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Mower drive on Sears GT16 Varidrive

11960 Views 12 Replies 6 Participants Last post by  jhorwitz, 
edkedk
The engine on the GT16 Varidrive tractor is a horizontal with the drive pulleys coming out the side. I have all the transmission drive belts and pulleys connected so that it drives. I have the attachment pulley on the outside of the drive pulley on the engine shaft. I don't have the parts to connect this to a belly lawn mower. Does anyone have a picture of how this is done, or can you give me a number of the mower that would connect to this tractor?
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J
It would help if you provide the model number. It can often be found on the rear of the tractor, below the seat, probably on the hitch plate.
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GT_80
If it's a suburban style, it will have a "mule drive" like this that slides into the frame.

A Model number will help
Table Furniture Wheel
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edkedk
Tractor Info: Sears Craftsman GT16 Varidrive, Model #:917.257091, Serial#: 1280B02756, Engine Info: 1 cylinder, horizontal, 16hp. Tecumseh: Model # 143.680032.

What I was really looking for is the PTO engage mechanism. I have the parts shown in my manual installed on the tractor. There needs to be a tension/idler pulley moved by the engage foot pedal to engage the implement drive belt. That's the part I'm having trouble visualizing and a photo, diagram, or sketch may help me do that. I thought that if I had info on a mower that installs on this tractor it would show that part of the mechanism.




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GT_80
I don't have any manuals for that type tractor. That is a Murray Made Sears circa 1977. There are a few guys on here that have them.
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edkedk
The information I have is that it is a 1990 Roper. I do have the tractor manual. What I was hoping to find was a compatible mower manual that might show me the connection of the tractor PTO to the mower.
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J
edkedk said:
Tractor Info: Sears Craftsman GT16 Varidrive, Model #:917.257091, Serial#: 1280B02756, Engine Info: 1 cylinder, horizontal, 16hp. Tecumseh: Model # 143.680032.

What I was really looking for is the PTO engage mechanism. I have the parts shown in my manual installed on the tractor. There needs to be a tension/idler pulley moved by the engage foot pedal to engage the implement drive belt. That's the part I'm having trouble visualizing and a photo, diagram, or sketch may help me do that. I thought that if I had info on a mower that installs on this tractor it would show that part of the mechanism.
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It does look like you have a Suburban, based on a picture of one for sale I found. I think that would be older than my own 1982 GTV 11.

What's needed now is the model number for the mower deck. You should be able to find that somewhere on the mower itself (hopefully!). Given that, it might be possible to search for the deck model itself, either here, on Sears' parts website, or the Internet in general.

The "mule" drive, as it's commonly called here (but, in the manual for my mower deck, Sears calls it "Idler Box Assembly"), contains the clutching mechanism that allows engaging or disengaging the mower drive. This item likely came with the mower deck, not the tractor, and would be described in the deck manual.
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edkedk
Unfortunately I do not have a mower deck for this tractor. That's why I'm looking for someone who has one so that I can access the manual for that deck and see how it is connected. The date code on this tractor shows it to be a 1980 model. I made an error when I said it was a 1990.
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Court's 78
I bought my first tractor a (77 Sears 10/6) a couple of months ago with no mower deck. 2 weeks later I bought a parts tractor (GT 14 - same as yours) that came with a deck for $65. I had a little trouble figuring out how to route the belt to the tractor, but eventually got it. The mower deck Model No. is 917.253570. Let me know if you want me to take some pics that show the set up.
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Don E
I just drug one of those home today. The number on my deck is 917.253572. I havent even tried to put the deck on it yet, and I dont know what year it is but it is a gt 16. Its a completely different animal compared to the suburbans. Hope that helps some.

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J
Don E said:
I just drug one of those home today. The number on my deck is 917.253572. I havent even tried to put the deck on it yet, and I dont know what year it is but it is a gt 16. Its a completely different animal compared to the suburbans. Hope that helps some.
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The mower deck looks very similar to my own as do the dozer blade mountings.


As you can see (below), my deck model number is also very close to yours. However, my deck does not have a lever attached to it. It's lifted by a left-side lever on the tractor itself and clutched by a right-side lever and linkage to the idler in the "mule" drive mounted just under the front of the engine compartment.

The dozer blade lift mechanism couples to the same lift lever on the tractor, forcing removal of the deck to use the blade lift. The "azimuth" swivel is controlled by two push-pull rods on the right side: A latch-control rod actuated by one's foot and a swivel rod to rotate the blade when it's lifted off the ground by pushing it to the left or pulling it to the right.

I'd guess yours is similar and, in fact, the blades may be identical as one of my manuals shows the same blade on my vintage and an earlier vintage tractor with two different lift assemblies for the two machines.
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S
Hello everyone! I have same problem as edkedk has couple years ago.
I purchased GT 16 tractor while ago (p/n 917.257091) and recently purchased deck for it (p/n 917.253572). Can't find manuals for tractor either mower deck. Also looking for attachment/mower deck engagement mechanism/pulleys. Can someone take pictures of it and share? Will be very appreciated. Thanks. Al
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J
SPRINTER said:
Hello everyone! I have same problem as edkedk has couple years ago.
I purchased GT 16 tractor while ago (p/n 917.257091) and recently purchased deck for it (p/n 917.253572). Can't find manuals for tractor either mower deck. Also looking for attachment/mower deck engagement mechanism/pulleys. Can someone take pictures of it and share? Will be very appreciated. Thanks. Al
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Follow the link in my signature block to see some pix of my baby brother machine.
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