Craftsman V-twin riding mower 6 speed transmission not shifting diagnosis and overview (part 1)

Shift hub- Craftsman part 183900
Buy Hipa parts using this link:
shareasale.com/r.cfm?b=216154...
Use the code ELLISMOWERS to receive 10% off your order!
Follow me on Instagram and Facebook @ellismowers09!
This mower was part of a 2 for 1 trade deal I got in selling another Craftsman rider. The mower ran, and the transaxle was replaced 3 years ago with a new unit. The issue was it wouldn't shift properly. Turns out it was a bad shift link that was broken causing the shifter to slip.

[@themowerman]

Mate leave the lights on it lol looks bad ass. So it needs a bit of love. Your the man to do it. Hope all is well with you

[@EllisMowersandmore]

Mick the lights definitely stayed on! I thought the same. All is great, can't keep a mower 4 hours after listing it right now. Business is booming!

[@BrucesShop]

You are learning a ton.

[@EllisMowersandmore]

Yes Bruce learning a lot, trial and error!

[@jtassoni8765]

My guess is that it was shifted on the fly. Craftsman says mower should be stopped, then shift to whatever gear you want.

[@ImpossibleMowers1998]

You should keep the lights on. They look cool.😇😇

[@noahbearson1317]

Huh

[@vincentloretta8939]

I’m looking for the spring thats at the bottom of the shift lever

[@philliphall5198]

Those who do the work do the learning, Fact 😊😊😊😊

[@philliphall5198]

What is the part number I need to order one and don’t have a label on the mower that’s readable ???😊

[@bronzechicken4437]

I just picked up a LT1000 HYDRO that's been sitting since 08, still got nipples on the tires, originals too. Mower is good as new looking, think it is near new condition, still shiny, 2002 model. Definitely gonna debate holding it for a while

[@EllisMowersandmore]

Wow that is a good find!

[@jjmbreuss]

changed my vbelt / drive belt on craftsman rider model 917.272960. have always changed my own belts but this is first for this one. make story short it is on all pulleys as diagram in manuel shows but now will not move. pedal is not where it use to be and feels like belt to small... bet is ok, OEM belt, on all pullies correct. I did tried today to put in gear and it moved maybe 1inch and quit but i out in forward, it moved back... and vice versa. this is something simple i cant figure out, belt off , belt on.......... any ideas?

[@EllisMowersandmore]

If the belt is too small it may still be rubbing the brakes and binding it up if the pedal isn't coming all the way back up.

[@wayneshumate2860]

I have a craftsman 3000 that wont move on the ground raise it up take the wheel off trans moves like it should forward and reverse put wheel back on loure

[@thevfamily3539]

my shift when is off but when I turn it on it wont shift I adjust the clutch and nothing what's should i do now?

[@EllisMowersandmore]

Lube up the shift linkages going to the transaxle. Also make sure there is plenty of slack on the belt when you press the brake in. Also make sure your brakes work and are adjusted properly. Some of these are known to have hard shifting when running.

[@KeyserSoze5421]

Gear link rod that you point out at towards the end, what would cause that to fail? A friend of mines failed and it’s been replaced twice now and continues to fail. It always fails at the end that connects to the transmission. They’ve had it for 7 years and it’s only failed recently so not user error, they’ve driven it the same way for all these years, initially thought it was user error trying to shift without using the proper method.

[@EllisMowersandmore]

I have seen where the front transmission bolts will get loose or back out and that causes the whole transmission to rock and wear out that gear link. Other than that, putting too much stress on the gear shift might do it too but if it's shifting fine that shouldn't be it.

[@Mike-su8si]

They do sell a other shifter linkage setups but I'm wanting to keep mine original with that part he used and not go with the newer setup then I'm not really sure if the newer setup has that hub piece or not it probably does though I'm gonna have to look at my other mower with the newer setup to see what the difference is about that and this old hub part the newer linkage is adjustable

[@Jspence1]

Late comment but today I was mowing with my craftsman t1700 (only 3 years old) I lost reverse and then lost forward as well. Stuck in nuetral.....any guesses?

[@EllisMowersandmore]

Your Craftsman is made by MTD. Different setup. Sometimes the pins get stuck in the trans and the shifter won't engage it. Maybe try wiggling the shifter or rocking the mower back and forth in gear when it is off.

[@triplec3204]

could be drivebelt fell off, transaxle brackets broke, torqe bracket broke, debris underneath the frame by the pulley, low transaxle fluid

[@jimmyrigged1292]

Great video !!! I got a craftsman lt1000 that will not shift ...its stuck in 3rd I believe and it just wont budge ...do u think theres any way to free it up?? My gut tells me the transaxle is shot ...just thought I'd pick ur brain for a sec ...TIA for any thoughts ...

[@EllisMowersandmore]

Check your shift linkage underneath the tractor. It may be frozen up, you can unbolt it from the transmission and see if you can shift it with pliers etc. It's possible the shift forks got seized in the transmission.

[@MrNunna]

I have a Craftsman 42 in. rider with the 6 speed trans. Is there a grease/lubricant that has to be changed periodically or is it sealed for "life" ?

[@EllisMowersandmore]

You can change out the grease in it but they are designed to not really be broken into.

[@brianandrews7099]

Transmissions were filled with Bentonite (sort of a semi grease oil). It tends to turn into a grease when it ages or wears and gets slung away from the gears and stuck to the side of the case so the gears no longer get lubed. There is no drain plug in these transaxles. I remove the axle, remove the fill plug and flip them over and drain them, then I split the case (do it upside down and the upper portion of the case will hold all the gears and shafts in place so the gears stay put). The ones I have run across have Bentonite that is just starting to solidify at around 20 years old so all the “grease” is in the bottom half of the case. Like motor oil sludge settles to the bottom of an oil pan. I wipe out the lower case half and clean it diesel fuel. I also drill and tap the bottom of the case and install a drain plug while I am in there, then bolts the case halves back together and add 80/90 gear oil to replace the Bentonite. After that, the trans is serviceable.

[@Mike-su8si]

Mine are changeable and I wont use 80w90 gear oil again it's to thick and makes the mower slip The 20w50 zero turn synthetic hydrostatic transmission fluid oil works good in mine it also works good in the John deere Plus that thick shits no good in the winter time

[@LIMowersAndMore]

Micky mouse tractor haha, also those transaxles in the inside always rust up on the shifting shaft! If it’s oil filled then check your shift Keys.

[@EllisMowersandmore]

Thanks for the advice, I think as this was almost a new transaxle that somebody didn't put the shift hub back right and broke it. When I put that in during part 2 it shifts great! (spoiler alert haha)

[@LIMowersAndMore]

Ellis Mowers hahah lol awesome!

[@swimbo]

I have a mower that looks just like this but doesnt have the 6 gears. For some reason the brake lock lever wont stay up when engaged but it appears the brakes are locked and i cant get it to move.

[@EllisMowersandmore]

It is likely your caliper pins have frozen which will lock the transmission. You also may have a broken shift linkage.

[@swimbo]

@@EllisMowersandmore thank you very much, I will start tinkering tomorrow and see

[@user-lg9xo9op7d]

I have a question, you think the lt2000 transmission fits on lt1000?

[@EllisMowersandmore]

Yes it should as long as the model number under the seat starts with a 917.

[@philliphall5198]

It’s a fact the more utube you watch the smarter you get Simple learning skills

[@philliphall5198]

I sure need a seat from one of the craftsmen mowers 😊😊😊

[@wendellcharleston7340]

How to change the shaft on the drive axel?

[@EllisMowersandmore]

Never done it but I think you can just beat it out with a hammer with the tire on for leverage. Not sure though.

[@Mike-su8si]

@@EllisMowersandmore but if they beat it out its gonna break they're retainer ring inside the transaxle transmission then make a ton more work for them to do on the axle

[@ralphschimdt7350]

Your the shift leaver moved mine doesn’t move what do you think it is.

[@EllisMowersandmore]

You might have a linkage frozen up, or worst case the shift forks in the transmission are seized

[@wayneshumate2860]

I have a craftsman 3000 that wont move on the ground jack it up take the wheel off and works like it should what’s wrong with it

[@EllisMowersandmore]

Make sure you have the wheel keys on the wheels. Also check the belt. Or the trans may be weak enough that it will turn the wheels off the ground but not when the weight of the mower is on it.

[@Mike-su8si]

Might be one of your axles slipped out of place inside your transmission so the gears on the axle aren't lining up inside you might need new retainer rings put on the axle inside the transmission

[@philliphall5198]

VSP will rust up and not move, spray it and maybe, but remove it and polish or sand the rust off and lightly lube

[@chrisbarton8499]

where did you buy the part from?

[@EllisMowersandmore]

Either eBay or Sears Parts Direct.

[@Newellx66]

Have you ever have one be stuck in gear and not shift out? That's my current issue.

[@EllisMowersandmore]

Yes if you're lucky you might be able to adjust the brakes to get it to shift better, if not the shift forks inside the transmission may have failed.

[@philliphall5198]

Probably the brakes are dragging The pins are stuck , that is what I think it is, seen it several times before

[@kennethboudreau3479]

My dads LT1000 wheels will spin without the belt pully moving ..even in gear ..tranny junk or am i missing something?

[@EllisMowersandmore]

As long as you know it is in gear there is a disconnect between the shaft and wheels so it sounds like something has let go inside it. Sounds like you have all neutrals!

[@Mike-su8si]

So its called a shifter hub is what its needing mine goes forward when I hold the shifter in place that little part will fix the problem its having

[@EllisMowersandmore]

If it won't shift at all and the shifter moves without shifting gears it's likely the hub. You can check the linkages between the transmission and gear shift linkage as well as those will break too.

[@Mike-su8si]

@@EllisMowersandmore then it's the hub I have to hold the shifter in forward or it'll move to neutral

[@Mike-su8si]

Was it the shifter link or the shifter hub was bad you said.

[@EllisMowersandmore]

The shifter hub was cracked.

[@Mike-su8si]

@@EllisMowersandmore well then mine probably is to what site did you buy that part from

[@vincentloretta8939]

They are calling the spring on the bottom of the shift lever a brake return spring is part #532146682 is this right?

[@EllisMowersandmore]

That is for the brakes. It goes on the brake caliper to release the brakes when you release the pedal.

[@vincentloretta8939]

@@EllisMowersandmore Glad I didn’t buy that spring. What about the spring that’s on the bottom of the shift lever, called a dozen places , nobody seems to know

[@EllisMowersandmore]

@@vincentloretta8939 Best thing to do is look up the model number of your mower and find a parts manual. The diagram should show the spring you're looking for and the part number for it in the chart that goes with the diagram. That's the best I can tell you.

[@vincentloretta8939]

@@EllisMowersandmore hi, after endless search finally got an answer in case you ever need one the part # is 532165711. Thank you for all your help your videos are great!!!

[@Mike-su8si]

I don't know but I seen his spring was not hooked up and mine hasn't been for years but my problem is I have to hold the shifter forward or it ain't gonna go forward or reverse if I don't hold it in place

[@philliphall5198]

You really need a over head frame to lift them higher Floor jack only lifts 21 inches and that’s not near enough

[@eliallen-zy2nk]

Your videos are helpful buy you talk waaaaay toooo much about things that have nothing to do wit the problem. Just get to the point

[@jasonleedore1851]

You didnt teach me anything.

[@michaelmikolajczyk6641]

Spends more time filming around his garage and babbling than actually working. Video could be done in less than half the time.

[@gw9450]

You talk to much. Just get to it.