I assume that this is one of the auto drive models- where you push on the pedal to make it go? The f&r lever is on the rear fender? (would be easier w/ a model #) About all you can do is to verify that the linkage isn't somehow obstructed, or a pivot bolt isn't binding. If these things check out on the outside- the problem is inside the transaxle. Are you up for disassembly? With any model, one has to be sure that the input belt to the transaxle isn't turning when you shift. Auto drives are the only ones you don't need to clutch.

Strange, since I also took the advice given in this thread and submitted an app on Wednesday. Yesterday, I received approval as follows: Hello, Welcome to the troybilttillerclub group at Yahoo! Groups, a free, easy-to-use email group service. Please take a moment to review this message. To learn more about the troybilttillerclub group, please visit xxxxxxxxx To start sending messages to members of this group, simply send email to xxxxxxxxx If you do not wish to belong to troybilttillerclub, you may unsubscribe by sending an email to xxxxxxxxxx To see and modify all of your groups, go to xxxxxxxxxxx Regards, Moderator, troybilttillerclub Don't know if it made any difference, but I am and have been a member of other Yahoo Groups as well. Must be a simple glitch in the system . . . Yahoo has strict anti-spam software which automatically bounces suspect emails.

Mowie: Thank you, wish I could buy you a beer. I think I'm just going to order all those parts and replace them, except for the differential (the way that gizmo works is confusing to me) I really can't tell how worn they are without a new part. I'm somewhat obsessed with this project because I think It's a conspiracy to make these machines disposable. I just can't see throwing this thing away. I'm a marine biologist, let me know if you have a question about fish...least I can do. Just kidding. Rusty: Can't engage blades in reverse or I would.

I have a Craftsman 917.255810 42" 19 HP Briggs & Stratton Fast Auto TurnTight® Riding Mower equipped with a General Transmissions RS800 CVT (constant variable transmission). It was purchased on Black Friday, Nov 24, 2017. I also purchased the correct Craftsman 9 bushel, 3-bin bagger to fit the mower. I used the mower to 'get up' leaves 3 times in the fall of 2017. I stored the mower in a shed, out of the weather, until this spring. I have used the mower 2 times to mow my lawn. Basically to knock down the onions and dandelions. There was little or no 'real' grass to mow yet. My front yard has a slope that I run side to side on. The CVT started sticking, becoming difficult to change from forward to reverse and back, in the fall. In the Spring it became an issue to the point I contacted Sears Service and they sent out a service technician. He was a contractor for Sears and had enough work with Sears that he didn't do anything else. One of the common problems with this CVT is debris jamming the exterior workings, ie. Variator Levers, Inversion/Variation Control lever (forward/reverse), Drive Variator (variable pulley), etc. The Sears Tech said that my CVT was one of the cleanest he'd ever seen (I attribute this to the few times I had a chance to used it & blowing it off with a leaf blower.) and was not a debris problem or issue. The short of it was that the CVT was failing. The Tech said that the GT CVTRS800 was one of the main issue on most of the calls he was dealing with. He said that Sears & Kubota had gone away from it and were mainly using a hydrostatic transmission again. He did say that John Deere was using it in their new 'consumer grade' mowers sold at big box stores like Lowes & Home Depot. My options were to continue to call Sears Service for 2 years while the mower was still under warranty, then purchase a yearly Service Contract for about 1/2 the cost of replacing a CVT, or try to sell the mower and purchase something else. The Tech did say that he had worked on one CVT RS800 equipped mower that didn't have these issues. It was used on a yard that was about an acre or less and as flat as a 'golf course putting green'. The Tech is coming back in a few days to replace the CVT at no cost to me. The Tech said that the CVT was originally designed to drive the blades and wheels of snow throwers/blowers and it did fine at that. GT tried to repurpose it for Lawn tractors to less than mixed results. I guess I'll ride this horse for two years and then try to sell it to someone with a pool table flat lawn. I'm also with toefungus wondering if there will be a Class Action Lawsuit as a result.