Can't Release Garden Tractor Transaxle For "Push" Mode

[viscous]

Garden tractor transaxle has a release lever to allow it to be pushed manually. Operated tractor, released lever, pushed to park, waited a few days, returned, tried to push, failed, jacked up rear end, realized wheels only turn in opposite direction. What could have happened while it was sitting?

Will start and operate without pushing first, hoping everything returns to normal after operation. What's going on?

 

[AandPDan]

The wheels turning in opposite directions is due to the differential, normal.

Check the cable that the lever attaches to. It may have slipped.

 

[viscous]

The wheels turning in opposite directions is due to the differential, normal.

Check the cable that the lever attaches to. It may have slipped.

Thanks. Yes, I understand the differential characteristics, but I don't understand why releasing the lever doesn't allow the wheels to be turned in the same direction (i.e. to allow manual pushing). The lever is directly linked to a switch on the transaxle, and I can feel and see it engaging as it normally does. However, the result is not as expected. The only thing I did while it was parked was disconnect the battery, and I don't believe that plays a role here.

 

[viscous]

This is not resolved. The lever is fully engaging, but the wheels stop when unit is pushed. Oddly, can pull unit back slowly, but only when lever is in drive mode, not push mode. Hope to get this fixed, but how?

 

[RedSpider]

Very strange, my neighbor just bought a new Deere and gave me their old riding mower (needs a new carb) and I'm having the same issue, cant get it disengaged to be pushed around no matter what.

On my old Craftsman LT1000 when this happens usually after pulling the lever out I can rock it back and forth a few times and it disengages and rolls fine, but this one they gave me I cant get to disengage at all. I can manually rotate the pulley in gear and it moves fine, and when I jack it up I can rotate the tires easily, but I can absolutely not get it disengaged to roll when pushed.

 

[The_Eric]

Have you tried running it and seeing if some back and forth fixes it?

 

[viscous]

Have you tried running it and seeing if some back and forth fixes it?

Yes, have operated it, and the issue persists. Can push and pull unit with much resistance when the lever is in the normal position, but when I pull the lever for "push" mode, the transaxle seems to lock and the unit only moves a foot (or less) back and forth, seeming to hit a hard stop at either end.

 

[64bawagon]

The lever may have failed internally

 

[viscous]

The lever may have failed internally

Perhaps so. That would be a shame, as I frequently used the "push" function. Tried again today with same result. The aforementioned "hard stop" is caused by the wheels wanting to spin in opposite directions when pushed. This doesn't occur when the unit is pushed with the lever is in normal opperating position, but there is much resistance to pushing in this case (and perhaps it's harmful to do so? Anyone?). Hope to get this resolved.

Suggestions?

 

[viscous]

The lever still "feels" like before, when engaging and disengaging.

 

[viscous]

Happily, this problem resolved itself. Thanks to those who responded.