Outdoor Power Equipment and Small Engines - mtd mower

if anyone can help me with this problem i sure would appriciate it......my problem i have a 38 inch cut 11.5 hp mower (rider)i have 2 big springs at the bottom and dont know where they go.so i need a diagram of the bottom of the rider and not the deck..and i will figure it out i hope...........thanks in advance FORDMAN

FM:

www.mtdproducts.com

Ask them for an owner's manual and a parts list. They will send you a printed copy or a PDF file you can download of the manual free of charge.

That should jar your memory.

Hello Fordman!

There are several springs on this mower. The really long spring hooks on the bar (or in a hole on the left rear deck hanger if no bar) that connects the deck to the hangers on the rear of the deck- to the hook that you will find bolted on with the transaxle mounting bolts on the left hand side of the mower. Another short spring goes from the brake rod to the brake lever, and another goes from a bracket behind the left rear wheel to the varidrive assembly, there is another usually short one from one varidrive arm to the other. They can be hard to install. I'm not sure if you can really get much help from my description, as it is hard to describe this stuff to the detail, and without knowing which design you have.

On behalf of my son (Fordman), I thank you for your responses on the problem with my mower he borrowed. The drive belts had jumped to the same pulley and he disassembled the deck, springs, etc. Even removed the engine bolts and could not remember how it all went back. This has happened a couple of times with me, but I never had to disassemble to the extent that he did. I think he misplaced a part like a spring that attaches to the vari speed pulley plate. I reassembled as far as i could and hoped he could go from there. Heheh, no luck. Except, we did notice a place on the vari speed pulley that looked as if a spring or rod went there. He is taking it to a buddy of his and let him figure it out. I told him I think it just some simple thing. Thanks again.

P.S. Npw if someone would kindly tell me how to sign him out so I can post under my name, I would appreciate it. Haven't had to do that in a while and can't seem to find the log off button.

Boman

Okay, I found one way to log and on. Found a 'Logged' button on the bottom of one of these pages beside "administrator option' button. Don't see it on this page now. I must have went back to the main page. I thought there was a log out button at the top of some page we used in the past in this situation. Oops, I see it is at the bottom of this post. beside 'report' button.

Did you get a book from MTD? As I recall, they do not charge for them.

I did take a look at the diagram. I may take another look today. Kinda hard to see exactly how things go on the diagram. I do need to get the book. I usually like to have manuals on things.

Over two weeks now and still no luck. My son had to leave town (truck driver) and did not take my mower to his buddy to get it fixed. The diagram is no longer available at the MTD site. I should say not currently available. The problem I am having after reassembling it is I only have one forward speed. When I move the speed control lever on the dash, it does not seem to change gears. Nothing moves under the mower to change gears/speed. I hate to spend money on a manual to find out the tranny is shot. I don't think I posted the one speed problem. Hoping this will help someone point in the right direction. If so, I will go get it again and fix myself.

MTD
Model- 13AC 450 F 382

Serial# - 1L096I10220

The diagrams go back to 1998. Mine is 1997, I think. If I found a dollar fun house, I'd be on the porch with .99! I viewed it once before, so maybe I am not entering the right numbers. !' may be I's, etc.

Boman:

Call MTD and ask them to sent it to you. They will usually comply.

Murray has sent me all the owner's manuals I've asked for (including ORIGINAL Sears printed ones!) free of charge. All of them were listed as NLA by Sears too.

If the mower moves forward and backwards, then the tranny is fine. Thie tranny has only one speed. The seven speed selections on the dash are not gears in the tranny, they are different settings for the variadrive pulley. This is the double pulley between the engine and tranny that is supposed to move forward and backwards to change the drive ratio. Many times this will not move if the engine is not running, but you will need to make sure it moves in relation to the speed selector settings. There is a rod that connects to the bracket that this pulley is on. It is what holds it in whatever position is selected.