Yardman Riding Mower

[Carl]

I have an old (year ??) Yardman 11 hp 36" cut riding mower. Had been setting in the back yard since about 2000. Decided to get it running.

First it needed a new battery. So ordered one. Took the carburator apart and found that it was clean. Blew out all the passages I could find with a pressure can of carburator cleaner. Cleaned the air filter.

Bought the battery and hooked it up. Wouldn't crank. Checked all the safety switches, seemed to be making contact when they should. Finally it cranked when I turned the key to start. Put gas in it and it started right up! Adjusted the jets for the carburator.

Cleaned the deck up and found that since it had been setting outside that all the bearings, and idlers are going to have to be replaced soon. This mower uses a cable to lift the front of the deck. The cable is attached to the rear wheels on the deck. So when the rear wheels are moved up or down the front of the deck also moves. Had to make that cable.

Now I find that when I have the deck in the highest position that the belt wants to come off of the idler pulley, and then the blades stop turning. I don't know if I have the correct belts on the mower even. I cannot find any tag on the machine that gives a model number.

Is anyone familiar enough with Yardman machines that could ask me the correct questions so that I can get the right belts, and other parts.

[Jim_WV]

Carl, I had a 94 Yardman 18HP, but it did'nt have the cable set up like you described. I remember johndeere, who is a member here, mentioning at GW that his parents or in-laws have a Yardman, maybe he might know :).


Good Luck,
Jim

[Carl]

I suppose that I could get the numbers off of the engine and get a ball park of when it was made. I think that it is probably early to late 80s.

I played with it today and found that the tensioner idler for the deck belt drive was not lined up well. I thought at first that it was mounted that way so that it would be half way between the up and down position of the deck height. But the idler was always high. So took it off and found the mounting bracket bent up somewhat. Now the idler seems to keep the belt in alignment. Stopped chewing up the new belt that I bought for it, and the blades run like they are supposed to. Sharpened the blades, now it cuts fairly well. I will still have to replace the bearings sometime this summer.

[Tvern13]

Look under the seat there may be a tag with a model number and serial number. If you find these go to MTD's website and download the manual.