I think that had been jamming the solenoid closed. Once that was cleaned out and the solenoid freed up and re-installed, the engine started up and ran fine.

Now it's on to the transaxle hunt!

Roger B

Roger B said:

Motoman, et al....

Just to keep you guys up to speed, I got the engine running! Some debris got into the carburetor because the plastic engine cowling had been left adrift after the starter was removed. That exposed the intake of the carb and some pine needles got in it. When I removed the fuel solenoid a hemlock needle fell out, I think that had been jamming the solenoid closed. Once that was cleaned out and the solenoid freed up and re-installed, the engine started up and ran fine.

Now it's on to the transaxle hunt!

Roger B

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Transmission parts are available in the manuals I sent to you ........ check them out, in service manual is repair instructions YOU have a lot of research ahead of you YOUNG man ... ( I'm 70 ... LOL )....:thumbsup: ...:laughing:

Roger,

Check out these to see if you want to mess with the transaxle. I think if they can do it, any one can do it.

Part 1: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ucbJ3Y-q1_c

Part 2:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7_Pf5UKd89U

Tom

Pumper.... Hmmmmm, I wonder, Fireman? Oil rig? (Texas, could be right?)

I wish I thought the transaxle was in good enough condition to rebuild.. The upper half of the housing is cracked where the axle protrudes on the right side. Also where the bushing should be in that same end of the housing, the axle has worn the opening egg shaped, so something serious has gone on there. I don't know if the axle itself is badly worn too. A new upper housing is $90. I have seen used transaxles for anywhere from $100 to $150, so if I needed to replace the axle as well, I'd be spending more $$ than a serviceable used one would cost.

Like Boob-La says, I've got lots of research to do.. BUT!! Fortunately I've discovered that I have far more time to do research than I thought I had, now that I've discovered that I'm far younger than I thought I was! Things are looking up!

Roger

Roger B said:

Pumper.... Hmmmmm, I wonder, Fireman? Oil rig? (Texas, could be right?)

I wish I thought the transaxle was in good enough condition to rebuild.. The upper half of the housing is cracked where the axle protrudes on the right side. Also where the bushing should be in that same end of the housing, the axle has worn the opening egg shaped, so something serious has gone on there. I don't know if the axle itself is badly worn too. A new upper housing is $90. I have seen used transaxles for anywhere from $100 to $150, so if I needed to replace the axle as well, I'd be spending more $$ than a serviceable used one would cost.

Like Boob-La says, I've got lots of research to do.. BUT!! Fortunately I've discovered that I have far more time to do research than I thought I had, now that I've discovered that I'm far younger than I thought I was! Things are looking up!

Roger

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DON'T EVER ..... lose your spirit Rog...... thats what keeps us ol-farts goin !!! ... I assume you're retired also ??..:laughing:..:laughing:..:laughing:..:thumbsup:

Roger,
Retired Fireman or as you have to say today Fire Fighter. ;-) I have used Pumper54 on several forums I belong to as I wanted Engine54 (fire truck I drove most of the time) but some one had already taken it and as a "Engine" is also called a "Pumper" hence the handle.
Tom

Tom,

I have two cousins who were professional fire "fighters". Both are retired today, but the older one (84) is still active in his local VFD in Oquossoc, Maine. He drove and ran his pumper for two solid days for the huge train and oil tank fire up in Lac Megantic, Quebec, Canada a couple years ago. He had some fantastic photos..

My father was the secretary of our local VFD in Falmouth, Maine for 37 years (he also ran a pumper.) And my other half's m0other was the treasurer for the Westport, Maine VFD for 35 years.. She didn't run a pumper.

I on the other hand have never given a hoot about fire.. Never bothered with a camp fire when camping (unless I was freezing to death.) .. I'm the black sheep in a family of fire 'fighters' - but it's not from soot! .. LOL .. My 'wool' is all dirty from working hard all my life.. (Oh, and raisin' a little he!! now and again..)

Roger

Roger,

Pretty cool about your family in the Fire Service. I know all about spending a few days on a fire, if you ever get bored look on YouTube for videos from the Magnolia Texas "Tri-County" fires of a few years ago. I was running a 2000 gallon tanker on that one. Pretty big and touch and go at times.

As for being the 'Black Sheep' you are so baaaad. LOL
Tom