Have you changed the driven disc(rubber),yet? that usually fixes that problem.

 

I am ordering the part today. I will update the thread when I make the repair, and hopefully report this was the problem..

tomw0, thanks for your suggestion. I will check the ramp as well.

rscurtis, is the aluminum drive disc the same thing as the rubber drive disc?

Also, a question on replacement parts. I have seen a number of aftermarket parts, but don't know if any is worth buying vs. the Snapper OEM parts.

I purchased a Snapper belt, and it was stamped "made in China" right on the belt, so I am not sure if it matters or not what brand I purchase.

I am usually partial to OEM parts, just because of fitment, but if there is a brand anyone has used and would recommend, I'd love to hear your thoughts and experiences.

Thanks!

 

I'd look at the driven disk and also the ramp that the back end of the chain case rides in. The ramp is 'veed' such that in neutral, the chain case is allowed to move away from the drive disk on the PTO end of the crankshaft. As you put the mechanism in R or any F gear, the ramp will push the driven disk against the drive disk. If the roller on the end is worn out, i.e., has a big groove, or the ramp itself is worn, you can also get slippage.
I'd bet on the disk, but I'd also inspect the roller and ramp. [clean and lube the roller for easier sliding and less ramp wear]
tom

 

The aluminum drive disc is adjustable on the crankshaft, and there is a specified measurement from the bottom of the engine. If it's too close to the engine, the drive system will slip.

 

Missed the edit window...

Also, do I need a drive disc gasket? (SNAPPER 7014523) as well as the rubber drive disc?

I plan on buying SNAPPER part 7053103, which is the rubber drive disc with lining installed.

The two aftermarket brands I've seen are Stens and Rotary, which are both less than the SNAPPER brand, but not if they turn out to be a bad fit or lower quality.

Also, I tried to insert a link to the parts page instead of just listing the part numbers, but my browser crashed every time I tried, so I had to do it this way. Sorry about that. I'm on a mobile device, and the settings must not be the same as my laptop.

 

No. The aluminum DD is just below the belt pulley, on the engine crankshaft.

 

The drive face of the metal drive disc on the engine crankshaft should be about 3-3/4" from the underside of the mower frame. IF the rubber tired driven wheel is worn out, it should be apparent. There are a number of things which could be causing you problem including no slack in the clutch cable. Some of these had a stop on the slid attached to the shifter cradle, it may not be allowing the cradle to move far enough after tire has worn. Tension spring may need adjusting. The fiber disc sandwiched with the rubber tired driven wheel is simply a spacer, no need to replace.

Walt Conner

Thank you both.

I will walk through the suggestions here in this thread and in the owner' manual before buying the part. It's only $20, and looks routine to replace, but I want to make sure I am fixing the correct thing.

Thanks for your help.

I will report back with my findings once I solve the problem (or hose it further).


By the way, is there any way to tell the year my snapper was manufactured? I bought it used at an auction, and it looked brand new (well, one season maybe, but that's it). Bought it about 5-6 years ago, but I have no idea what year it is or know how to check. There must be a simple way... Just need to know where to look.

 

The drive face of the metal drive disc on the engine crankshaft should be about 3-3/4" from the underside of the mower frame. IF the rubber tired driven wheel is worn out, it should be apparent. There are a number of things which could be causing you problem including no slack in the clutch cable. Some of these had a stop on the slid attached to the shifter cradle, it may not be allowing the cradle to move far enough after tire has worn. Tension spring may need adjusting. The fiber disc sandwiched with the rubber tired driven wheel is simply a spacer, no need to replace.

Walt Conner

 

Snapper man: Snapper wasn't much for model years,they used "series" ,find the "model number,something like "281223 BVE" that would mean,28 inch deck 12 HP series 23 B for Briggs engine,V for overhead valves,E for electric start. you can get a hint about the year it was assembled,(if a Briggs) by a date code on the engine,if it's only a few years old,it's probably,a series 23,they were made for several years,2003-2010,or maybe later. I use "Rotary" discs,and have found them to be as good as "factory".

 

Just an FYI. Snapper does not make the rubber disc, it is bought from another mfr. Sten's and Rotary are top notch suppliers and may very well be buying their parts from the same mfr. as Snapper. No need to worry about these two company's parts.

 

Thanks for this note.

I was unaware of the fact that Snapper did not make the disc (it doesn't surprise me), but I bought one that was supposedly "snapper" brand.

Anyway, the disc was the problem. Finally got the part late last week (I suspect the thing was mailed from China), and had the new disc on and the mower ran like new.

Thanks all for the help, everyone!

Once I looked at the old disc, I was confident that I had found the problem. It was worn pretty bad.

 

Read Snapper is calling the rubber driven disk a 3" radius. Obviously a 6" diameter from the outer rubber edges. Will measure mine tonight. I'm guessing it's 5.5" OD. Let me know what you find on yours Snapper man. Thank you sir.

slomo