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Newbie and 10 yr old son have a question

#1

S

smhoff2019

Hi Everyone -- This is our first post. My 10 yr old son is learning how to fix MTD lawn tractors. One issue we have is steering -- the bracket that connects a rod (which runs from the steering shaft) to the left front wheel is bent/broken. Does anyone know a fix or where to get the part? We're posting seven photos. Just a couple show the bent bracket. The rest are for background. Thank you very much in advance. It would mean a LOT to us to have some help with this. Remember when you were 10 and working on engines? :smile:

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#2

B

bertsmobile1

Seeing as this is a father son quality time job I will run through the method
The engine number tag has a serial number that starts with 95.
So the engine was made in 95 so assuming that it is the original engine, the mower will date from 95 or 96
On the side of the engine is the Yard Machine name
from this site https://www.jackssmallengines.com/ ( you can also use Parts tree ) hit the parts look up.
Then MTD and scroll down to the bottom to find Yard Machines
The list starts at 1996 so we click on that.
Two choices, Lawn Tractor or Garden Tractor
Lawn tractors usually have only a mower while Garden Tractors will have a front or rear PTO to drive snow blowers or tillers etc.
So we hit the lawn tractor and end up with about 20 choices.
Before I had the MTD Deck codes it was a matter of opening each one till I found one as close to the one I had.

However you can download the MTD Deck codes from the web and that has 40" deck so from that list I picked one with the letter F ( 38 side discharge ) , G ( 42" side discharge ) or N ( 40" rear discharge )
Then from the diagram went to steering and found https://www.jackssmallengines.com/jacks-parts-lookup/part/mtd/98300550637

Which looks like the right part.

If there is a tag under the seat or hood ( think they were in a different spot in the 90's ) it should have a model number like the ones you saw in the list , 13??????? or 14???????

Kids are much better on the web than us old farts.
See if you can find the tag.
If the numbers are too feint to read take some photos of it, a digital camera is better than a phone.
It will pick up the variations in the reflection where the model number was and in a photo editing application you either inverse colours ( called make negative on some ) or just jack up the contrast till you can read it.

Good luck, wont be too long before dad becomes an embarrasment so enjoy 10 while you can.
That is a fairly good mower and one of the best engines Briggs ever made
If you don't have a manual search for " MTD Must have manual of Outdoor Power Equipment - book 2"
It is on line at all sorts of places.
Also watch the springs, really difficult for youngen to stretch.


#3

S

smhoff2019

Dear Pharaoh, a.k.a. Bert,

You're "Da Man." My kid is gonna jump for joy when we go through your message. I really can't begin to tell you how much more helpful you were than the (pleasant) dude I spoke with from MTD tech support on the phone, AND an MTD authorized service center guy (also pleasant, but...). You did us "a solid", a "good, no great, deed". Amazing that you did it from 8,200 miles away. He's gonna go through the roof. You made his day. You made his week. Until the next obstacle. :laughing:

Thank you so much. We bow before the Pharaoh. A Japanese friend taught me this bow: _o_ (can you see it?)

Sincerely,

Quality Timers

bertsmobile1 said:
Seeing as this is a father son quality time job I will run through the method
The engine number tag has a serial number that starts with 95.
So the engine was made in 95 so assuming that it is the original engine, the mower will date from 95 or 96
On the side of the engine is the Yard Machine name
from this site https://www.jackssmallengines.com/ ( you can also use Parts tree ) hit the parts look up.
Then MTD and scroll down to the bottom to find Yard Machines
The list starts at 1996 so we click on that.
Two choices, Lawn Tractor or Garden Tractor
Lawn tractors usually have only a mower while Garden Tractors will have a front or rear PTO to drive snow blowers or tillers etc.
So we hit the lawn tractor and end up with about 20 choices.
Before I had the MTD Deck codes it was a matter of opening each one till I found one as close to the one I had.

However you can download the MTD Deck codes from the web and that has 40" deck so from that list I picked one with the letter F ( 38 side discharge ) , G ( 42" side discharge ) or N ( 40" rear discharge )
Then from the diagram went to steering and found https://www.jackssmallengines.com/jacks-parts-lookup/part/mtd/98300550637

Which looks like the right part.

If there is a tag under the seat or hood ( think they were in a different spot in the 90's ) it should have a model number like the ones you saw in the list , 13??????? or 14???????

Kids are much better on the web than us old farts.
See if you can find the tag.
If the numbers are too feint to read take some photos of it, a digital camera is better than a phone.
It will pick up the variations in the reflection where the model number was and in a photo editing application you either inverse colours ( called make negative on some ) or just jack up the contrast till you can read it.

Good luck, wont be too long before dad becomes an embarrasment so enjoy 10 while you can.
That is a fairly good mower and one of the best engines Briggs ever made
If you don't have a manual search for " MTD Must have manual of Outdoor Power Equipment - book 2"
It is on line at all sorts of places.
Also watch the springs, really difficult for youngen to stretch.
Click to expand...


#4

B

bertsmobile1

You must be as bald as I am,
can see the light reflection off the skull
Well I hope that is where the light is coming from.:laughing:

If you think the MTD service is bad there
Down here we get told
"That was before our franchise distribution arangement so you will have to contact the previous importer "
SO one gets good at doing the detective stuff.
Even if the local distributor imported the product all they put on line are the brochures I could pick up in store & all the old TV adds.

If your young en is computer litterate enough get him to do the searching with a few prompts.
Kids like the sense of achievement .
Bookmark the modle page when you work out exactly which one you have.
You can download the diagrams in a separate window from both Jacks & Patstree but the partstree one prints out better.

Most of the places where springs anchor will need a blob of weld and all of the bushes will need replacing
After that it will be almost as good as new provided the teeth on the steering gear is OK

Service parts like blades, belts & spindles will be available from Stens, Rotary, Oregon or Prime Line.
Prime Line & Rotary sell direct, the others need to go through dealers .
Most repair only workshops will be using after market parts
MTD's are a bit fussy about belt size profile so make sure you get exact OEM replacements or MTD branded .
Lots of the really cheap stuff is an "equivalent size" and will quickly let you down.

The B & S web site will have the parts diagrams for the engine and if you search the archives I am sure some one posted a link to B & S manuals on line.


#5

S

smhoff2019

Hi Again, Bert the Pharaoh --

Thank you again! We didn't have a lot of time, so we didn't find the deck codes on the web. We couldn't find the "G" or "N". We wanted the "N" because this is a 40" rear discharge. So we're not 100% sure that you found the exact right part. But you probably did. Is there something we should double check on that?

We've looked everywhere for a model no. Nothing under the seat, and I'm 98% sure there's nothing under the hood, though I'll look again there, too.

Will update you soon. Meanwhile, there's a second MTD mower that my son got going today for the first time ever, so we're kind of Cloud 9 here. He took apart the carb, most of it, and cleaned it. Way cool. Your help is super appreciated!

Off to bedtime stories --

Quality Old Timer:laughing:


We followed most of your directions here.
bertsmobile1 said:
Seeing as this is a father son quality time job I will run through the method
The engine number tag has a serial number that starts with 95.
So the engine was made in 95 so assuming that it is the original engine, the mower will date from 95 or 96
On the side of the engine is the Yard Machine name
from this site https://www.jackssmallengines.com/ ( you can also use Parts tree ) hit the parts look up.
Then MTD and scroll down to the bottom to find Yard Machines
The list starts at 1996 so we click on that.
Two choices, Lawn Tractor or Garden Tractor
Lawn tractors usually have only a mower while Garden Tractors will have a front or rear PTO to drive snow blowers or tillers etc.
So we hit the lawn tractor and end up with about 20 choices.
Before I had the MTD Deck codes it was a matter of opening each one till I found one as close to the one I had.

However you can download the MTD Deck codes from the web and that has 40" deck so from that list I picked one with the letter F ( 38 side discharge ) , G ( 42" side discharge ) or N ( 40" rear discharge )
Then from the diagram went to steering and found https://www.jackssmallengines.com/jacks-parts-lookup/part/mtd/98300550637

Which looks like the right part.

If there is a tag under the seat or hood ( think they were in a different spot in the 90's ) it should have a model number like the ones you saw in the list , 13??????? or 14???????

Kids are much better on the web than us old farts.
See if you can find the tag.
If the numbers are too feint to read take some photos of it, a digital camera is better than a phone.
It will pick up the variations in the reflection where the model number was and in a photo editing application you either inverse colours ( called make negative on some ) or just jack up the contrast till you can read it.

Good luck, wont be too long before dad becomes an embarrasment so enjoy 10 while you can.
That is a fairly good mower and one of the best engines Briggs ever made
If you don't have a manual search for " MTD Must have manual of Outdoor Power Equipment - book 2"
It is on line at all sorts of places.
Also watch the springs, really difficult for youngen to stretch.
Click to expand...


#6

B

bertsmobile1

Firstly please drop the pharaoh
Plain old bert is fine.
the mowers are all the same.
Just the decks are different.
A few years ago the 1994 models were listed so the parts listing company ( ARI ) must have a rolling 30 year contract.
There is probably a Yard machines web group somewhere.

In the long run you will probably find mylawnmowerfourm https://www.mylawnmowerforum.com/ a better place than here.
Each forums seems to fill a little niche.
They seem to lean more to restoring & collecting than this site .
We tend to be mainly for repair of reasonably current mowers.
I am on both but have not posted there for some time as the information I need tends to pop up here more than there.
However they have a lot of collectors over there who will bend over backwards with help for you & your youngen.
Just make sure you come back with some finished photos at least.
They also have a pdf archive with a lot of material there.


#7

S

smhoff2019

Thank you, Bert. So it sounds like you're saying that the part you found will work. You're 99% sure. Interesting to look at it, you can now see how bent ours got. We'll join that other forum, too! For my kid, these mowers are totally current (not "old") -- because people give them to him and they're in front of him and they're not toys. Which is fantastic. Keeps him out of trouble and away from video games. :) That's what everyone says. I'll definitely send you more photos as they come in.

He spent hours on his other MTD riding mower (another free one) today, cleaning that carb. And it made a huge difference. Now he's got spark, he's got compression, and fuel delivery. We're almost there on that one. So cool.

He's been inspired by YouTubers like Mustie1, FearlessFront, ChrisFix, Doug DeMuro, RoadKill (Motor Trend YouTube channel), TopGear (BBC car show on YouTube), etc. People wonder if he'll be an engineer, but just being a mechanic is what he's into now. Completely. So it's really tough when we hit an obstacle. Because it means a lot to him. So it's really great you're out there and helped with this.

Steve

bertsmobile1 said:
Firstly please drop the pharaoh
Plain old bert is fine.
the mowers are all the same.
Just the decks are different.
A few years ago the 1994 models were listed so the parts listing company ( ARI ) must have a rolling 30 year contract.
There is probably a Yard machines web group somewhere.

In the long run you will probably find mylawnmowerfourm https://www.mylawnmowerforum.com/ a better place than here.
Each forums seems to fill a little niche.
They seem to lean more to restoring & collecting than this site .
We tend to be mainly for repair of reasonably current mowers.
I am on both but have not posted there for some time as the information I need tends to pop up here more than there.
However they have a lot of collectors over there who will bend over backwards with help for you & your youngen.
Just make sure you come back with some finished photos at least.
They also have a pdf archive with a lot of material there.
Click to expand...


#8

B

bertsmobile1

The width of the front cross beam varies as the tyres get bigger
Thus the bend at the end of the arm varies to clear everything.
These old mowers are great because you get real drag links with adjustable ends so he can play with toe in and toe out.
Valuable lessons in steering geometry.
Speaking of the cross member, it should come out so you can inspect the lip that it pivots on and the condition of the front & back wear plates.
I regularly have to weld a bit of tube in there.
Some are available in the USA but not down here & when you add the freight it is not a viable repair so out comes the oxy.
The racers here bolt them up solid at a lean depending upon which way they are racing that day.
I fit grade 9 allan headed caps to replace the clamp bolts with high tensile washers ( thicker ) at each end and a nylock nut

Grab a couple of cans of dry white lithium chassis grease and spray it liberally on every surface that rubs.
I use around 1/2 can on every service to give you an idea of how much to spray around.

Next to playing a musical instrument ( drums are not an instrument ) pulling things apart & putting them back together is one of the best things you can do to stimulate a young mind.

HE will probably enjoy Taryl Fixes all and once he is getting the hang of things, see if he is interested in putting his own MTD restoration channel up on you tube.
Apart from Taryl I found Donny Boy very useful but it sounds like he has the engine bit sorted.
Also see if he can be pointed towards replacing the wiring looms.
It is amazing how many people can pull an engine apart in the dark with nothing more than a bent shifter but go to jelly when they see more than 3 wires.

In the computer & Smart phone age , no one buys their kids electronics kits any more so they always find electricity confusing.
As he gets into latter models you get the chance to show him more complicated circuits, with safety features which becomes a good talking point about safety .


#9

dfbroxy

dfbroxy

I have a MTD yardman mower that is almost identical. It is a 16.5 hp 42" cut. The model# is 13A0675G141. Most of the parts should be the same. Or at least give you a starting point to look them up....


#10

I

ILENGINE

Try model number 135o765n013 this is the only model for 40 inch made in 1995 and it uses your exact model of engine.

Here is a diagram of the steering for the model number listed above.

https://www.partstree.com/parts/mtd...tor-1995-costco/wheel-steering-axle-assembly/


#11

B

bertsmobile1

You amaze me some times.
A silly side question, did MTD use different engine code letters or are they consistent over the years ?
Will "o" always code out as a 402707 series Briggs ?
I have been trying to fathom out the engine code letter for years with little success.


#12

I

ILENGINE

I don't think there is much rhyme or reason to the model number system sometimes. In this case the o should point to frame not engine, the third digit should be engine and in this case is a 5 but in the old numbering system the third digit was actually the year. The 1995 was a 135 and the 1996 is 136 and so on. the engine designation probably points more toward engine manufacturer and not an exact engine.


#13

M

mechanic mark

https://www.briggsandstratton.com/n...ManualSearch.html?searchrequested=402707-1212

your engine operators & parts manuals


#14

B

bertsmobile1

ILENGINE said:
I don't think there is much rhyme or reason to the model number system sometimes. In this case the o should point to frame not engine, the third digit should be engine and in this case is a 5 but in the old numbering system the third digit was actually the year. The 1995 was a 135 and the 1996 is 136 and so on. the engine designation probably points more toward engine manufacturer and not an exact engine.
Click to expand...

Thanks.
I got the MTD codes a few years back when some one posted them so I got my scone around the 3 systems, pre 93, 93-97 & post 97
However I can not make any sense of the engine code & was wondering if they changed the meanings of code letters in 98 when they went to the current numbering system
The deck size code remained constant but either the engine one did not or some of the mowers we got down here had an engine transplant from new.


#15

S

smhoff2019

This is all really interesting.

To be honest, I had to Google "drag link", "toe in and toe out", and "wear plate." Even "wiring loom." It's a new lingo to me. It's an education.

My kid is really excited to find that steering arm, and we'll get the steering going before we take it apart again. We found an OEM steering arm on eBay for $10. We are taking your advice to go with OEM parts for a part that is clearly under a lot of stress. That was a good lesson. My kid does work with wiring, but I don't know if he's changed out a wiring loom yet. We have an old Gilson rototiller with electrical issues that he's been trying to fix (somebody gave it to him). We hit a snag on that one, but that's OK, we've got plenty to do with the MTDs right now.

We have another friend who likes Taryl and recommended him. But my kid is into action more than talk, so he didn't get into Taryl yet. The first video we saw by him was more talk than doing stuff. Taryl must be good if you also recommended him, tho. I think my kid has also seen Donny Boy some. He agreed with you when we read what you wrote about the old mowers. He likes how simple they are right now. He said the new John Deeres have got to be harder to fix. For now, we'll focus on these old ones and learn on them. It's great. He's excited now, because once the steering starts working on this V-twin MTD 1995, he's got a working mower. He'll take off the mower deck, fix it up, maybe try to sell it. And he'll use the mower as a vehicle after we get new tires and fix the steering. He's real excited about the project.

Steve:smile:





bertsmobile1 said:
The width of the front cross beam varies as the tyres get bigger
Thus the bend at the end of the arm varies to clear everything.
These old mowers are great because you get real drag links with adjustable ends so he can play with toe in and toe out.
Valuable lessons in steering geometry.
Speaking of the cross member, it should come out so you can inspect the lip that it pivots on and the condition of the front & back wear plates.
I regularly have to weld a bit of tube in there.
Some are available in the USA but not down here & when you add the freight it is not a viable repair so out comes the oxy.
The racers here bolt them up solid at a lean depending upon which way they are racing that day.
I fit grade 9 allan headed caps to replace the clamp bolts with high tensile washers ( thicker ) at each end and a nylock nut

Grab a couple of cans of dry white lithium chassis grease and spray it liberally on every surface that rubs.
I use around 1/2 can on every service to give you an idea of how much to spray around.

Next to playing a musical instrument ( drums are not an instrument ) pulling things apart & putting them back together is one of the best things you can do to stimulate a young mind.

HE will probably enjoy Taryl Fixes all and once he is getting the hang of things, see if he is interested in putting his own MTD restoration channel up on you tube.
Apart from Taryl I found Donny Boy very useful but it sounds like he has the engine bit sorted.
Also see if he can be pointed towards replacing the wiring looms.
It is amazing how many people can pull an engine apart in the dark with nothing more than a bent shifter but go to jelly when they see more than 3 wires.

In the computer & Smart phone age , no one buys their kids electronics kits any more so they always find electricity confusing.
As he gets into latter models you get the chance to show him more complicated circuits, with safety features which becomes a good talking point about safety .
Click to expand...


#16

S

smhoff2019

This is great. Thank you!

dfbroxy said:
I have a MTD yardman mower that is almost identical. It is a 16.5 hp 42" cut. The model# is 13A0675G141. Most of the parts should be the same. Or at least give you a starting point to look them up....
Click to expand...


#17

S

smhoff2019

We looked it up, and found it. Thank you!


ILENGINE said:
Try model number 135o765n013 this is the only model for 40 inch made in 1995 and it uses your exact model of engine.

Here is a diagram of the steering for the model number listed above.

https://www.partstree.com/parts/mtd...tor-1995-costco/wheel-steering-axle-assembly/
Click to expand...


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