mckishen1
03-06-2006, 02:40 AM
I just became the owner of a 1985 MTD 'Lawn Flite' 18hp hydrostatic, rear discharge tractor. It's been sitting for about 18 years or so, but doesn't look to have had all that much use, the paint and wear surfaces look real good. Other than one severely rotted font tire, and an engine oil leak, which looks like lower seal, and a dead battery, it looks like it might be worth reviving for a spare.
A few questions though:
How do I make this roll with the engine not running? When you push this, it rolls forward for a few feet, but then something catches and it stops, and it will not roll in reverse, it makes a chattering sound and the wheels try to counter rotate as they do when it stops going forward.
We used a floor jack to get it out of the former owners garage, but before I get too involved in this and spend money on it, I want to know if there may be a hydrostat problem, or is it just nature of the beast? There are two hydro controls, one for speed, and a HI/Lo lever, neither will move. I lifted the center plate and the linkage does not appear frozen, and the hydro unit is not all wet and greasy, in fact it all still looks pretty new, and the hydrostat tank is full to the line. What first got my attention is that this has no pedals, and the park brake is a lever on the left side of the dash tower. The sum of its controls is, Hydrostat Hi/Lo knob, brake release knob, (both on center console area), a throttle and choke, and a speed lever on the left, which I assume it for hydrostat control, along with the HI/Lo knob.
Does anyone out there have one of these? Should I be able to move the hydrostat controls with the engine not running?
I don't think it was parked needing anything, it's owner past away years ago, and his wife just sold the property, it's been sitting since about 1988 or so. The lady that had it couldn't find the key, and had bought a newer machine that I also have, but that by looking at it was the one that got the use. It's an '89 MTD but is a lot smaller.
Anyhow, I pretty much figure that the oil leak at the lower seal is simply from sitting, the rubber seal is laying down near the pulley, hard as stone, and all of the oil just about drained when we first tilted the tractor to load it on my trailer, the one tire was the only one that was exposed to sunlight and was sitting flat for many years, it's split along the edge that was sitting on the concrete. The battery is probably original, and the underside is still pretty clean with only a small amount of grass accumulated on the underside.
I looked at the linkage for the Hydrostat, and don't see anthing that looks like it's seized, so before I assume time has taken it's toll on something more serious, I'd better ask here. I can't imagine a shifter seizing up from sitting? All of the linkage moves enough that I can see that none of the external linkage is seized, but the shaft in the hydrostat will not turn at all? Maybe the shaft seized up top in a bushing? Or do these simply need to be running? The same goes for the speed lever, it won't budge either. But I can't see where that linkage leads to. The throttle, choke, and deck controls are all free, and I see no sign of corrosion anywhere. It was kept in a heated garage over the years, so I didn't expect corrosion to be an issue. Even the engine oil is still clean.
Any one here have any input before I spend the money for a battery, a new tire or a new pair of tires, and fix the oil leak? If the trans is suspect, I want to quit now and salvage the engine maybe for something better.
A few questions though:
How do I make this roll with the engine not running? When you push this, it rolls forward for a few feet, but then something catches and it stops, and it will not roll in reverse, it makes a chattering sound and the wheels try to counter rotate as they do when it stops going forward.
We used a floor jack to get it out of the former owners garage, but before I get too involved in this and spend money on it, I want to know if there may be a hydrostat problem, or is it just nature of the beast? There are two hydro controls, one for speed, and a HI/Lo lever, neither will move. I lifted the center plate and the linkage does not appear frozen, and the hydro unit is not all wet and greasy, in fact it all still looks pretty new, and the hydrostat tank is full to the line. What first got my attention is that this has no pedals, and the park brake is a lever on the left side of the dash tower. The sum of its controls is, Hydrostat Hi/Lo knob, brake release knob, (both on center console area), a throttle and choke, and a speed lever on the left, which I assume it for hydrostat control, along with the HI/Lo knob.
Does anyone out there have one of these? Should I be able to move the hydrostat controls with the engine not running?
I don't think it was parked needing anything, it's owner past away years ago, and his wife just sold the property, it's been sitting since about 1988 or so. The lady that had it couldn't find the key, and had bought a newer machine that I also have, but that by looking at it was the one that got the use. It's an '89 MTD but is a lot smaller.
Anyhow, I pretty much figure that the oil leak at the lower seal is simply from sitting, the rubber seal is laying down near the pulley, hard as stone, and all of the oil just about drained when we first tilted the tractor to load it on my trailer, the one tire was the only one that was exposed to sunlight and was sitting flat for many years, it's split along the edge that was sitting on the concrete. The battery is probably original, and the underside is still pretty clean with only a small amount of grass accumulated on the underside.
I looked at the linkage for the Hydrostat, and don't see anthing that looks like it's seized, so before I assume time has taken it's toll on something more serious, I'd better ask here. I can't imagine a shifter seizing up from sitting? All of the linkage moves enough that I can see that none of the external linkage is seized, but the shaft in the hydrostat will not turn at all? Maybe the shaft seized up top in a bushing? Or do these simply need to be running? The same goes for the speed lever, it won't budge either. But I can't see where that linkage leads to. The throttle, choke, and deck controls are all free, and I see no sign of corrosion anywhere. It was kept in a heated garage over the years, so I didn't expect corrosion to be an issue. Even the engine oil is still clean.
Any one here have any input before I spend the money for a battery, a new tire or a new pair of tires, and fix the oil leak? If the trans is suspect, I want to quit now and salvage the engine maybe for something better.