Outdoor Power Equipment and Small Engines - Scotts lawnmower wont go into gear

Ok i had a problem with my carb just not to long ago wich you guys helped out with turned out to be clogged well any ways got it running very good did a oil change the whole nine yards. Started it and stepped on the brake to put in in foward and the handle dont want to go into foward motion in that case reverse either like if the clutch isnt engaging. ill put it in pward with out the brake pedal and the handle will move into possition but it will grind is there a certain way to do it or is it a bad tranny can some one shed some light on this subject?

Sounds like the belt is not fully disengaging, This could be caused from a bent belt guide. Take a peak under the unit while off and make sure the belt and all guides are in place.


Good Luck

thanx for your quick responce ok here is a big EDIT i have model #s1642 it is a automatic tranny and your not suppose to use the brake pedal to put it in gear wich explanes why the shifter wont move wile im on the brake your suppose to just move handle foward and the furth the handle is foward the faster you will go but when i do that it just grinds and moves very little

Well Now,

After receiving the WHOLE story, I'd say to peak up under there anyway. Make sure the parking brake arm on the transaxle isn't stuck causing the brake to drag.

Well Now,

After receiving the WHOLE story, I'd say to peak up under there anyway. Make sure the parking brake arm on the transaxle isn't stuck causing the brake to drag.

Well after doing what you said by the way thanx ..... i noticed wile i was peaking under there especially where the belt and pully are ontop of the transaxle, as i put it into gear i can see that the pully would lift "the one with the fan on it" and turn like it is stripped, like its skipping over the key and thats what the grinding/whining sound is. the pully is only $14 but getting the old pully off, i have to pull the whole bottom apart, the transaxle and the whole cutting ass. wich i have no clue on how to do. i have the manual showing how to do so but its like radio instructions..... lol ill figure it out. not to mention the damb wheel is stuck on the axle looks like its never been taken off i see the key but looks rusted on. any suggestions on how to get them off?

On some mowers, you can remove the battery under the seat, pull the battery box out, and access the pulley from there without removing the tranny.

If you can't get to the pulley as Mr. Cheese outlined, Leave the wheels on and drop the transaxle wheels and all.

Trying to beat the wheels off could cause internal transaxle damage which could cause more $ to repair in the long run.

K got the pully off threw that access panle by the way thanx cheese!!!! and the teeth on the pully are pretty much gone but the teeth on the shaft on the transaxle look a little warn but im gonna get another pully if it dont work im just gonna weld the pully on or use some good JB weld what ya think?

Don't weld it...you'll melt the seal that way. I'd use JB weld as a last resort, but I think a new pulley will fix you up without the jb weld.

Well im pulling the trans out i want to make sure there is oil in the trans. if i move both tires foward its hard to move unless its suppose to be like that. how much oil should be in the trans?

Well im pulling the trans out i want to make sure there is oil in the trans. if i move both tires foward its hard to move unless its suppose to be like that. how much oil should be in the trans?

These units will not push as easy as a gear drive transaxle....

Also, You don't have to pull the trans to check the oil level. Clean the top of the trans GOOD of any grass/dirt, On the right hand side looking through the battery tray hole about two O-clock position you will see a black rubber plug.

Remove this plug and stick a screw driver straight down into the hole until it hits bottom, Remove and measure how high up the blade the level is, Proper level is 1/4 to 3/8".... I couldn't find a oil spec for these but it looked and smelled like 80/90W gear lube so that's what I put in them.

Well tractor is up and running for a grand total of 3 hours and $14 changing the pully checking all fluids and cutter reinstall all i need to do now is get the rim off the axle so i can change the tubless 20x8x8 tire is ther a way to do it on the axle? how do you remove these tires you need a tire mechine?

is ther a way to do it on the axle? how do you remove these tires you need a tire mechine?


I repair/replace stuck tires all the time, I built a slide hammer from scraps laying around the shop;

http://i107.photobucket.com/albums/m314/Restrorob/100_6137.jpg?t=1238635138

Any wide blunt object and a big hammer should knock the beads loose, Then use a couple larger screwdrivers to pop the outside of the tire off the rim. You can still check the tire for thorns and install a tube with only the outside of the tire off the rim.


Good Luck

I repair/replace stuck tires all the time, I built a slide hammer from scraps laying around the shop;

http://i107.photobucket.com/albums/m314/Restrorob/100_6137.jpg?t=1238635138

Any wide blunt object and a big hammer should knock the beads loose, Then use a couple larger screwdrivers to pop the outside of the tire off the rim. You can still check the tire for thorns and install a tube with only the outside of the tire off the rim.


Good Luck

so even tho i have tubless tires i can still put a tube in it?

so even tho i have tubless tires i can still put a tube in it?


Shooot yeah !!! No Problemo.....