It sounds like one of the pinion gears is backwards. Do you hear clicks from both sides when you pull backwards with the transmission not engaged? The gears go on the axle with the open side facing the same direction. If one is reversed the wheel on the "wrong" side will lock in place and not spin when pulled backwards and you will hear clicks from that side when pushing it forward. Bk bk - the axle springs ca be ordered from www.greenpartsstore.com or through a John Deere dealer.

Land owners east of me and west one west has 5203 only mows 10 acres with it 509 mower does great job but when new fuel filter stopup about 10 hours on meter. One on east he got it feb. 07 5103 his filter stopup to about 20 hours on meter we changed it then fuel pump silnoid would not turn fuel on sometime at starting but retires and start. Took in for repairs fuel system had loader mounted I toldd that if engage ground needed water in rea tire he did not like water in rear tire because mess when flat but with new loader they put water in rear tires but still to lite in rear so we put my box bade on rear to help and it did have better traction. my best advice would be to get tractor and fuel filter at same time drain fuel tank a few times open the drain cock until just fuel coming out. have in sale to add water to rear tires. Now to spend the money for rear wheel weights if going to engage the ground box blade are scoop stop tractor and spin on top ground tamdeen harrow or turnning plow it want move. They are real nice tractor but lite in butt. In some farm magizines there good deal like 2 axle trailer mower box blade post hole digger in one package. I would take into fact 5103 burns less fuel other than that coin toss on power I can't tell which one has less power are more nice tractors.

Well, first cut has taken place. The mulch kit was dealer fitted but looks different from the photos above, as there is no block on the side discharge (should I check this out with the dealer?). Having only used a 16inch push gas mower, it's quite a big change to use a fancy smancy tractor. It took several passes before I figured out the blades weren't on! It's also shown up the big dips I have on my lawn and the two holes! I must fill those up and toss in some grass seed. The plug in hose thingy worked great. I'm just thinking about smoothing out some of those tight bends in the plastic border that separates the gravel from the grass. I will have to reset some portions. Can anyone tell me what I should be aiming at when setting the plastic border height? Are all plastic borders the same? Thanks.

Rusty is right. JD dumped many small dealers and now you have to drive for parts. They don't follow the successful Walmart program of many little profits making a huge profit. Bad move in my mind. As a part time job, I service, on average, one machine every day of the year. 90% are Sears, or MTD. I really have to do almost no repair on the bodies, mostly routine stuff on the engines. I always loved my Wheelhorse 312A, non-Toro, but when I bought a used JD316, I have to honestly say that JD has it all over my Wheelhorse. Neither one has nickeled and dimed me, but my Eaton hydro pump did fail on the Horse after about 1000 hours. That set me back $800 for the part.