Reasons a Riding Lawn Mower Won't Go Forward or Reverse Riding lawn mowers provide a means for homeowners to efficiently and evenly cut large tracks of lawn without all the backbreaking labor. These machines have many similar components to automobiles, and as such can encounter similar problems that may impact performance and the ability to drive forward or in reverse. Regular maintenance of your riding mower is required to keep it running in top shape. Battery/Carburetor Problems A dead or failing battery may keep your riding mower from moving in any direction. A weak battery may have enough power to start the mower but not enough to drive it. As a result, a lawn mower may start successfully but shut down once power demand on the engine increases. In riding mowers that use carburetors, gasoline to air mixtures can become too lean or too rich if the component is damaged, resulting in stall outs and engine damage when attempting to drive the mower forward or reverse it. Clogged Fuel/Air Filters Air and fuel filters for riding mowers can become clogged and negatively impact performance. A blocked fuel filter can keep gasoline from flowing to your mower's engine in adequate supply, resulting in a lawn mower that isn't drivable. Damaged or clogged air filters also can prevent your lawn mower from going forward or in reverse simply because the engine will overheat quickly. Your mower's engine may become permanently damaged if these filters are not regularly changed. Transmission Failure Problems with your mower's transmission can lead to an inability to shift gears, which may prevent your riding mower from driving forward or in reverse. The mower could also become stuck in one gear due to transmission failure or damage. Leaks in the fluid reservoir or any transmission lines can also cause shifting problems. The problem can cascade to engine components, such as sticking valves and pistons, if not adequately repaired.

Thanks to both of you. I'm beginning to suspect my deck is different. There don't seem to be any handles on it at all. What the book tells you to do is: "Put a 15mm closed wrench or a socket on the idler sheave nut (A) and rotate clockwise to move idler sheave toward front of tractor and hold to release belt tension." I tried that, but it doesn't give nearly enough tension release. I'm begining to wonder... I bought the new belt from Alexander & Duncan in Leominster UK, and while I was at it I bought a second one as a spare. The second one has "John Deere" on its outside face, but the first doesn't, and it's the first one that I mounted. Both these belts came in an identical thin card sleeve, but they weren't coiled quite the same way. I'm wondering if someone "made a mistake" and put a non-original belt in a John Deere sleeve. But be that as it may, is it possible that your 48" deck and mine aren't the same? I bought the whole thing less than a year ago, so maybe they changed the pattern. Passthegravey: does your manual talk about slipping a wrench over the left-hand idler sheave nut?

Been a bit busy with the yard to respond before now. It's now due for another trimming with the Toro self-propelled I ended up with (a 2hr plus task last time that is bound to take a bit longer this time since I skipped one side yard and the front yard the first time round). As for the Craftsman...I've drained the fuel on it (the fuel had stabilizer in it but better safe than sorry) and will be taking the battery out to place it on a trickle charger until I can get it over to the one place that will service it since it doesn't look like they will be picking it up for me after all. Perhaps I was just plain unlucky but the problem I've been having was NOT due to lack of maintenance on my part. I've been very careful to do the recommended maintenance and have had no problems with the engine, etc. A defective safety switch is not a maintenance issue. I just wish the problem hadn't been intermittent for so long or I would have considered coughing up the $50 service charge when it was still under warranty. I was concerned that the problem wouldn't show up and I'd be out the $50 with nothing to show for it (okay and I -was- irked it cost that much when the lawnmower was still under warranty). With just one mower to base this problem on I can't say whether it's a common one or not...just that other people I've talked to seem to have had similar headaches with service and it's something well worth considering when purchasing a new lawnmower. I've also found standard air filters, etc. to be far more expensive than other brands so that's another thing to consider as well. Fortunately the most expensive part, the air filter which runs $25 at Sears, appears to be a standard Briggs and Stratton part that can be obtained elsewhere for less than half that (quite the discount, eh?). Now...to get back to that lawn. I don't suppose anyone has some sheep I can borrow for a bit...say the rest of the summer? Actually now that I think about it...anyone know if replacing a safety switch on one of these things is a DIY project? So far I've heard...it depends... From the way it's acting I've been told it may be the clutch safety. Perhaps I can work on it after fixing the trailer lights...or before since I then wouldn't need it so desperately... Just as an additional point...sometimes the inconvenience of having something like this out of service for so long can more than make up for a couple hundred dollar price difference. Now if one's talking about several hundred dollars...I'd go for the sheep myself...;-)

found the problem, running just fine now. Thank you gentlemen. Here's the story. Well, mownie wanted pix of the slices, so I grabbed the camera and headed out. I started to pull the wires to a visible point for the shoot. I also had some rubber insulation over an older splice from last yr when I replaced pto clutch. I decided to shoot pix of all the splice. I began to remove the rubber insulation from the original spice, going from the red wire to the connector (chasis side) for the pto. As I was cutting away the rubber insulation, I saw a single strand hard wire from my splice going into the neg side of the 2 wire connector. I have no idea how, when, or why this happened. Why has it been running fine for months, then all of sudden start causing a short? How did it get there? I would swear it was sabotage if I didn't know better. I guess it was a good idea to go back to the beginning and check the splices. I was convinced it was the switch and even put in a new one this morning, maybe I can get my $20 back on the switch. Anyway, thank you gentlemen, sorry for puzzle, but it ended up being a 2 min fix once I found the short. thanks again, much appreciation