Yard Machines Variable Speed Riding Mower stuck in same speed

Kremhaus

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  • / Yard Machines Variable Speed Riding Mower stuck in same speed
Hi. I have a yard machines 16.5 horse variable speed mower that wont go any higher than 1st or second speed. When Clutch is depressed put in any speed higher than, say, 2nd gear, front belt is bottomed out on the variable speed gear, so the mechanism holding the variable speed pully cant go back any further, and the spring that is attached to the gear linkage basically is loose. I don't see anything interfering with the variable speed pully mechanism. I have driven it a bit and pulled back on the clutch a bit in higher speed gear and the speed goes up a notch, so it seems like the mechanism holding the variable speed pulley mechanism needs to go further back. None of the springs are bottomed out. Attached are some pics of the shift mechanism locked in place and loose when the mechanism holding the variable speed pulley cannot go back any further. Some have said that I need pull the variable speed pulley sliding mechanism to see if it is seized, I don't know if a sliding mechanism will allow the thing to go back further if it is free

Thanks

Kremhaus
 

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MowLife

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  • / Yard Machines Variable Speed Riding Mower stuck in same speed
What the condition of the belts? If they are worn this can happen. They both should be replaced at the same time for proper operation.
 

Kremhaus

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  • / Yard Machines Variable Speed Riding Mower stuck in same speed
Belts are worn and was planning to replace but didn’t think worn belts would have anything to do with loose linkage when clutch was engaged with unit not running. Will you only see linkage tighten up in higher gears when the variable speed pulley is in operation?
 

Rivets

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  • / Yard Machines Variable Speed Riding Mower stuck in same speed
If you are going to replace the belts, make sure you replace both belts and use only OEM belts. On you system both belts should be tight at all times unless the brake is on. When you have the belts off you should be able to move the variable sheave up and down, full travel. Your description indicates that it is not traveling fully.
 

Kremhaus

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  • / Yard Machines Variable Speed Riding Mower stuck in same speed
Does the linkage and rear carriage holding the variable speed pulley move further aft and tighten up more, when the engine is running, when the variable speed pulley moves up or down. See pic #5. Fwd in down. The gearshift is in the highest gear but the retention spring loop is not engaged to the shift lever lug.
 

Rivets

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  • / Yard Machines Variable Speed Riding Mower stuck in same speed
Sorry but your pics don’t mean much to me. You need to pull the deck and do your troubleshooting from underneath. You then will be able to see where you are losing tension. Will have to do this anyway when you replace the belts.
 

MowLife

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  • / Yard Machines Variable Speed Riding Mower stuck in same speed
When belts are worn in a vari drive then they ride deeper in the pulleys. What I am suspecting is the belt from trans to vari drive is worn and bottoming out in the pulley causing the other belt to ride farther out on the vari drive creating too much tension and causing your problem.....if this makes sense.
 

bertsmobile1

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  • / Yard Machines Variable Speed Riding Mower stuck in same speed
The system works by you making the tension on the front belt greater than the tension on the rear belt which is controlled by a spring roughly under the seat,
You will have to remove the battery to see it
That spring causes the top pulley to push the sliding side down fully to the lowest speed setting.
There is a stronger spring on the front belt which works against the spring on the top belt trying to push the sliding side up.
The speed selector limits the movement of the front belt into 4 , 5 , 6, or 7 fixed ratios.

As mentioned you will need to remove the battery and the deck then get under the mower and work it out.
Over time the springs cut grooves in the mounting points and can eventually cut right through them
I regularly weld high tensile washers over chopped out holes .
Then there is the pivot on the tensioning arms.
No one ever bothers to lube them ( yes it tells you to do it in the owners manual ) so they flog out.
The bottom flogs out worse & faster than the top but they both cause problems
Finally there is a bearing in both the belt tensioning pulleys which eventually fails.
 

SeniorCitizen

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  • / Yard Machines Variable Speed Riding Mower stuck in same speed
Hi. When Clutch is depressed put in any speed higher than, say, 2nd gear, front belt is bottomed out on the variable speed gear, so the mechanism holding the variable speed pully cant go back any further, and the spring that is attached to the gear linkage basically is loose.

Thanks

Kremhaus
Have you read the operator's manual?

IIR the one I repaired for a neighbor bout 30years ago it was determined the clutch was being used to shift to different gears 1-7. According to the manual the only time the clutch was to be used was 1) when stopping and or 2) when stopping to shift from forward to reverse and vice versa. In the case of this one the vari bearings were shot so I replaced those. That was after making a wood wedge and with it, a hammer and some heat was able to move the vari pulley.

With the belts removed from the vari sliding pulley the center portion of that vari system must freely move its fully designed range. e.g. if you move it to the top it should fall to the bottom of its travel via gravity.
 
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