Rebuilding a lawn tractor transaxle [Part 1 of 2]

In these two videos Dave and Lynol rebuild a Tecumseh Peerless 5-speed manual transaxle model 930-054A out of a 1996 AYP built Weed Eater. This transaxle is very widely used on lawn tractors in 3, 4, 5, & 6 speed configurations dating back to the early 1980's. You'll find these on brands from Murray to Craftsman to Husqvarna, just to name a few. It is also very similar to some transaxles made by Foote and Spicer (Dana). These videos are a general overview on how to take them apart and a look at what's inside. Don't let these things intimidate you; there not that complicated. If you are good at tinkering and are mechanically minded, you can probably fix your transaxle too!
Here's a link to a exploded diagram and parts list for this particular transaxle so you can see what exactly is inside: www.searspartsd...

[@mikewaller7558]

About to dig into my 6 speed and u guys did a great job showing what's in there and what to do.thanks guys I'll keep posted

[@scottmeckley3194]

You know these boys are just working out the back yard doing what they got to to make them run. Not everybody can afford or have the gear,shafts and pulley pullers! As far as the information contained in this video and the up closer shots of what's there ( so the average Joe that can't afford those extremely high priced repairmen) can put it together and repair there's themselves with just a little common sense! Oh and as to where the ball and spring go this has been the only video I have found to even touch base on it! Good job boys excellent video!

[@pauleastwood7028]

Must admit I am impressed with you and your mates Lawnmower knowledge. Just got my gearbox out as it is slipping in all gears so your video has helped me greatly. Thanks lads. Paul

[@victoryfirst2878]

How does this transmission compare to a Roper type used in old sears tractors ??? Thanks

[@MJCPeters]

Thanks- I hve to repair a different type but this gives me the general knowledge I need to tackle the repair. Great video (thanks for the time lapse, shows the process without dragging it out)

[@Deere842]

Rebuild these all the time...Pack grease where transaxles sit and then where all the gears are put 80/90 gear oil 3/4 the way up to the case and put permtex around the case

[@pbgd3]

You should definitely scrape up the old grease with something like an old credit card, or just a pair of rubber gloves, you don't need to use solvent and clean every bit of grease, but there are probably bits of metal worn off gears and such in that old grease, so it will work better with clean new grease.

[@AmtrakCSXRailfan]

At 3:00 all the cars going down your street sound like Indy 500 cars hahaha! Awesome video!

[@jimdavidson5208]

What fluid do you put back into it? I have a Ranch King 42 inch tractor built by MTD. It's the 6 speed manual type transaxle. No hydro here... And how do you change the fluid? This one's 10 years old and I want to change it.

[@Chevypower265]

Great video, I will say tho, Peerless transaxles are better then any of them.

[@DEFiANCE665]

I just tore my Dana/Foote transaxle out of my 92 LT4000, took about a cup and a half of grease out of it, and put in a quart of 80 wt gear oil, seems to be running alot better now... Still need to weld the spider gears though. Seems to shift better with gear oil in it too. I use this tractor for yard/trail riding and am looking for a 4" rear pulley for it...

[@TheCraftsman11]

Thanks for posting this vidieo! I race lawnmowers and this vid helped me repair my transaxle. Thanks alot Shawn

[@Turbo231]

Had put this in my favorites, still a fantastic video. Thumbs up.

[@GMCsierra1500]

I have a 5speed in my modified'84 craftsman. I find that that black muck likes to squeeze out between the two parts of the case.

[@jeffhamula]

I really like your videos - they gave me confidence to buy a 11hp Craftsman this week as a project - with a plow & 38" deck w/ bagger. With some TLC runs great. It goes in to forward and back but not all the gears on the 5 speed. I open the Foote transaxle, and it seemed to be in great shape - not beat or worn. from playing around with it open, the shifter things in the axle dont grab well on the gears inside for gear 2-5. Which parts should I order to refurb this POS? is searsdirect ok?

[@richvos6963]

thanks for the upload this help i had no idea how to take apart

[@paulbreor]

im outside working on my and i had to come and watch this video of you guys do it to see if there is any other ways to pull off the primary pully on top.... i cant see that the pully and the shaft its on are two diffent thing cause they are rusted togther Cant fight the rust

[@lukilotus]

Top of trans casing where the shifter rod goes thru, has little pins bearings, but ! that rod binds up there over time. That is all it takes to stop the engagement in gears. First try lubercating with some type of oil, WD-40. Work it easy see if thats lets it go. I took mine apart lookiing to find the problem. LOL simple bind where it never gets oiling. gl

[@sarahdeming300]

I need a video on how to set detent balls with out take the screwsn out cant get them out have done twiv e havin trouble on this one spicer 5speed

[@RubyIsBored]

"remember to pull out all the bolts or you'll be wondering what the hell's going on" I didn't get the one under the pulley and I was wondering what the hell was going on. I'm gonna try getting my pulley off now

[@nicolaryder4757]

hmm, wish id seen this video before i split and rebuilt my mower gearbox. i didnt find/refit the ballbearing and spring. It seems to be ok ish just has a little judder/lurch from time to time. maybe thats the problem? will it be ok i wonder?

[@alan6832]

wouldn't the thing that the little ball and spring sit on (gear selector) have 5 holes for 4 gears? so don't you need to take that thing from the 6 speed too? so it will have 6 holes? or indentations? actually 8 with neutral and reverse?

[@dmorley100]

If it were me working on it, I'd have cleaned out all that old crud inside the case.

[@kpj200]

Use transmission oil it's more slick and decreases the friction in the gears which gives you a much smoother shift!

[@EnginesandElbowGrease]

what size is the shaft for the pulley on these? Is it the same as the lt1000 6 speed? Are the shafts keyed?

[@rodgersearle]

Thanks very much guys. You gave me the confidence to do it myself. Cheers

[@CraZyCarl6212]

Hey nice video. I have an identical transaxle (6 speed version) and it almost always sticks in first gear and I have to hit the shifter pretty hard to get out of first, any ideas on what would cause that and would it be fixable?

[@yadinganon5037]

How often I actually need to service this gearbox? I have one that was standing for ten years and I know that the original grease from 1992 is in their...and i don’t know if I need to service it... It works fine.

[@GearHead1625]

i see thats sears for you always wanting to make stuff sound technical

[@bayslands]

I have a Craftsman LT4000, 6-speed Peerless that works fine in all gears but will not "find" reverse. Selector moves from 1st straight into reverse with a positive 'click'. Do I have to replace the entire gear assembly? TIA for any advice.

[@mrbabbles100]

hey i have a quick question. Were building a lawnmower and we have it baiscly built but were trying to figure out where the balls on the shifting mechanism go. do they shift to where their sposed to be? or what please answer

[@Denkha94]

Hi their. I have a spicer 5 speed transaxle on my tractor. can you tell me if the fluid is replaceable or it's sealed for life. Thank you.

[@balak121]

does the transaxel work as a clutch also so i can just put a pulley on a verticle shaft and hook it up to a transaxle without any clutch or anything else.

[@jeffhamula]

yeah, i actually ended up doing that. I found that my clutch keys were just bent... I did put new ones in, but then it was too hard to shift - almost bent the shifter as I wrenched on it. Oh well, I can always just rebuild it again.

[@mfournier12]

If the belt is too tight (meaning you might have a belt that is too short Sears is notorious for selling people the wrong belt size) and as a result when the clutch is supposed to be disengaged it is not so the gears still have pressure on them so they do not want to shift.

[@tractorboys11]

is there a way to keep the gear selector along with the spring and ball assembled in the upper half of the case?

[@jbuilds1]

Hi, i've got a old murray riding mower (1997 i believe) and the problem is that it won't move at all. It does not seem to go into any gears at all. what do you think could be the issue?

[@MrDondoerner]

junaid I have a murray hydrostatic that has the same problem. Any idea where to buy a new or rebuilt transaxle or parts?

[@MrDondoerner]

don doerner [e-mail]

[@jbuilds1]

sorry i ended up giving it away for free

[@johnwilson6724]

junaid t

[@gamesbok]

You can't stop a man with a calculator watch.

[@johnr.6029]

I have two craftsman riding mowers which have the freewheeling or disengaging lever on the back of the trans-axle. Both of them will NOT disengage/freewheel. I CANNOT push them by disengaging the lever. What is the problem? Thank you.

[@Chuncy566]

Your parking brake is not releasing, those 2 little pins that push that puck are rusted,take it apart and clean rust off & lubes pins, adjust parking brake

[@Motorfordtoyota]

How much would like a side imput 3 speed one cost, I want one to retro fit onto my gokart when I ever get around to fixing it!

[@brucebanner8684]

Great video! But never ever pry on cases with a screwdriver

[@ringbolt9]

excellent !!

[@NRP1991]

its called a D-tent ball holds a specific gear

[@homeand18acres]

Did you ever find out? I have the same problem. Mine requires extream forve to shift.

[@Rottmad]

did you Gents ever work on a Tuff Torq transaxle?

[@dirtbiker4lfe]

Hey I was really hopeing you could help me, I just got a White Lt13 lawn tractor. It is a 7 speed perlis trany.There is a lever on the fender for gears 1-7. and on the floor beteen your legs there is a lever with 3 positions forward/neutral/reverse. SOOO I went up a big hill in 7th gear and when I got to the top the tractor would not move any more, so I shifted into the revers gear still in 7th and it went in revers fine but wont go forword.Now after shutting it down I cant get out of gear. help

[@manuelmenchaca2836]

I have a 1997 Murray Riding Lawn Mower with a Dana transaxle Model 4450, I am trying to find an input shaft for it, but I understand these part is no longer available. In the Dana Parts list it is listed as Key #10 Assy Kit Input shaft, part #4513. I would appreciate it if anybody can help me locate this part.

[@WhatTheHeckTV]

WHAT WOULD CAUSE HARD SHIFTING IN A CRAFTSMAN PEARLIS 6 SPEED; IT IS LIKE IT IS JAMED UP

[@grampzstillkickin7252]

Excellent tutorial Thank you Thank you

[@Awesome25ification]

My transmission just stopped working and the tractor doesnt move in any gear. Can you help

[@ryanfarming7430]

What brand of mower is it out of

[@ronathey5287]

I was pulling the tire off and the axle came out. What do i do?

[@passwordiswhat]

is that a calculator watch?

[@MadSmokerBBQ]

did that work???

[@gamo98]

you will find it is the selecter pins which have broken

[@BobbyFlanders]

when i had mine redone cause it wouldnt come out of reverse they said there were plastic gears in it is that true

[@larrykeesee1442]

Menards has the brass bushings..

[@biggray94]

how much did you charge fo that job?

[@squirmsshed5343]

is it oil in there or grease, and if so how do you drain it and refill it

[@themfknightrider420]

that grease

[@squirmsshed5343]

cheers

[@pbgd3]

Measure the shaft and the key and then its standard parts.

[@chuckchaney7374]

why didn,t you clean it..... you know with those gears the way they look its full of shavings......

[@rolandrempfher4493]

Wayne Lovett

[@BrettKillpack]

I was wondering if you could sell me a transaxle with reverse.

[@BobbyFlanders]

that one looks like the one thats on my yard king

[@onmovehanssingh]

thxx mate..!!

[@hillbillypeakgarage6797]

ever time i put mine back together i cant spin the drive pully

[@eliburton5420]

You arnt supposed to go all the way around at one time you are supposed to go across like one side then the next taking them out.

[@surfsup021]

cool,,done this before

[@GearHead1625]

"snap ring remover tool" lol i like it but i think there just called snap ring pliers

[@uawsux]

Need am116881 reverse gear pack..tecumseh ..jd gx75..

[@rods6405]

Clean out the old grease then inspect!

[@joeldude76]

i didnt know the tires where driven by belt untill i was driving it and it wouldnt move anymore then saw the belt fell off i was like great my dads gonna be peed untill i seen the belt had fallen off.

[@TheStoneyk]

Should of cleaned the gears an casein nor you WILL have even more problems

[@ringbolt9]

awesome

[@teddyvision5295]

anybody know if the 4 speed Spicer is a turf or not?

[@teddyvision5295]

turd....

[@delainemaiers6788]

+Teddyvision ur a turd

[@zugzub]

Nice video, but shame on you. You should have cleaned all the old grease out. With the gears wore the way they where you have contaminated grease thats just going to lead to another transmission failure down the road

[@subrosarider123]

what is the bore of the pulley?

[@jeffhamula]

oh yeah, and i am going to keep all the old grease in there just because of all the comments you have had. Doesn't it have a half life of 6 billion years +/- 1?

[@pesakhraap6657]

Do ham fisted "mechanics" know about penetrating oil, wheel pullers and the strategic application of heat? Or do they instinctively reach for the biggest hammer that they can find? Maybe they are proud of the mushroomed end of shafts that they leave behind. How about separating the mating surfaces of a die cast housing by pounding on it with a steel screwdriver?

[@ad356]

that thing is light duty. why bother. i would buy something older and made of heavy duty cast iron.

[@simonsargent8987]

cleaning it? psshhh lmao