Diagnosing LawnBoy drive unit failure 1998_10323

[wheelerdan]

If you have read my previous posts, I have rebuild the deck on this 10323 LB. Did the carburetor thing and now have it running correctly. I am now trying to figure out what the drive unit doe snot drive. When I pull the bail it bumps forward with a jerk and then nothing. It also will not pull backward until I go forward a bit, then it rolls, but drive unit does not drive. I installed a new belt. when I pull the bail the drive pulley definitely turns but it doe snot move the mower. During the deck repair I definitely had the drive unit completely apart. I replace the grease in the gear box. I think I re assembled correctly according to the parts drawing, but something is wrong. How can I diagnose and correct. What procedure should I follow to diagnose this condition. Thanks very much.

BTW, the deck was welded, then fibre glassed under side. Top side got less glass and resin over any and all rust. Painted the whole thing. She is pretty good and definitely serviceable. I just need to solve the drive unit problem.

 

[mikehouse]

Almost sounds like my situation.I have a LB 10330,RWD.My cable/spring connection has loosened.So i wiggle the little silver piece on the drive bar out some,put a piece of tape on it,and so far it works.Don't know why it happened.

 

[1saxman]

Does 10323 (Silver Series, E engine) have the clutch housing on each end of the axle? These need to be greased. If not, the ratchet on each end of the axle has to be cleaned and greased. The axle has a hole in the end for this purpose, which is probably clogged up. You can shoot some carb cleaner in it followed by spray lithium grease. Just keep doing this until the grease comes out clean and you can turn the gear without hearing grit. Otherwise, the new belt has to be tensioned using the black plastic cable clamp and bolt on the handle. You want to use this to tilt the trans pulley back, tightening the belt until it drives when you squeeze the bail. Then hold the rear of the mower off the ground while running and without touching the drive bail - the wheels must not turn. If they do, you don't have enough free play. This will also make it very difficult to pull back. Once you get your free play, it will pull back as if it did not have a drive. With this drive, you must understand that like 'Easy-Stride' (Personal Pace), the belt is designed to constantly slip. You can hold the bail to the handle for top speed or 'feather' it to go slower without worrying about wearing it out. I have two LB 4-cycles (10684, 2004 and 22271, 2007) with Variable Speed and neither one has worn out the belt yet. These have been my only mowers since new, and that's a lot of hours over those years.

 

[1saxman]

Another thing that people get wrong with these mowers is not taking it off 'choke' after starting. Once its running, pull the throttle back slightly until you feel a detent, which should be 'high speed'. I have seen people running them with clouds of smoke coming out and all they had to do was take it off choke. The 'Dura Force' E engine with its original carb jetting and using the correct mixture will not smoke after warming up and being taken off 'choke'. I used synthetic oil in mine at 50:1 and it did great. I've had a 10201 'V' engine and a 10323 and 10550 with 'E' engine. I'd love to have that 10550 back but I got tired of fighting 'Easy-Stride'. I have lots of places in my yard and down in the ditch where I have 'push-pull' situations, and the 'Easy-Stride' requirement of having to coast forward before you could pull it back drove me crazy. The Variable Speed solved that and quickly became my favorite drive of all time.
Lawn-Boy actually invented what came to be called 'Personal Pace' by Toro after they bought Lawn-Boy. LB had called it 'Automatic Drive'. 'Variable Speed' is essentially the same thing except with a manual bail instead of the sliding handle. Gear ratios are different because 'Personal Pace' has to be geared very high to allow for walking speed with a very light push on the handle. If you were to tie the handle down and start the engine, you had better be fast on your feet because the mower is going to take off - you may not be able to catch it. So, with 'Variable Speed', since you normally hold the bail to the handle, the gear had to be much lower to hold down the top speed.

 

[Rivets]

Check the entire axle drive on each side. I’ve worked on that drive many times and I’ll bet you don’t have the drive gear and washers assembled correctly. The washers have to be installed in a specific direction and order. Second did you replace the friction ring and thrust washers, plus new keys? I hope you did and got two new keys. These key are not the same and one is left and one is right, and must be installed in the correct groove in the thrust washer. Finally, the drive gear is the same for both sides, but depending on the age of your unit, some gears had an R on one side and an L on the other. They must be installed on the correct side with the letter out.