Attn GT5000 owners: Cheesy Sears Engineering

16 years ago

This repair cost us over $150 to get a Sears guy out to repair. If you know the secret you can fix the problem yourself.

Model: Late 04 GT5000

Symptom: engine starts and runs fine with brake depressed, but immediately stalls out when brake is released. If you hold the brake down a little the engine will continue to run and you can drive it.

Apparent cause: Something with the brake safety.

Actual cause: The seat safety switch is not engaging. Note that with the brake depressed even if you get off the tractor the engine will run. BIG CLUE THERE.

WHY is the seat switch not engaging? The switch is located between a 2 part bracket and the weight on the seat should engage the switch.

Remove the nuts on the two bolts in the bracket and the bracket will come apart and the seat safety switch can be removed.

The cheesy part:

Wedged in between the switch and the top of part of the bracket is a 1 1/2 inch square block of wood, about 1/4 inch thick. That needs to be positioned directly aboive the seat safety switch. The piece of wood looks like an afterthought. ie we ordered these switches and they were too short to engage, What to do? Saw a 1 1/2 inch square block of wood off a pallet in the factory and just stick it between the top bracket and the engage switch on the safety. That should last at least until the warranty runs out. It did, and 6 months besides. In our case, the wood block slid out of position so the safety no longer engaged.

The trick is to position the wood block directly and use a good quality glue to glue the wood block to the top metal bracket. And remember the next time this happens the wood engaging block likely came loose again. No need to spend money on a Sears guy. But if you use a good quality glue the repair may last the life of the tractor.

The Sears guy was really nice and thought this was one of the cheesier pieces of engineering he had ever seen.To his credit, he knew in about 3 seconds what was wrong, and headed right for the seat switch.

Deere wouldnt do something like this: they would re-engineer the bracket so it is correct. Well maybe not. Well at least they would paint the wood block Deere green. This block isn't even painted at all.

Not sure if the engineering is different on later models but it could be different. This really looks like a "running fix."

The 25-hp Kohler late 04 runs fine and is smoke free.

David

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Comments (5)

rcmoser
16 years ago
I would just get rid of it or bypass the switch. IMO that's the price of saving wheather it a LT or on a car. The cheaper ones arn't cheap for no reason. Actually it's probably not sears but the manufacture that they contracted. Sears or Kmart head cheezes proabably Know nothing. I feel for the poor mechanic that has to fix crap like that. I guess with engineering like that there's a new meaning to bottom crawler.
User
16 years ago
David,

Since that seat switch is a safety device there must be a Gov't agency that would like to know the switch is failing and the cheesy mod the factory used to get these tractors in the crates and out to the stores. Perhaps the FTC Consumer Protection Division.

Perhaps a recall of 50,000 tractors would dim the K-Mart (Sears) blue light for a while.
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lakeguy43
16 years ago
davidld,
Holy smoke! My DSG 6500 doesn't have the piece of wood, at least not under the seat! I wonder what the recall notice would read: Please bring your tractor in so we can replace the block of wood?! I wonder if this was a "one of" rather than the rule? I am on several Craftsman/Sears garden tractor sites and this is a new one on me. Any other major problems with the tractor?
hobbyfarmer_2007
16 years ago
I have beem reading this forum for a year now, especially the craftman posts and just had to join. I own a GT 5000 and have used it for a year. Cheesy is a good word for craftman engineering. My 48" deck loads up faster than any deck I have ever used, not to mention how dang heavy the deck is to move out and clean! The bagger has such a narrow throat that even dry grass plugs it up. It has become a completely useless accessory that I never use, too much frustration. One of the most useless saftey features, is the reverse key position, you must have your key in that position to mow backwards. What's the point? And the steering linkage is so poor, my old "73" Murray tracked a straighter line. Is this craftman "bashing" Nope, this is a sad commentary on Corporate culture cheapening products, with branded names and increasing profit margins at the expense of consumers. Not all companies are following this line and that's why there is a quality spread in the market place. I'm responsible for being stupid and buying a sub-standard machine based on price, and that's the only reason these machines sell. This spring I will purchase a "quality lawn tractor". and I can't wait to dump the Crapman!!
steve2ski
16 years ago
davidd,
Parts Diagragm for 2004 GT5000 does not wood block must have been a total after thought.
http://www3.sears.com/imaging/ImagePageJava.shtml?productTypeID=1509200&brandID=0247&modelDesc=GARDEN%20TRACTOR&modelNumber=917276080&documentID=P0406171&documentTypeID=PLDM&documentClassCode=PM&titleType=ELECTRICAL&titleID=00001&;
You can't order a new block of wood or ID where it goes? What did the Sears guy say about that?
hobbyfarmer, You really got problems, sounds like you need to buy a old used LT/GT without any safety features and a deck that won't take a bagger - you can buy them cheaper and better, maybe a '73' murray. lol

Attn GT5000 owners: Cheesy Sears Engineering

Comments (5)

rcmoser

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