Outdoor Power Equipment and Small Engines - Mower no longer self propelled

Last night I was cutting grass and self propulsion stopped. The front wheels lock up ever time it is engaged. Without taking the thing apart, i looks almost like the belt is a bit out of line. Could this cause my problem?

What brand and do you have any model numbers on the mower itself? Look for small twigs, etc. in the pulleys, gears, etc. for starters.

Dont have any numbers with me, however, it is a Craftsman Eager1. I looked for anything jamming the wheels but didnt see anything.

If you have excessive belt wear the belt will not only slip but you will notice the belt does not run a relatively straight line between the two pulleys. This wear could have caused the belt to drop off the engine pulley and it would then likely jam between the engine and pulley and cause a seizure-like situation. Other areas that could be trouble are at the wheel adjuster bearings or the transmission, itself. You need to remove the belt so that you can isolate the exact area of trouble. On the underside of the mower deck will be a belt cover that you need to remove (it simply snaps into place) but not before first removing the cutting blade. Any time you service your mower be sure to first remove the spark plug so that you eliminate any possibility of an accidental startup. Be sure to tip the mower properly while servicing the underside of the mower by tipping the spark plug side of the mower upward at no more than a 45-degree angle and, ideally, you should have an empty or near empty gas tank so that you don't have any spillage when tipping the mower up.

Thanks to everyone for the responses. I was able to fix it last night. The belt had come off the pulley. I removed the blade and firxed the belt and it is running correctly now.

I do have one more question, is it better to sharpen or buy a new cutting blade? If sharpening, what type of file should be used?

I'll sharpen one if the lift portion of the blade isn't worn too thin. I use a grinder. I would rather buy 2 new blades than try to sharpen one with a file. Way too time consuming.