Rebuilding a lawn tractor transaxle [Part 2 of 2]

[Aaron123456100]

i took mine apart to check gears but didnt replace anything, but it wont close all the way ? any suggestions

[MOONMAN1963]

Great Video Guys-Thanks!

[mayasdaddy1]

Thanks for making these videos. I am about to take mine apart and was a little uncomfortable not knowing what was inside. Now I can open it with more confidence. And thank you for the tip about the ball and spring. I would have gone berserk trying to figure out how to get that back in!

[juggaloscrub1997]

Nice video. I would ass u me you would normally check bearings and bushings for wear that would cause the ring and pinion from engaging properly. I think you answered my question as to what is causing a surging in my drive that is more noticeable in higher gears. I'll get it apart in the next few weeks and see. Thanks for the info.

[MultiProskills]

3:42 FAIL lol

[jamyers2000]

Have a JD STX38 (yellow) with a peerless 920 (I think) that stopped moving on me last weekend after two somewhat loud scraping sounds. I rolled it nearer to my garage and let it cool off. Then I went back out and it moved on it's own, but obviously something is wrong. Any ideas? I had time today to pull the transaxle out from under the tractor, but did not attempt to crack the case yet.

Where do I source the Bentonite Grease? Is that all that goes back in or oil too?

[MegaCraftsmen]

and do u know how i could make it louder and faster

[MegaCraftsmen]

i have an 1987 craftsmen lawn tractor (5 speed).ive been working on it for a while now and im getting ready to see if it starts but i have a few concerns.i took th edeck out so i could use it for more work that requires more power and it worked great for a while but i think water has got in my gas tank and if u could do a video on it or tell me the best way to fix it i wud appreciate it.thank you

[kpayne3295]

how can i put oil in the same one like you got

\

[MZEng100]

Any idea how you would put a smaller pulley on one of these?

[noxagol]

@MZEng100 Pull the current one off and put a new one on that fits the shaft.

[germxxxxx]

well man im 16 and go to east high my weed eater tractor with the same transmission i did wheelies and it worked fin but i was going down a hill in neutral and mine would not stop so i slammed it in to gear and it freaken broke the cover or the transmission but the gears are fine where can i get a new cover it is a 1998 model help me if you can

[zjbeast]

@germxxxxx sorry cant fix stupid..

[fogt1430]

It looked like it could have used some more grease

[ringbolt9]

love the repair vids!

[Tubeglowfun]

Did you have to replace the part with the gear selector detents to get 6 speeds out of it?

[altittude]

should have cleaned it out same shits gonna happen from those metal chips from the gear in there

[petersmellslikeshit]

i did the same thing the drive gear was stripped so i took apart anotherone aprt but the other one had a smaller gear so i put that one in and a bigger gear to catcht it with and welded the spider gears posi or locked rearend and it works really good and the rearend didnt work for like 10 years and when i took it apart there was water all trought it and i took every geard off and cleaned them up and it works realy good in my racing lawn mower hant screwed up yet

[axsulli]

Is there a neutral position selecter on this typr tranmission, so I can push the tractor when the shift lever is in neutral?

[th19940305]

nice video series here where do you get all these tractors? i just sold a used tranny out of a MTD for $100 on ebay today

[trickster94]

great vid but if one of my guys put a trans back together that dirty and i found out, it would result in instant loss of job.

[trucklover9]

I've recently run into a problem with my wizard lawn tractor again. The drive belt on my tractor had to be replaced and so i bought a new one. My tractor is slow as hell now and I can't figure out why. It doesnt feel like its engaging in fourth gear anymore. What should i do?

[hotrod1345]

Why do Yall look so scared to get your hands dirty.

[ChuCk230e]

Can you please show a vid of rebuilding a tuff torq i need help

[stitrohccs]

what lube did you use? it looks like lack of lube took out the ring gear .gear boxes should have gear oil instead of grease

[bulldog0046]

I am having a problem with mine sticking in second gear. I need to shut the engine off to rock it back and forth to get it out of gear. This only happens in second, I have not pulled it apart but it is on my list. Have you heard of this? Is it worth fixing. I have another trans to put in but it is only a five speed. The mower belongs to my father and he loves mowing in second gear and only second gear. So any other gear is out of the question.

[0clutch0]

does it matter what gear its in when u drop the ball and spring in.

[fordpower71]

I have a 2005 Murray rider with a Spicer transaxle. The transaxle started to develope a grinding sound so i drilled the case installed a grease fitting a pumped a tube of grease in it.The transaxle shifts easyer but still grindes in all gears including neutral with the clutch disinguaged.Where can i get a rebuild kit for this? Does anyone Know.

[fuccillo111]

got a long enough extension? 1/4" to boot...lol

[fuccillo111]

u guys dont grease shit on reassembly!

[jlubez]

ha you think its ok to do 30mph with this tranny?

[CSAKvids]

If you put heavy wight gear oil it should last a decent time, but do NOT leave the stock grease in there.

[ryanhare92]

I have a 6 speed transaxle with high/low. I took mine apart and it was working fine before, I just wanted to add some grease on the inside. I put some more grease in it and put everything back together. The problem im having is that my wheels are not turning as freely as they were before. I can barely push the lawmower forward because the wheels are nearly locked up. It has loosened up a little but it is still harder to push then it was before. What sounds like the problem?

[LynolsOffice]

@ryanhare92 What did you put in your trans? Most 6 speed hi/lo's take a lightweight oil (I think it was 30 weight) rather than grease as the LT style transaxles do.

[roadrunnersrock57]

@ryanhare92  i'm having the same problem with mine

[TheRealShadowspawn]

Good video, lots of people don't have time to hang at a shop to watch this stuff. I always made sure EVERYTHING was as clean as a whistle tho... so you can spot leaks or cracks. Treated it like a surgeon. Would never leave a part that dirty in or out! The cause of the problem can still be in the grease left over inside... think grinding compound.

I'd paint friend's rebuilt parts hot pink enamel as a joke, but they'd notice a leak faster cause they always look at it then (while cursing me).

[LynolsOffice]

@TheRealShadowspawn Yeah, this trans just went on a piece of junk so I didn't care (I had no grease on hand) but the ones I do for other people I clean the whole thing out and put in fresh Bentonite grease.

[lilbernie09]

thank you very much.

[lilbernie09]

at 1:40 what did u switch? and with what? does it help for what?

[LynolsOffice]

@lilbernie09 I replaced the input shaft gear. It's the part I mentioned that looked like it also had worn teeth.

[mayasdaddy1]

@LynolsOffice Problem was that you mentioned what was wrong with it in part 1, and replaced it in part 2. lol

[GSRGOPEDRIDER247]

can you take a regular tractor and swap the gears and just cruise around like that? i heard you have to put oil in the tranny to keep it from locking up

[LynolsOffice]

It depends on what type of trans you have. Some require oil and some require grease. This one just needs to be half filled with Bentonite grease.

[dnl5649]

that was easier than i thought!

i thought it was like a car where there is like 600 different parts!

i want to put that big pulley on the motor and a real small pully on the tranny. and make the thing go from a slow 7 to about 35-40

my neighbor has a tractor with a v2 dual over head valves, with this done and that thing will always do a wheelie in 2 nd gear no matter how slow you let off the clutch.

i wonder whats happening inside the tranny when he does that

[jacquestrap1]

i suggest drilling a hole in between the bearings on the input shaft and installing a grease zerk, thats the weak link especially your racing

[megalord299]

what kind of grease did you put in there and how much?

[LynolsOffice]

I actually re-used the grease that was in there since this rebuild was just for me and I was being impatient. But normally I use Bentonite grease, and I refer to my Peerless shop manual for the amount to put it.

[dlt205]

I have a 18.5hp sears lawn tractor model 407777 6speed transaxle that I want to use as a garden tractor to pull implements . Is it possible to switch out the current transaxle to a heavy-duty transaxle without much change? Is it just a drop in replacement?

[LynolsOffice]

All the other transaxles that would bolt right in are probably not going to be much stronger than the one you've got in there. You could put in a garden tractor trans, but that would require more modification than it's worth.

[GuitarNewby]

Torque:

Case to cover is 90-100 IN-LBS

Brake disc is 85-110 IN-LBS

[marshmeller321]

im building a raceing lawnmower and i was wandering how to make both of the wheels turn all of the time

[awesome12u]

I saw you Pull & Replace the Main Drive line gear, looks like you forgot to put a new set of needle bearings inside the top of the housing, this is the leading cause of the main line gear going bad. causing the gear to have to much play will allow the gear to slip & strip.

[LynolsOffice]

Yeah, I didn't have any needle bearings to put in. Makes sense about them causing it to wear.

[canadaeast]

I have grease that drips out of the brake side of the transaxel thus i never have brakes due to the grease. Is there a bushing or a seal on the axel that I can replace ?

[LynolsOffice]

Some of them have bushings, some don't. You'll probably have to open it up and see what happened.

[sdylke]

i have a john deer 160 16hp lawn mower i drove the shit out of it when i was little and put the tractor through hell i never use the clutch and 3rd 4th and 5th and reverse no longer work any idea on how to fix it im probably just gonna put a new trans axle on it but if it's fixable i might do that instead

[LynolsOffice]

You will have to open it up, and see. You might be able to just change your shift keys and that might fix it, but look at the teeth on the gears, they may be worn out too.

[canadaeast]

Thanks for your prompt reply. Your site is terrific.

[ardveen1]

Hi, Great Video, I replaced my broken transaxle on my ride-on lawnmower, front engine with rear drive, axle number missing, the peerless i bought on ebay MST 205 535C was identical, fitted like a glove but when i went to start it I found i have 5 reverse gears and 1 forward, i checked on the net and it seems that some are for rear engine machines, presumably this is what i have, is there any fix that you know to reverse the transaxle without major surgery to the Countax Lawnmower, Thanks

[LynolsOffice]

Uh oh, thats not good! I'm not really sure what you can do about it. I'll have to keep an eye out for that myslef in the future when I buy used trannys.

[BlakeMason2]

You make it look so easy... HEHHEHE Nice vid. 5*

[PedroProductions2]

My ford tractor's brakes do not work. I had no idea what to do because I never experienced anything like this so I asked my father for help. We found out that oil from the transaxle leaked on the brakes. He told me I needed a new seal. is the seal the stuff you were spreading around the outside edges of the transaxle?

Thanks

[LynolsOffice]

Yup. There's not supposed to be any kind of rubber or paper gasket, just that RTV stuff.

[chada75]

Try splittiing the transaxle and sand the surface where the Transaxle seals to an even, clean finished and then add RTV sealant as inthe video. Look for any rotted or broken seals while the transaxles' open.

[39cummins]

Awesome videos. Very helpful!

[pjwithbread8]

the last thing you changed at the beginning of this video umm wouldn't you like have to mod the tractor handle? to go to 6th gear? (new to stuff like this) or i guess you put it in a chassis for 6 speed idk.

[LynolsOffice]

I figured I might have to cut it out, but all I had was this 6-speed gear set, so it was that or nothing. But when I put it all together I was surprised to learn the frame HAD room to go to 6th without any mods. The shift bezel appears to have been designed to fit 5 or 6. I have a friend who did the same with his Craftsman when his 5-speed died and he put in a used 6 speed, and his tractor was the same way, goes to 6th without a problem!

[pjwithbread8]

wow sweet. and in your first video you mentioned about how the gears were wasted by probably wheelies, would it make a difference if it was a racing lawn tractor? or would it still hurt the transmission? and if so if there some kind of transmission that can support it?

[pjwithbread8]

this one i mean sorry just noticed lol

[LynolsOffice]

These transaxles do well for racing as long as it's just speed and not wheelies, lol! Most racers use gear oil inside rather than the stock Bentonite grease, that's supposed to help lubricate it a lot better at higher speeds.

[pjwithbread8]

kool thank you

[tracyandsherrri]

Hi, do you *have* to remove the grease before you add the gear oil? I was thinking about just drilling/tapping a hole in the case, and then adding the gear oil. Thanks for the videos, they are VERY helpful.

[LynolsOffice]

Yeah. If you're going to go the gear oil route, you need to remove all the grease in there. I don't think mixing old grease and new oil would be good. Oh, and there should be a hole in the top with a cap on it you can use to fill it up once you have it cleaned out and put back together. (usually a red, yellow or black cap by the shifter input)

[tracyandsherrri]

I was afraid you'd say that! (I'm lazy) :) What do you think about pressure washing the inside and spraying it down with silicone? Or should I just wipe it out with rags? Do you have any idea how much gear oil I'd need to add? I'm assuming I don't fill it all the way... maybe 1/2 or 2/3, sort of like a differential on a car? Thanks again for your help. -Tracy

[LynolsOffice]

I think 2/3rd's is probably good. I've never filled one up with oil, only used the grease and I forget how many ounces it's supposed to take of that stuff. I think the cleaner you can get it the better, so yeah try pressure washing it if you want.

[tracyandsherrri]

THANK YOU!! I made some real progress yesterday... I removed it, took it all apart, removed the (burnt smelling) grease, pressure washed it, and put it back together. Now I just have to fashion a dipstick to see how much gear oil to put in it. The yellow cap was right where you said it would be too, thanks for the help! -Tracy

[BasementBen]

Very good video, good job!

[bigkermeister]

thanks for your feedback on opening up the trans for my mangled axle. We cheated on a fix this time - we welded some beads on the axle to build the post back up, then welded the wheel right to the axle itself. It works! If I can make it thru the season, I'll pull the whole thing next fall and replace the axle altogether. For now, this fix was cheap!

[junkymustangs]

shouldnt of you packed it with greese

[LynolsOffice]

If i had fresh grease I would have done that. And when it comes to someone else's trans and not my own, I do put in fresh grease. I was just too impatient to wait until the next day the mower shops were open.

[rebel4055]

What was that sealant called again?

[LynolsOffice]

RTV silicone

[nardp96]

on a lawn tractor is only one back wheel powered or is both?

[LynolsOffice]

It's got a differential just like a car. Power goes to the wheel with the least traction.

[nardp96]

so when they both got traction both the wheels are powered

[LynolsOffice]

Yup. Pretty much.

[bigkermeister]

Great Video. Thank you.

If I want to replace the axle itself, do I need to remove the entire transaxle and open it up like you did here? The pin on the left axle of my sheared off and tore up the axle, so the mower won't move now as that side just spins. Any advice you can offer is appreciated!

[bigkermeister]

Parts 1 and 2 are really great. Thank you for posting. Do I need to take the transaxle off and open it up like you did in order to replace the axle? The little pin in the axle sheared off and tore up the left axle. Now the tractor won't go. Is it possible to replace the axle without removing the trans?

[LynolsOffice]

I think you're going to have to open up the trans. The axle is two pieces held in with clips.

[kruisertn]

Do you have a video on how to put it back in the lawn tractor for us that seem to have trouble rememering

[LynolsOffice]

Not specifically, but if you watch my "Replacing a 6-speed transaxle with a Hydrostatic in a Craftsman tractor" video, you can see us take out and put in a hydro and a 6-speed, and since they both go in and out pretty much the same, you should be able to figure it out.

[KIETHHARDEN]

I have a Craftsman 18hp with similar tranny (930-057a Peerless). What is a good substitue for Bentonite and how to apply?? Great post. Inspiring me to give it a try ; shifter wont move.

[LynolsOffice]

Some people say they've used a heavy gear oil with success. I prefer Bentonite grease though, it's application engineered for this specific job, and it's available at most mower shops. Sounds like your fork and rod are seized up (that's the plate and shaft that moves in the trans when you move the shifter stick.) probably has rust on it, you can fix it!

[KIETHHARDEN]

Thanks for the reply. I have a 1yr Toro tractor for mowing, so this old Craftsman (was in back yard when I bought the house) would be for fun/projects.Took rusted deck off long ago. Any posts/links about interesting projects ?? Thanks again!!

[kruisertn]

Do you have a video that shows how to put it back in the mower be nice for us not so smart guys lol

[neutrodyne]

Nice video, Wouldn't it be a good idea to clean out the old grease and put fresh grease in it since the old grease no doubt has metal fillings in it from the old worn gears? Thanks.

[LynolsOffice]

Yes putting new grease in would be a good idea. And I would recommend that to anyone who wants to repair theirs. The mower shops that sell Bentonite grease were all closed (it was Sunday) and I was too impatient to wait 'till Monday, so since it was for myself and going into a junky tractor, I just reused it.

[TRACTORMAN4444]

how the heck do you get nylon tires off the the actual rim of the wheel? CAN LYNOLS OFFICE PLEASE REPLY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[LynolsOffice]

It's not easy. And getting them back on is a lot harder. A trick I use is to put dish soap around the tire bead/rim edge. That helps a lot. Then I just use a few big screwdrivers and gently pry it off the rim taking care not to damage the rim.

[geoff390]

Great video. glad i found your channel.

[DionysiosA76]

great videos guys!!! i learned a lot!

[DEFiANCE665]

if you kept the front pulley the same, and dropped the rear size down from about 9 inch to about 4-5 about how many inches would the belt size drop? i have a belt for my craftsman that i want to use for around the yard, but its too small, so i was just thinking about changing the pulley, it would go faster and i would be able to use a belt i already have... what do you think? stock speed is about 7mph, how fast would it go with the 4 inch rear pulley? please reply, thanks.

[DEFiANCE665]

Also, the belt i have is only about 4-6 inches too short, do you think it would work? thanks for you reply.

[hotwheelsme]

thanks dude now i can fix mine its stuck in 1st

[MoparSeb]

Thank you man, this video really help me for mine!

[99minerkc]

Impressive for 2 self taught guys! Thanks for another sweeeet video, keep them coming!

[cobra02411]

This was painful to watch... How can you have it apart that far and NOT clean it?

Also, a screw driver is not a chisel or prybar and an extension is not a drift punch...

Also did you switch the shift lever to the 6 speed one?

[LynolsOffice]

This really wasn't a big deal to open it up, 10 mins to get it off the tractor, and about 5 to get inside; the grease was fine so we left it in. And when the tools are covered under warranty and you don't have the correct tools they can become anything I want. Also, the shift levers were exactly the same so we didn't need to switch them. This isn't intended as a how to or step-by-step. Just wanted to show how to get inside and what makes it tick.

[cobra02411]

Sorry, between my grandfather and the military instructors who taught me to fix airplanes I cringe just thinking about putting something back dirty and / or using the wrong tools...

[LynolsOffice]

Well if I did this more than once in a blue moon, I would buy the right tools. Those tools did get the job done in a pinch, but obviously using the wrong tools would ruin them if done so with regularity. Also if this was my car or something (or even a tractor that wasn't a rusty POS) I would never re-use old grease or put anything back without cleaning it. Remember, I'm not a professional, I'm just a self-taught guy with a yard full of old tractors and a cheap set of tools.

[tractorboy8420]

yah i did the same thing with my craftsman lt 4000 from i think 95 i anit clear exactly but it was the same work exept it was already a 6 speed so i replaced the 6 speed with a 6 speed it worked rely whell and i have had no problems yet knock on wood. thanks for your time tractorboy8420

[ziegelbauer]

and i did wheelies lol but i drove it into the parking so ??? who knows

[ziegelbauer]

i have the same tanny in my sears noma 14.5 hp i drove it into parking for about amonth and changed afuel line and then it wouldnt move in gear wat could be wrogn thanks -lucas

[LynolsOffice]

Your brake might be stuck on if the parking brake was applied during the time it sat.

[ziegelbauer]

kay il try it out but its snowing up here in the shit hole canada lol illl reply back if it works thanks

[LynolsOffice]

Snowing!? wow, I hope it's not snowing too much.

[ziegelbauer]

yea i think like 2 feet :( the end of my tractor season but i have abig shop at my school to work on my tractor its a 72 and i have no idea wat it is lol

[ziegelbauer]

yup alot but i can push the tractor so i dont know if thats it and i filled the oil in it

so who knows ?

[FARMALL6]

Well, it wont go into 2nd ,3rd gears and the brake lever on the right side is stuck .

[FARMALL6]

well , its a sears Lt 10hp , 36 inch deck 4speed trans

[LynolsOffice]

Oh an old LT10/36 eh? Whats wrong with the transaxle?

[FARMALL6]

How can I rebuild the rearend on my sears LT?

[LynolsOffice]

Sears LT? that covers about a million models, what is your specific model (LT10, LT4000, etc.) and how many speed trans does it have?

[mitteey]

how do you put fluid in the transmission??

[LynolsOffice]

There's a plug on the top by the shifter, it's usually red or yellow.

[baldwin53520]

k this is awsome cuz the mower i got thats like the same transaxle and im gunna have to take mine apart probly so thank you

[mowerspeedracer]

WOW, Super Job! Great explanation!

[paulbreor]

yeah when you change the pullys on these you can really hear how hard they have to overwork

[99minerkc]

First, great video! So, did it work well once you mounted it to the Tractor? Also, what's the difference in a lawn tractor tranny vs a Garden tractor of the same make? Is it only the gear ratios or is it a heaver/stronger gears too?

[LynolsOffice]

Take a look at my other video "Weed Eater lawn tractor- 1st drive after transaxle rebuild" that's the first drive after installing this trans. The difference is in a real garden tractor you sometimes have a high/low range and they almost always have hubs that the wheels bolt onto (sorta like a car) rather than the keyed shaft that the wheel slides onto like this one.

[dangeroustoys56]

Cool DIY video- did y put any gear oil in it?

Another thing y might mention is when using steel bolts in aluminum- they dont like each other- ive had soooo many steel bolts sieze in cases ( the brake caliper bolts)- just a dab will keep em from seizing.

[LynolsOffice]

I din't put any oil it, next time I do this on a tractor that is worth a darn, I'm going to clean out the case and use the Bentonite grease Tecumseh recomends. Oh and I've had the ones with the bolts snapping off on the brake caliper, sure makes fixing brake calipers a lot of fun when you have to add drilling out and retapping holes.

[dangeroustoys56]

LOL! The ones i broke off in the case i never replaced- either just used one bolt or left em off.

Forgot to mention those steel pins in the aluminum 'calipers' as well- nearly every one of mine seized in the there. I just took a hammer and pounded em out, sanded em off, never seized em and stuck it back together.

[themaritimeman]

That looks EXACTLY like the tranny on the now deceased cube tractor my father used to have. It's still sitting on the workbench - he hasn't touched it in 10 years!

[1G0TP1NK8C1DB00TS0N9]

Good video, I enjoyed watching it.

[tayb0987]

wow thankyou very much. very good job. i learnt alot. im going to open one up tomorow. because im missing 3 gear and every other gear isint chifting properly. thanks alot.

[mowerwizerd]

why knot swap the hole axle

[LynolsOffice]

The parts were from a 6-speed with teeth busted off the ring gear, and output gear. We were able to salvage that spur gear assembly and that was about it!

[gardentractor]

do you think a hydrostatic transmission has the same type of gears as the manual tranny? and is the hydro more durable,and will it wear out faster then the manual tranny?

[LynolsOffice]

Hydros are quite different inside, so far I've never had one break on me, and I've had/seen lots of broken manuals, so right now I'm thinking the hydros are better.

[gardentractor]

thank you for this useful information. i favor the hydros more because they are easier to adjust the speed of the tractor.

[chevykid94]

Thanks for the vid....it helps a lot.

[CSAKvids]

that was supposed to read... why, does doing wheelies wreck your gearbox pretty quick ?

[CSAKvids]

why does doing wheelies wreck the gearbox quickly?

[LynolsOffice]

Yeah. Years ago I wrecked one after doing about 5 wheelies.

[CSAKvids]

i guess it delends on the axle. ive wheelied mine like... well alot, and ive never had a problem, but ill bare that in mind with the new (free) mower

[Ajaces]

Very Good video, I learned from it. Thanks for making it.

[suchfunstuff]

This vid helped me to decide weather or not to use one of these gearboxes on my kart project. I don't think it would hold up at 40-50 miles an hour, especially that reverse chain.

[LynolsOffice]

They don't hold up well at 6mph either.

[gasman7777]

cool, i've always wanted to see inside a lawn tractor tranny. never actually had to take one apart.