I believe you are talking about tie rods, which are horizontal and move the wheels left or right. If so, did you put them in the correct position? If not, it might be that a tie rod is coming in contact with part of the speed pedal assembly and if so, you should be able to see that happening from underneath.

might try poking around here for a model#.. Here is a link that might be useful: older sears riding mowers

Duplicate post. See this thread: Here is a link that might be useful: Blade

I only wanted you to take an objective look at your skill level and basic familiarity with mechanical things before you get into something way over your head. If you have managed to removed the shroud, clean the fins, and get the shroud back in place correctly.......we have a base to build on. You must understand that we know nothing about the skill level of a new member, except from what they tell us. Every now and then, someone joins up with the "idea" of DIY repairs to their tractor and it appears that the minimum knowledge, experience, and skills just aren't there. For these folks, it's best to make an attempt at "shocking" them to reality. Sometimes, "giving the benefit of a doubt" is exactly what IS NOT helpful to somebody looking for advice on how to maintain & repair machinery. Kinda like an experienced swimmer leading a non-swimmer into the deep water. Now that we have that behind us, let's cover some basics. Get a digital camera and take plenty of photos of your tractor from all angles, take close-ups, get behind the dash, under the seat, everywhere. These photos will be a life saver later when you need to know where/how something fits. Put these photos into your computer and keep them as long as you own this machine. Every time you do something new or different, take more pictures, make notes and sketches too. You have to build a data base to refer to. You can click the link below and find illustrations that cover your tractor and subsystems. Use the page number and the item # or part # to reference our attention to specific parts or components for the greatest accuracy of dialogue to the forum. In regard to the exhaust pipe "getting red hot". If the area where you are viewing this phenomenon is dimly lit, or if night has fallen, you may be observing a normal characteristic. Without knowing the conditions under which you are viewing, and without my being able to "see for myself" the intensity of the red heat, I can't say for sure if it is normal or not. If the red color is just a small red spot appearing in a bend or curve in the pipe as it comes from the cylinder head and routes to the muffler, you are probably seeing a normal condition. If the red color involves the entire pipe and carries into the muffler as well, you do have an abnormal condition and this must be diagnosed (along with the oil leak and the electrical short). So, if you want to get your feet wet, let's go! Just watch out for the deep waters. And you might have thought I was insulting you, but I just wanted to get your attention so you would be able to make an informed choice of which direction to take....DIY vs. Pro. Here is a link that might be useful: 917.275660 owners man