Mower Starts but Won't Drive? Here's Your Problem!

[@ynotu2648]

Thank you. Just got my JD 100 today and I was stomped, Thanks.

[@JamesSmith-qq4jf]

I can’t believe I forgot to re-engage that little doohickey in the back! Thanks-you saved me from starting all over again!

[@MsSJBridgesTheReal]

Thank you so much. My husband brought a brand new S120 John Deere. Got mower started but, could not get it to accelerate. Your video saved him a lot of headache. Engaging transmission by pushing lever in at back of mower did the trick.

[@iikidzmomMine]

Thank you SO much! This old lady got her first JD, put together the special order steel cart that pulls behind it, and then it started but wouldn’t move. You fixed it for me. 😊👌🏻🤗

[@shanehanrahan502]

As soon as you mentioned the disengagement lever I had a flashback of pulling it out and pushing the mower back to the house - problem solved. Thanks!

[@WesternEquipment]

Glad I could help!

[@houkelienessek6895]

On the older one’s: the transmission belt is guided through 2 pulley’s in the middle to the front. One is plastic. This one got hot, got ripped and rips the belt slowly. Took pulley off, sanded it temporary until replacing belt and pulley.

[@anthonytzobanakis8170]

Just checked and forgot I pulled that medal piece to move it manually after my last mow. Thanks for the vid!

[@CdoGtheGreat]

Thanks this helped greatly. Drive belt fell off

[@DrLeroyGreen]

God Bless You for showing us the Transmission Disengage Lever!

[@JimThomasOutdoors]

Good vid... my JD S130 had slipped the drive belt off a pully slipped it back on and all pedals started working again.

[@jeniko2841]

Love you!!! That first step fixed my mower!

[@maaprrciuls]

Thanks for your easy to follow instructions! I was able to start my lawnmower with no problem after watching this video!!

[@nikolaandrich2980]

Thank you my friend for solving my problem

[@johncollins8304]

Thanks for your reply. Its an OLD machine, there is no dis/engage lever. Keys are fine. Thanks for your time and the ideas though!

[@rusted5408]

My pedals give resistance and the more I push the louder the thing is making noise. I already replaced the belt. The fan is spinning on the transmission but it won't go forward or back

[@tommiller525]

Good information, but Steve’s Small Engine had a fourth easy fix. If you’ve recently pulled a drive wheel you may have forgotten to replace the axle key. (3/16” square stock). The axles rotate independently. So that one is spinning, steeling all the power and the other one isn’t moving. $3 part. Thanks for all you do. Keep up the great videos.

[@ibrahimbadhaso3783]

Thanks you are the only one have a simple explanation even the cave man can do this following what you show thank you again

[@TempleScoop]

Thank you worked perfectly

[@vicedpowers1750]

My problem was a spring had shifted up out of the slot and was making the belt slack and wasn't engaging when I went forward or reverse, after sliding it into place the belt tightened up and the tractor worked again.

[@johns5127]

3 of the 4 motor mount bolts on mine were either sheered off or had come loose so there was too much slack on that drive belt and wouldn’t move. Not sure how common that is but I thought might help someone

[@morrismonk7152]

hi. great video. if i could suggest to add a simple problem for a john deere 125. i had a flat rear tire, had it repaired and re-installed the tire. Nothing else changed but now no forward or reverse. i learned from another video that the rear wheels have a pin in the axel and the wheel that needs to be installed otherwise the axel just spin in the wheel

[@donmehl556]

Had a flat on the right rear of my JD S130. I didn't notice the key on the axle. If you place the wheel on the axle without the key, it will behave just like this.

[@popeye-wc2jo]

why did you not show the fluid level reservoir for the tractor style mower?

[@josephmagda5503]

There is no filler hole or place to check it.

[@keithcrouch660]

Also, make sure the pin is in the slot in the axle when putting the rear tire back in or it will not move.

[@WesternEquipment]

This is a good point too. I think this could spark a new video of things that are essential after doing repair work. What do you think?

[@keithcrouch660]

@@WesternEquipment Yes I think it would be a good idea also.

[@ciphercode2298]

I know that on cub cadets people complain alot about them gettin slow in reverse. I've found that grass and debris get built up on the inside of the frame where all the linkage pivots for the pedals and it prevents their movement.

[@WesternEquipment]

This is interesting! I had not heard that. Thanks for the info!

[@rhyanna5454]

Wow that sounds like if the trans fluid is low and if you don't feel it because if you don't know to fill it you could actually mess up your mower and I need to have a repair on the transmission is that what you're saying I have an older zero turn mower it's a Cub cadet I noticed while mowing in front of the house there's a tree that's lying out there where the wind blew it down since I drove through there and that debris that's when I started having the problem

[@jesuslove7267]

very helpful thank you God bless

[@alejandraramirezlamarque2005]

Tank youuu! You really helped me ❤

[@georgevrooman6612]

I have a JD E100 (yr 2020) with 61 hrs on it. Serial # 2002039972682, Model 31R9770063G1. I was cutting an unfamiliar area and dropped the front end and deck into a wide hole. I came to an immediate stopped but the engine kept running. I disengaged the blades, raised the deck and tried reverse and forward to get out. It did not move. I turned off the mower and pulled it out by hand. Cranks easy, blades engage, but no forward/reverse motion. Dropped the deck and both the long belt from the engine back to the transmission and the smaller toothed belt on top of the transmission are fine. Levers seem to shift fine from Forward/Reverse, and mechanisms move underneath during shifting. Any thoughts? Just not in a position to take it to get fixed. :(

[@sherrihussar4984]

Thank you so much!! You saved the day!

[@dashiel87]

thank you my friend! the user manual says nothing about engaging the transmission!

[@truecrime98]

I am having the same exact problem you are and I hope you get this and you’re able to respond and let me know how you solve your problem. I had somebody helping me and they had me push down the clutch over and over while they were doing something underneath, but a little bit behind the clutch and it was slowly starting to engage, but it was about to downpour and he was on a motorcycle so he left and, I’m back to square one

[@noahfarrell6275]

Thank you 🎉

[@vivianjackson1380]

I have a x300 jd and I can not get spark with the key can start if we jump how do I get my lawn mower tractor to start. New ign switch

[@adamlauina491]

Cool. Thanks for the 3 tips 👍

[@AJ_Whitney]

Great information! Hope I don't need this any time soon, but good to know. Thanks!

[@WesternEquipment]

I am glad it was helpful and I hope that nobody ever has to reference this. Unfortunately, from personal experience, I know this can be an issue.

[@camronbrowning8183]

Thank you man

[@brinleyhocutt2928]

hey need advice. While changing out my mower deck on my X320 I pushed the deck lift pedal down BUT now it will not come back up. I don't have my deck on at this time. I've change my deck before but never had this problem. Please advise. Thanks Brinley Hocutt

[@wezhappy]

Perfect fix!!!!

[@interstatedriver3163]

I have a JD, D105. Approximately 10 years old. I checked the release lever: GOOD. Checked the drive belt: GOOD. Still won't move. I'm stumped

[@Salahudin484]

Thank you for making this video

[@soo4woo554]

Well you just fixed my problem 👍 thank you!

[@JM-xh4vs]

Huge thanks for this video

[@johncollins8304]

Transax transplant I have a 30 y.o. Murray 11/36ic that was increasingly difficult to change gear. I acquired another transaxle 10 years ago, and seeing it has 10 years less use than my one so it must be in good or better condition...right? Put it on, and now the mower won't move forward or back. I see the drive belt is turning the rear pulley on the transax. Any ideas anyone...

[@Disappointed739]

Check to be sure you installed the manual disingagement lever correctly. Check how the parking brake linkage relates to it. Be sure disengagement lever is moving freely--they like to lock up sometimes. Check if you lost one or both of the keys on your wheels. You could also take off both rear wheels, and then see if you see the pulley move properly when transmission "forward" pedal is pressed. But before doing that, I would be sure keys are in and that the manual lever is engaged properly.

[@donaldwbarkey7458]

Thanks for sharing!

[@ErrolMonteverde]

Thanks brother

[@cathyjackson3951]

Just bought a s220 model, won't go forward or backwards , won't even go when I use the manual pull out on the back. What's wrong?

[@johndavidtackett]

First one thank you sooooo much!!!!

[@jameslomenzo1139]

My hydrostatic belt broke on my S100, just 4 hours in use. It was smoking, wouldn't move. Under warranty, they will fix it but why did it break with 4 hours.

[@dqdanielfab]

Hi James , I have same mower, I will check mine as well since I’m off tomorrow, let me know what I found out please, thanks

[@jameslomenzo1139]

@dqdanielfab Hi, I found out yesterday the travel belt guides on the front of the mower were bent so they adjusted them,causing the belt to break, seems someone didn't do their job at the factory, it's running good now. It was a $260 job but under warranty. Seems like a good tractor, I have over an acre to cut,change the oil,filter after 4 hours to get the metal shavings out of the new engine. Say you like your S100,any troubles with it yet.

[@dqdanielfab]

@@jameslomenzo1139 hi James, appreciate the reply sir, I have 1/2 an acre, no issues till I tried to move it , I’ll look at your recommendations !! Thank you !!

[@jameslomenzo1139]

@dqdanielfab very welcome, my friend helped me carry it to the JD dealership last week, they wanted $90 to come pick it up and bring it back because I didn't take out the extended warranty im just 20 minutes from them, I do have the 2 year, or 120 hour warranty. Maybe your JD wouldn't mower because of the pull out transmission rod in the back. Even though I had this trouble with the belt, overall I think it's going to be a good lawn mower. Yea changing the oil early in a new engine is overlook, the metal shavings from the factory, it's good to get them out. That cover lid, next to cup holder didn't come with the S100, it's only $8, i told the guy at Lowes about it, he when over and took one off a S130 and put it on mine, that was nice of him doing that. Guy at JD ask me did i run over some sticks, he told me a stick could break that hydrostatic belt but that wasn't the case. I found the front bumper at Lowes for $90 I didn't want to bust the plastic hood, I have alot of trees lol Glad you're not having any issues. Take care.

[@kennethdurbin3385]

My Craftsman ys4500 barely moves. Used to go fast then it would barely climb an incline to today if finally just quit. Dropped deck and pulled drive belt. Gonna replace it first.

[@Disappointed739]

Remember that new tires make a huge difference.

[@brianstevens4392]

#1 reason is the sorry ass Tuff Torq k46 hydrostat unit… 3 rebuilds in 300 hours on a LA175… finally decided to ditch the homodepot deere and got an actual X590 Deere, from Deere.

[@growingspiral]

You're awesome!

[@Crhistian-t5g]

I am such an idiot. It was the first tip that you gave about pushing the lever in that way, it could drive.

[@ministryinmusic7851]

Thank you...

[@josephmagda5503]

1 more thing, the gear on the trans axel could be stripped, it happened to me.

[@joycemcahren2628]

What about a fourth reason why it won't go...could it be the axel shaft key?

[@WesternEquipment]

I mean it could be but that would mean they would have to be broken on both sides and I just don't think that is likely.

[@alan-dr8uo]

No your not a idiot you just didn't know I got a little mine at a flea market no owner manual had a he'll of a time learning how to start it

[@richardburnett2749]

What is the best scraper to use on your mower deck a plastic scraper or a metal scraper? Will a plastic scraper. Make your mower deck last longer.

[@WesternEquipment]

I would advise using plastic if possible just to avoid any unnecessary damage to the bottom of your deck. But sometimes the gunk is too thick or hard so you may have to go with metal.