Riding lawn mower creeps when in gear
#1
10-21-18, 03:09 PM
Riding lawn mower creeps when in gear
I have owned a 1998 MTD Yard Machines garden tractor (Model 820) since new. Recently I changed both the front drive belt (engine to variable speed pulley) and the rear drive belt (variable speed pulley to transmission). It seems ever since it will now creep forward or reverse when in gear, with the brake/clutch applied fully. It runs and moves fine otherwise. I have to put it in neutral to get it to stop.
I figured the no-name brand belt I purchased for the front drive belt was the culprit....maybe it was too tight.. So I bought a new MTD brand belt. No change.
I've also tried to adjust the brake by tightening a bolt on it a bit, and while that did help, for some reason that had the effect of making it nearly impossible to get out of gear.
I have also done a "Speed Control Adjustment" procedure as outlined in the owners manual, since it pertains to the belts. But again, no change.
What could be causing this?! Could it be the other belt which is not fitting correctly (the one from variable speed pulley to transmission). That's the other new belt that I didn't replace, again.
Thanks,
Tom
I figured the no-name brand belt I purchased for the front drive belt was the culprit....maybe it was too tight.. So I bought a new MTD brand belt. No change.
I've also tried to adjust the brake by tightening a bolt on it a bit, and while that did help, for some reason that had the effect of making it nearly impossible to get out of gear.
I have also done a "Speed Control Adjustment" procedure as outlined in the owners manual, since it pertains to the belts. But again, no change.
What could be causing this?! Could it be the other belt which is not fitting correctly (the one from variable speed pulley to transmission). That's the other new belt that I didn't replace, again.
Thanks,
Tom
#2
10-21-18, 04:04 PM
Forum Topic Moderator
Being hard to shift is because its bound up and the belt is pulling too hard. Make sure you got the belt routed on the correct sides of the guide bolts under the frame. Either the variator pulley is pulling back on the belt enough to keep it engaged, the belt is on the wrong side of a guide, or it needs adjustment. If it was working before with the old belt, it should work now with the new belt with no adjustment.
#3
10-26-18, 07:33 PM
Thanks, the shifting is fine again after I loosened the brake back to here it was. The belt is on the correct side of the guide bolts...
So will either of the belts cause this problem, that I changed? Am i focusing on the right one?
Thanks,
Tom
So will either of the belts cause this problem, that I changed? Am i focusing on the right one?
Thanks,
Tom
#4
10-26-18, 11:41 PM
Forum Topic Moderator
Generally your problem would be caused by the primary belt (the one from the variator to the engine) being too tight for one reason or another.
#5
10-27-18, 08:02 AM
Thanks, yea that's what I thought, so that is why I replaced the (new) belt with an MTD brand belt. Unfortunately it didn't help. I will take a look and double-check the belt routing again to figure out what is wrong.
#6
11-10-18, 02:45 PM
Ok, so I bought another brand-new MTD belt for the front; from engine to the variator pulley. I then replaced the rear belt, from variator to transmission pulley with the OLD one that used to be on there. Still moves! Very frustrating; I'm sure the belt routing is correct, there doesn't seem to be any other way.
Here is a link to a short video I took of the belts moving when the riding mower is running. Most of the beginning of the video, the transmission is in neutral. The parking brake is on (clutch-brake pedal down and locked). I release the brake during the video so you can see the variator pulley moving and the results. The speed selector is in the highest setting, 7.
https://youtu.be/vx8s21kwdHg
I then put it in gear, which immediately makes the mower roll forward and then rearward, even though the clutch-brake pedal is depressed fully, with parking brake set.
Do you see anything that could be wrong with this picture?! I'm guessing maybe those belts aren't always supposed to be moving, but have no idea why they are. Very frustrating!
Thanks,
Tom
Here is a link to a short video I took of the belts moving when the riding mower is running. Most of the beginning of the video, the transmission is in neutral. The parking brake is on (clutch-brake pedal down and locked). I release the brake during the video so you can see the variator pulley moving and the results. The speed selector is in the highest setting, 7.
https://youtu.be/vx8s21kwdHg
I then put it in gear, which immediately makes the mower roll forward and then rearward, even though the clutch-brake pedal is depressed fully, with parking brake set.
Do you see anything that could be wrong with this picture?! I'm guessing maybe those belts aren't always supposed to be moving, but have no idea why they are. Very frustrating!
Thanks,
Tom
#7
11-10-18, 04:56 PM
Forum Topic Moderator
No, they shouldn't be moving when the pedal is pressed. It should move the variator pulley forwards far enough to make the belt slack and it should apply enough brake to keep it from turning too. Either the belt isn't loosening enough, is routed on the wrong side of a belt guard, the engine pulley is bent/punched, or rusted badly and grabbing the belt even though it's loose, or the belt isn't right. I can't think of anything else.
