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.
Mower drive on Sears GT16 Varidrive
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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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.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.
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.
The mower deck looks very similar to my own as do the dozer blade mountings.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.
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.
Follow the link in my signature block to see some pix of my baby brother machine.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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