My riding mower has a gearshift problem. Well, maybe a brak problem. The two are linked in this model. it is a Yard Machines riding mower, but it’s way out of date. One of their “shift-on-the-go” mowers, but that’s doesn’t help much. Can’t figure out what model is actually is anymore.
OK, here’s the problem:
I started it up fine. Suddenly, it went into 7th gear, without me changing the gear station. The brake kicked back (the gearshift and brake are linked, and the higher gear you have, the more brake pay it gives you). I stopped it, and found that it seemed to be stuck in a higher gear even when the gearshift was set to park. The brake pedal was twisting slightly, which I would expect if whatever’s linking it under the hood was knocked loose or whatever, because it’s merely a an iron rod set into a hole. Likewise, the mower deck seemed to be off-key today, not wanting to reset properly. I think it might be running into a loose rod.
I jacked it up and tried to check around for anything odd. Nothing obvious. I have see the brake rod get twisted before, but it was easy to re-seat. Not this time.
After I stopped and checked, I couldn’t even start it. Since it wouldn’t engage park properly, I assume it’s somehow stuck in gear. But I’m not sure I can even reach the gear rod to reset it.
Ok, the key question is: has nyone encountered something similar? How the bloody hell do I get access to the gearshift rod? Short of removing the mower deck, maybe the two rear tires, and putting it on jacks on both ends, I’m not sure how I can get a good look. And I don’t have two jacks.
If anyone has encountered a similar problem… “Plaese Halp!”