Drive Belt or Transaxle Problem?

T

troyclark

Forum Newbie

Joined

Nov 20, 2011

Threads

1

Messages

4

• Nov 20, 2011 / Drive Belt or Transaxle Problem?

• #1

Hello all,

I am new here and have a question. I have a Craftsman DSY4500 mower (917.288260). I haven't had it a year yet (bought it used) but yesterday after using it for about 2-3 hours picking up leaves, the forward is moving very slow. It has an automatic transmission. The reverse seems to work OK but not as fast as normal but when i push the lever forward it starts very slow, gains some speed as long as its flat or downhill but boggs down easily. I was running over and backing over some pretty big pile of leaves to pick them up with the bagger attachment. Does anyone have any idea what might be wrong. Does is sound like a drive belt problem or is the transaxle shot??? Can debris hamper the cooling fan and cause this? I tried running today just to see if it was a problem only when it was hot but it ran the same this morning.

Any thoughts are appreciated.

Troy Clark

 

wjjones

,

Joined

May 29, 2011

Threads

50

Messages

1,456

• Nov 24, 2011 / Drive Belt or Transaxle Problem?

• #2

I have the ys4500 and it did the same thing I called sears they came out changed the drive belt, and it was good as used.:laughing:.. He said somehow the belt had streched he even showed me by holding the 2 up side by side. You could actually see the older original belt was a little longer he didnt know what caused it.. but if I where you thats where I would start. Check your part# to be sure it matches but this is the best deal I could find you may find one cheaper..

http://www.ebay.com/itm/290556393767?ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1423.l2649

 

T

troyclark

Forum Newbie

Joined

Nov 20, 2011

Threads

1

Messages

4

• Nov 27, 2011 / Drive Belt or Transaxle Problem?

• #3

Thank you very much for the info. I will try replacing the drive belt before i do anything else. I looked at the deck and saw that the pads that stop the blade pulleys when the mower is disengaged are worn and won't stop the pullys from spinning. Does anyone know what the part numbers are for these. I have looked at the diagrams and can't tell which parts they are. Since I am ordering a belt might as well get these as well.

Thanks

 

Last edited: Nov 27, 2011

I

ILENGINE

Lawn Pro

Joined

May 6, 2010

Threads

39

Messages

9,940

• Nov 27, 2011 / Drive Belt or Transaxle Problem?

• #4

part numbers 197261 and 199477 are the brake arms for your deck.

 

T

troyclark

Forum Newbie

Joined

Nov 20, 2011

Threads

1

Messages

4

• Nov 29, 2011 / Drive Belt or Transaxle Problem?

• #5

Thank you very much for the part numbers. I will get them ordered with the belt.

Troy

 

S

slocro

Forum Newbie

Joined

Dec 12, 2011

Threads

0

Messages

4

• Dec 12, 2011 / Drive Belt or Transaxle Problem?

• #6

im a 14 year sears lawnmower tech your problem is dirt 95percent of time new belt will do same thing . go to the left side of the tractor look under the frame below the clutch pedal there is a plate under the frame lock your brake down and reach on top of that plate and remove the big chunk of dirt thats compressed and see how much better it is

 

Dangeroustoys56

Well-Known Member

Joined

Sep 25, 2011

Threads

0

Messages

117

• Dec 13, 2011 / Drive Belt or Transaxle Problem?

• #7

Sounds like the issue i had with my 99 hydro murray - would go real slow at times - i swapped a newer belt on and it fixed the problem.

Its surprising how much belts will stretch over time .

A good example was on my wifes 2001 mustang- the sepentine belt was original to the car , one day it up and died on her- the belt fell off . I got a new belt, checked it against the original- it stretched darn near 3" longer - those are under a whole lot more tension then any tractor belt .

 

T

troyclark

Forum Newbie

Joined

Nov 20, 2011

Threads

1

Messages

4

• Dec 19, 2011 / Drive Belt or Transaxle Problem?

• #8

I ordered the belt and brake arms and finally got a chance to install them. I pulled the deck off and cleaned everything under the tractor I could. I was really surprised with the amound of dirt under the tractor. There is a flat shelf under the tractor where the steering gears are and it was completely full of dirt. It took a paint scraper to pry it loose and remove it all. I pulled the old belt and compared it to the new belt and they didn't look like different lengths at all. I went ahead and put the new belt on and reinstalled the deck and it works great now. Thanks all for the help. I was really relieved that it wasn't the tranny.

Troy

 

reynoldston

Lawn Pro

Joined

May 23, 2011

Threads

92

Messages

5,705

• Dec 20, 2011 / Drive Belt or Transaxle Problem?

• #9

Unless they are making belts different one thing I have never seen was a belt that stretched. Wear out and break yes but not stretch. But who knows with all the modern way they make things. If you got belts that are longer you had better recheck your belt numbers. I am not buying into the belt streching story and I have been in this buness for the last 60 years but also things change till I see it with my own eyes.

 

I

ILENGINE

Lawn Pro

Joined

May 6, 2010

Threads

39

Messages

9,940

• Dec 20, 2011 / Drive Belt or Transaxle Problem?

• #10

Put a kevlar lawnmower belt on a Toyota pickup with the 22re engine once and the belt stretched like a rubber band. Nearly 3 inches in about 50 miles. Put a auto belt on a old wheel horse once that stretched 2 inches in about 10 minutes.