Off brand problem
 

The wife was cutting lawn Sunday with her YTH 1848 XP Husqvarna lawn tractor. It's got 28? hrs. Bought new about 10 years ago...
She said it sometimes would just stop while cutting (forward motion) but would back up. Then it would work in forward again, she described it as "after being in reverse, and going into forward, it did nothing for a few seconds, then it would jerk forward" but became more so not going forward, but would always back up...
So today I pushed it in the shop, and she's right, no forward motion, but it does back up. So I pulled the deck, and raised the front up to see if anything looked out of place, or see if the belt was bad. Everything looked normal....
The belt is turning the fan on top of the transaxle. So there is power going to the rear. Don't know what else there is on these things to check..
Only other thing I thought of was "maybe" one of the key ways in the rear wheel-axle would have broke, and it was catching enough to let it back up, nope, there both good..
Any ideas? Be gentle now, it's her mower:biggrin2:

Hi Zippy1....Have you verified that the drive belt is properly tensioned? Are the idler pulleys tightening as designed? I have seen the splines on the input pulley for the transaxle wear off and cause this sort of problem too. Good luck! :)

X2 on belt tension. My wife's 1538 had a worn out belt last year. I looked and felt tight, would back up but was jerky going foreword and severely worn. The new belt was twice as thick. Worked fine after I replaced it. Could also be something in the tranny. May want to block it up and run it see if you can stop the wheels or see anything out of the ordinary.

My neighbors mower is doing the same thing (different brand), but I haven't looked into it yet. I looked up your machine in hopes it's similar to his so it would help me, of course it won't. I skimmed the manual anyway, one thing it mentions is purging the air out of the transmission before the first use. Not knowing how long since the last use, I'm wondering if only 28 hr of use in 10 yrs if there isn't some air in the forward circuit. The manual says to engage the freewheel lever, start up the machine and engage full forward for 5 sec, then shift to full reverse for 5 sec while using the clutch as normal. Repeat 3 times, the tractor should not move since it is in freewheel. Disengage freewheel and it should drive, this is of course if air is the problem. Good luck :beerchug:

Bill

Edit: I realize now after rereading your post that you probably mean two hundred eighty some odd hrs, not 28. Perhaps my theory is wwwwr wwwr wwwwrong, but it's free to try. :biggrin2:

It looked to be, but will double check to make certain. Will check the pulleys again also.
So if I'm reading correctly. The input pulley on the transaxle has splines? The pulley with the fan? Correct? Just don't want to take the fuel tank and fenders off if I'm not understanding this right.
Thanks....:beerchug:

The belt looks fine to me. But it's not that I look at this thing anymore than I need to:biggrin2: But if the belt was bad, wouldn't it slip in reverse also?
If it's in the transaxle where the problem is, it's going behind the barn to live out it's last days....
Thanks for the ideas.:beerchug:

Correct on the hours ^^^^^ but I did try the purge thing with no luck. This tractor is the same as the craftsman, poulon type built at that time.
Thanks for the idea:beerchug:

Yes...check the input pulley with cooling fan. Disengage the belt drive and check the pulley. See if it seems loose on the input shaft. Also double check the idler pulley arms for full range of motion to see if the belt is tensioned properly when clutch pedal is released. :)

Could be a belt issue. I'm leaning toward a lever issue.

Not low on fluid is it Todd? No rags plugging up the suction port right? :biggrin2::biggrin2:

:biggrin2::biggrin2: ah, no rag.
What do you mean by "lever issue?"

Isn't it a hydrostat? Or did I misunderstand.... :bigthink:

Yes, correct.

If its a Husqvarna then its probably a foot operated hydro not lever. Check all the linkages from the foot pedals to the hydro. I think a possibility is the mount or bolt that makes the foot pedal rock back and forth might be worn possibly? Or maybe one of the links are messed up.

Okay, rechecked everything mentioned, even replaced the drive belt.....No change.
I figured the drive belt wouldn't have anything to do with it. How could it? It drives the rear, in the same direction, regardless if in the forward or reverse direction... But tried it anyway.
The rear drive checked out fine after I removed the belt, no sloppiness, it feels tight as should be.
All the linkage is normal...... Next:bigthink:

Is the relief valve fully engaged? Maybe its like an 8th out?

No Justin, it's fully engaged. Thanks though:beerchug:

Ok. I'd check to see if the slider is moving all the way back and forth.

It's a fender mounted control lever.
As I said earlier, all linkage is normal, and is fine.....
Thanks

Sounds like she needs a belly mower for her cub. :biggrin2:

:biggrin2:it's got one:beerchug:

Todd I was doing some looking and people say most hydros have an adjustment that makes it go in all forward or all reverse, and if in the middle it will go in both. Maybe yours has it too somewhere? Also I found this: http://www.tractorforum.com/f154/hus...d-27649-print/

Thanks Justin, sounds about right:beerchug:

Todd

When you get a second see if you can get the serial number for that critter.
Looks like they may have used a couple different trannys in them.

Here's a link to a PDF from Husky showing the trans, not sure if it's the correct one for your mower.

http://www.husqvarna.com/ddoc/husi/h..._i0002002_.pdf

PS: I think Justin may be right on this one.

Thanks Sam, that looks like the animal.:beerchug:

Nuts on Justin, the link you gave me was right on, thanks.:beerchug:
Found that the one check valve that sits inside of the oil filter had backed out and fallen out of its hole.

Glad to hear that you got it fixed and that Justin helped. :beerchug:

Now you need to get that thing traded off on another Cub Cadet before it craps out on you again.

I didn't kno any of those had any kind of hydro filter or screen.

Man am I good or what? Looks like I'll have to start looking into working on trans as well as engines

I was going to say good yob on the assist J but it seems that you have already put yourself over. (Modesty is the second best policy) :biggrin2:

Glad you got it fixed Todd

Or what. :biggrin2:

Okay Justin, pat your back, you did good.:beerchug:
Anyway there is a screen filter on the top inside the fill hole. I loaded the tractor and took it to my buddy's shop to help me with it... he actually took the until out and got it on the table to work on it.
Found the trouble right off. So again thanks for all the ideas along the line:beerchug:

Yes, you did good researching the problem. I wouldn't get too carried away. Being able to google a problem and find an answer doesn't make you a mechanic.

Justin may not a master tech but I'll give the kid credit for coming up with a possible problem that solved the OP's problem. :beerchug:

Thanks Sam. I know I'm no "pro" mechanic but I can get an engine running and figure things out.



Jon I may be no pro mechanic but googling something instead of just guessing from thin air is a lot better. I know a lot more than what you think I know, or at least thats what I think. (Man thats a lot of "I think":biggrin2:)

Saying something like good job like what Sam said is a lot better than saying your no mechanic you just looked it up.:bash2:
Little mean but thats all I got to say about that.

Nice job. But I guess you missed your pastor's sermon on boasting.

I've never said anything about boasting. I'm just poking the stick if ya know what I mean. And I don't really see any "boasting" comments. And its not like its bad to announce that your right every once in a while. Its more about being humble.

let him bask in the glory of his research. we all started somewhere. to bad there was no google back in the 70's when I go started :Woo:

You guys had something better. These things that I think were called manuals lol.

they still have them .

No! Not Manuals! We had something even better than manuals. It's called "on hands" experience! Especially working with the elders, like Dad and Grandpa, watching and learning.

Oh ya. That was even before manuals wasn't it? That was a loooooong time ago. lol