TylerFrankel1
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- Feb 7, 2020
- Threads
- 16
- Messages
- 124
Hello All! Recently picked up a 2005 Troy-Bilt Bronco on the side of the road for free. It had sloppy valves that were making it hard to start. Easy fix! Unfortunately I immediately suspected compression release, which led me to tear apart the entire motor. Had to replace the sump gasket as a result. It also has a rusted out muffler (I don't care), and noisy brakes (also don't care). Got a new battery, changed the oil and filter, and put some new blades on. There were big holes in the deck that I patched with sheet metal, nuts/bolts (I have no welder), and calk. So far, it's been pretty good. Well recently I took it and cut some grass, and the old cracked drive belt died. No surprises there, it looked original from 05. I put a new one on, pretty sure I did it alright, but that's where some strange things started happening.
After I put the deck back on after the new belt was installed, it would move around fine until the PTO was engaged. Then it slowed down severely and wouldn't go uphill until I cut the blades back off. Never really figured out why, as it somehow 'sorted itself out' after I threw it in and out of gear and turned the blades on and off a few times. Well after about an hour of mowing, it started behaving similarly again. It would barely move with the blades on, and was weak even with them off. I stopped using the mower for about 1 hour, got back on and it was fine again. I can't figure out why. The engine isn't bogging down at all, to be clear. Just it feels almost like the trans or pulley is losing power. Which makes no sense, because the belt seems to have plenty of tension. And it went fine for about an hour. I suppose the transaxle could be going bad, because I may or may not have accidentally thrown it into reverse while going forward a couple times, but its strange that it worked fine for so long if that is the case.
I also somehow managed to get one of the PTO engaging wires caught on something in the deck which temporarily prevented it from engaging, but I think that was from blowing it off with my leaf blower. Hopefully that's a fluke that doesn't happen again.
Anyway, I just wanted to see if anyone else had any experience with a transmission behaving this way. Thanks!
After I put the deck back on after the new belt was installed, it would move around fine until the PTO was engaged. Then it slowed down severely and wouldn't go uphill until I cut the blades back off. Never really figured out why, as it somehow 'sorted itself out' after I threw it in and out of gear and turned the blades on and off a few times. Well after about an hour of mowing, it started behaving similarly again. It would barely move with the blades on, and was weak even with them off. I stopped using the mower for about 1 hour, got back on and it was fine again. I can't figure out why. The engine isn't bogging down at all, to be clear. Just it feels almost like the trans or pulley is losing power. Which makes no sense, because the belt seems to have plenty of tension. And it went fine for about an hour. I suppose the transaxle could be going bad, because I may or may not have accidentally thrown it into reverse while going forward a couple times, but its strange that it worked fine for so long if that is the case.
I also somehow managed to get one of the PTO engaging wires caught on something in the deck which temporarily prevented it from engaging, but I think that was from blowing it off with my leaf blower. Hopefully that's a fluke that doesn't happen again.
Anyway, I just wanted to see if anyone else had any experience with a transmission behaving this way. Thanks!