This 1998 MTD Lawn Tractor gets "The Works!"

Yard Machines Lawn Tractor by MTD 15.5hp 42" deck
I bought this tractor for $20! It ended up having a lot of issues but the biggest problem was the drive belts. I made the mistake of replacing the worn Variable Drive belts with aftermarket belts, and the aftermarket belts did not work properly. I had to spring for the OEM belts from Partstree.com and they worked perfectly. From the refurbished mowing deck, fixed safety switches, un-seized starter, new carb, and new variable drive belts, this old MTD tractor got "The Works!"
0:00:00 Intro / my SUV won’t start
0:01:40 First look at the tractor
0:03:02 Trailer winch
0:05:37 Attempting to start the tractor and get it off my trailer
0:12:19 Unloading off my trailer
0:13:02 Diagnosing the starter and coil
0:22:02 First start!
0:25:11 First test drive / seized deck spindles
0:34:58 Removing the deck and the spindles
0:42:27 Removing the spindle bearings
0:48:49 Grinding down the mowing deck / undercoating
0:50:46 How to replace MTD Variable Drive belts
0:57:19 Test drive with the new after-market belts
1:01:17 Installing new spindle bearings
1:07:09 Assembling the refurbished mowing deck
1:11:24 Demonstration of slipping drive belts (after-market belts)
1:12:24 Installing OEM MTD Variable Drive belts (Partstree.com)
1:14:37 First test drive with OEM MTD Variable Drive belts
1:17:16 Finishing up the mowing deck
1:19:30 Power wash
1:22:32 Oil change
1:23:59 Full assembly and test drive
1:27:20 Replacing the carburetor
1:30:22 Final test drive and demonstration
1:32:45 Detail cleaning / headlights!
1:36:15 Outro

[@davidlaws1438]

It really turned out great man, great job. The older MTD were a great mower 😊

[@Kylebythecreek]

Thank you

[@matthewanderson7766]

You did a great job what a nice mower

[@Kylebythecreek]

Thank you!

[@darrelldubree9658]

New bearings, if you have ever opened one up, have very little grease and it looks like petroleum jelly instead of grease. I always remove inner seals add grease fittings and fill with grease. Do it right, do it right :)

[@darrelldubree9658]

Take them apart, remove inner seals, add grease fitting, grease. They will outlast the rest of the machine :)

[@Andy-nm9dw]

The issue you had with the carburetor is the low speed jet needs to be removed from the side of the tube that holds the main jet in those style carburetors. It is also brass. Ask me how I know. LOL took a few before I realized the low speed jet threads in to far and prevents the main jet from coming out. Hope this helps. I think the reason I enjoy your Channel is because like me you care about how well they operate after they are sold as well as your positive attitude and always learning new stuff. Thank you for sharing.

[@Kylebythecreek]

Thank you!

[@philliphall5198]

I put a little B12 in every mower I fix just to make sure it keeps running properly and clean up the valves 😊

[@M.TTT.]

same! I've also brought around a machine that didn't want to start easily after sitting 6 months or so. Ran some berryman/fresh gas thru it for a little bit and ran great again after.

[@WorthlessNickores]

I really love the work you do, your demeaor and attitude and the remarkable conditions you restore your mowers to. Great job, glad I found this channel. Thank you for teaching me so much!

[@Kylebythecreek]

You are very welcome my friend! Glad you are enjoying my channel

[@darrelldubree9658]

yeah, those belts are a pain. i learned that the hard way. i replaced transmission one time, all it was that i was cheap and put a standard belt, same length. put another transmission in and it did the same, would not shift properly. anywho, put the proper belts on they worked perfect. v belt guys sells those, much cheaper than OEM. Thanks again for sharing your journey, have a blessed day, my friend :)

[@Kylebythecreek]

You’re welcome!

[@Andy-nm9dw]

Price I would ask for $700.00 in my area. As long as the tractor looks clean and is fully Maintained you should easily get that.

[@UhBuddy1976]

Don’t knock yourself dude. You pay $20 for it. That engine alone is worth way that more than that. The mower body is in good shape. Just some new pulleys and you’re good to go.

[@davidnunn6608]

EVERY TIME I drop a bolt or anything I could show you the exact geographical center of my work bench lol

[@Lawnmowerman02346]

It came out real nice ! But it's still bottom of the barrel MTD . I know you need content but it's so much quicker and easier to remove the bearings from the spindles while attached to the deck . The machines I've worked on at least one bolt snaps off , sometimes all of them and you know how tough the extraction process can be . A little tip for painting , use light grease and an art brush to lightly coat what is not to be painted and the paint won't stick .

[@Kylebythecreek]

Thanks. But for $20 there’s still some profit to be made.

[@DumahBrazorf]

Never EVER hammer bearings on the side that is not in contact with the piece you're mating with.

[@theholyplunger]

You tell him!

[@Turbopee27]

Someone’s mad 😙

[@Kylebythecreek]

I make some people mad. The price you pay when you film your work and put it on KZbin

[@hester781]

@@Kylebythecreek put all the Monday morning quarterbacks in front of a camera and watch how many mistakes they make 😂 it’s not easy doing what we do

[@Andy-nm9dw]

The brass hammer from harbor freight works good for knocking the spindles out especially if you leave the nut on.

[@fsusteve1]

Heat the spindle housing, not the bearing, you want the housing to expand not the bearing.

[@Kylebythecreek]

Makes sense. Thanks!

[@M.TTT.]

I put the bearings in the freezer for a few hours too, sometimes

[@steveb.6267]

Great watching your channel. It’s great to see someone with family values and a great work ethic. I’ve been fixing up lawntractors , mowers and pressure washers as a hobby for at least 25 years now and really enjoy doing it. It’s a hobby that keeps on giving lol. Looking forward to future full length videos.

[@Kylebythecreek]

Thank you!

[@demcomp]

Hey Kyle, if you're looking for the draw, use your multimeter on the fuses to find one with a voltage drop. I bet it's the entertainment unit that won't go to sleep.. If not, your alternator may NOT be charging. It may be able to put the voltage out, but not the current Get your alternator load tested from an auto parts store (they usually test it for free) and see. Could be that you need a new alternator. :)

[@Kylebythecreek]

Good to know. I've never tested voltage drop at the fuse. But I could give it a try!

[@demcomp]

Give it a whirl. Usually you have to shut your vehicle off for a good 30 minutes for all systems to go to sleep, then you start checking fuses.. Check out "Pine Hollow Auto Diagnostics" if you get a chance, Ivan is an absolute genius when it comes to electrical gremlins! Highly recommended checking it out.. getting a tech to do it can get $$$ Then when you find the thing that won't go to sleep, you can go from there. Good luck bud!

[@mavision6525]

Turned out great.

[@jamesweidinger1117]

I had that exact mower with a 16.5 B&S opposed twin, made in '02. Not a bad mower for an el- cheapo box store unit, mine served me well. I sold it back to the guy I bought it from when I bought my ZT. Using factory belts is a must for the drive, but MTD wants $90 or more for the deck belt these days. I crossed it to a Gates 6974, got one from Rock for $18 delivered and it worked flawlessly for years.

[@philliphall5198]

You’ll learn over time 😊😊😊

[@Kylebythecreek]

I hope everyone learns over time!

[@rickbroerman9267]

I'm like you Kyle, I do everything!!! Great job 👏

[@tommccully1991]

I Usually buy my Belts at Tractor Supply or Sears Parts Direct or Jack's

[@snoopysrc]

I enjoyed it do more video's like that

[@Kylebythecreek]

Will do!

[@bobbydee1187]

Those mowers are a dime a dozen for sure. But, They work.

[@philliphall5198]

They are high in Texas now because so many people are fixing them up and not buying the new junk 😊

[@CCYounggin]

Just got the same one a week ago

[@philliphall5198]

Nice seat and that is a first unless it’s new 😊

[@ryancollins3227]

Idk why im here but i am, great video my guy

[@Kylebythecreek]

Haha! Glad you found my channel

[@ryancollins3227]

​@@Kylebythecreek iv bought a 96 craftsman garden tractor after watching your videos and i have a 2 questions🤣🤣 are the carbs on these hard to clean out i cant seem to find a video anywhere not that its gonna stop me from taking it apart lol and second question is decals. Do you have a place to get them from? Or do you get them from ebay? Mine are in great condition for the most part but if i can get a new set i think it would look 100% better after i repaint it

[@Kylebythecreek]

@@ryancollins3227 what type of engine does your craftsman have? In youtube, search for the make and model of your engine and then add “carb clean” to your search. Craftsman doesn’t make engines so you want find anything searching that way

[@ryancollins3227]

@@Kylebythecreek its a 20.5hp kholer command, ill have to try that with the model number and such iv searched kholer and got nothing lol.

[@ryancollins3227]

@@Kylebythecreek welp i got like 500 results so that works 🤣🤣

[@darrelldubree9658]

Kyle, a vise would be handy for removing those, if your going to remove them from the deck shell :)

[@Kylebythecreek]

I need a good bench vice. Well, I need a good bench first, then a vice

[@robertmailhos8159]

The thing is that the blade engagement height adjustment lever can drop the mower deck and engage the blades while you are cutting the grass next thing you look back And the grass is lower than you want it to be

[@Kylebythecreek]

Very true! Not the best design by MTD

[@robertmailhos8159]

@@Kylebythecreek you got that right Kyle now that MTD made the craftsman mower they redid the height adjustment and blade engagement lever they are both separate from each other

[@Andy-nm9dw]

I am surprised you were able to remove the spindles. Quite a risk, I normally leave them on the deck and pound out the spindles and knock out the bearings still attached to the deck.

[@MrJohnnaz]

You can buy the whole spindle assembly for $27 it even comes with a new pulley and new mounting bolts. It's as easy as changing a light bulb.

[@philliphall5198]

Where can you buy it for that price ??

[@MrJohnnaz]

@@philliphall5198 Ebay has them and I think Amazon.

[@toddosterhout9866]

I’ve replaced those deck bearings before and it can be a pain in the ass but money wise it’s not too bad. Honestly I might have pressure washed it and see how they sounded. Have you seen where Alex from freedom mowers takes the cap off the bearing and shoves grease in them? I bet if you sprayed them out with brake clean and put some new grease in them it might be good. Sometimes you have to pinch pennys to make a good profit. Thanks for the video and to me that’s a score at $20

[@Kylebythecreek]

Yes I’ve pulled a rubber seal before and re greased them before. Thanks for viewing!

[@johnhicks735]

You spray those to soak and should have grease serts in the top of those spindles for the blades. Usually their in the aluminum.,or on top centered.

[@jp-us9rq]

I like those old briggs engines.whats that called flathead?

[@Kylebythecreek]

This one isn’t the flathead. The flatheads have no over head valves

[@jp-us9rq]

@@Kylebythecreek i surprised the transmission s are sealed and can't change the fluid in them im surprised the trans lasted that long

[@kansascowboy5721]

I bought the after market belts for my mower too. I had the same issues as you! Live and learn 👍🏻

[@Kylebythecreek]

Yep!!

[@philliphall5198]

Get the 8 ten belts No problem 😊😊😊

[@Kylebythecreek]

@@philliphall5198 I normally don’t mind buying aftermarket belts, but not for mtd variable drive. Aftermarket belts won’t work in this case, and in this video I start with aftermarket belts and then I move to oem- this difference is notable. And, this might be unpopular, but I try to avoid 8ten belts. I’ve shredded a bunch of those belts before. In my experience they don’t last more than a few uses. I know some people like them though

[@UhBuddy1976]

The newer MTDs are much easier to deal with. I used to have a mower that looked just like this, but now I have a Troy-Bilt. The hood just lifts off and does not have the full sides like that.

[@Kylebythecreek]

Agreed, after this era , they definitely made them easier to work on. But these old ones do hold up well!

[@BigBoxDodge2020]

You should never use the inner race to get the outer race pressed In. Use a socket the right dimension for the outer race. Your Damaging the bearings if you pound on them too much like that. Sorry- I don't mean to be such a critic, but you need to know these things. Another Thing I would like to let you know is. You can remove the rubber seal on one side with a pointy utility knife blade and pop the cover out, because those bearings don't come with much grease in them, if you want them to last a lot longer. Add more grease, pop the cover back in Before you, install them.

[@BigBoxDodge2020]

I subscribed.

[@Kylebythecreek]

I received alot of comments about the way I did the bearings. Always more to learn

[@darrelldubree9658]

Easier to leave in the deck. That way you dont risk twisting bolts off and it will hold it for you. Also put the pulley nut on shaft and screw it down flush with shaft and use brass or copper hammer to drive out shafts :)

[@Kylebythecreek]

I need a brass hammer too. So many tools to buy

[@kevdreadful]

Thank you! I needed this channel in my life! 🫡

[@Kylebythecreek]

Awesome! Glad you found it!

[@chadfield376]

You did good on this flip for $20 original price plus your parts:-) I just refurbished a 1999 Poulan Pro with a Briggs 20HP V-twin and 46in deck. Paid $50 for mower; including Uhaul trailer rental/gas to pickup total was $80. Put another $200 in parts including the paint/primer to recondition deck (only had enough primer left over from previous project to do half the deck). When I priced out bearing for 3 spindles, it was going to be more time/cost effective to get new spindles vs busting off the seized bearings off the spindle shafts 2x more times Lol. Engine wise, left cylinder had a valve guide that walked out but knew this was probably the case when I went to pick mower up. Did the Taryl Dactyl recommended “valve guide drill set-screw repair”, new head gasket, followed by a carb clean, and engine was back in business:-) On the fence on whether or not to sell it as every time I bring a non-runner back to operating standards, I want to keep it Lol.

[@willz1234]

yea people forget time is money, messing about with them bearings when u dont have a press, hardly worth the effort, unles its your own and installing high quality bearings

[@Kylebythecreek]

I know what you mean "time is money". But this is just a hobby for me. I could throw the whole tractor away if I wanted to. For me, it's just for fun!

[@Rein_Ciarfella]

First of all, the length of a video is irrelevant. All I care about is that the subject is covered completely. Next - I agree with another commenter - driving bearings into place should be done using the outside race, not the inside one. Find any round, hollow tube to do the job, as long as it fits the outside race. You can use a socket, a section of steel pipe, a section of PVC drain pipe, whatever. Next, Kyle, you’re struggling with removing bearings and the center shaft because you’re not driving straight down onto a surface with enough mass to resist the force of the hammer blows. Bolt your vice down securely and use that. Or use solid wood blocks. Do this at the corner of the workbench above a leg so there is more support. It’s obvious you learned the hard way about hitting threaded shafts without thread protection. I hope we don’t have to yell at you ever again about THAT, young man! 😁🔧😂👍

[@toddosterhout9866]

When you get you car running again. Check to see if you have any light bulbs out that might actually be on and that might be it.

[@Kylebythecreek]

Somehow I think you’re right even though I always shut off the lights. Maybe the glove box light?

[@toddosterhout9866]

@@Kylebythecreek yeah maybe. Pretty easy check for the lights. You can always buy a battery cut off switch and put that temporarily on your positive battery cable till you figure it out. A pain in the butt to cut it off every time you stop the car but will give you time till you figure it out. You’re a smart guy I’m sure you’ll get it!!

[@darrelldubree9658]

deck brakes are engaged when in the up position :) I think on that model :)

[@Kylebythecreek]

Correct! I mention that somewhere in the video. I think I say that when I’m wore wheeling the pulleys and brake discs

[@BigBoxDodge2020]

I've got a lot of suggestions as far as tools go, but it would be too many to list. Number one would be a solid bench worktop, maybe that would be too obvious. #2A Shop Press, 3 to100 would be better tools all around? Sorry, but I Have The Tools!!! And big shop. Your doing good with what you have.

[@Kylebythecreek]

Yeah, I don’t have a big shop, and not many tools. Just out here doing what I can to make a side hustle

[@jamesravnikar5622]

I don't understand why you are heating the bearings and not the housings to remove the old bearings

[@Kylebythecreek]

I was doing that because I've had success doing it that way in the past. But I've received lots of comments about the way I did it. I definitely see the benefit to heating the housing now. Thanks!

[@MichaelBryant-lb4rn]

Awesome channel Kyle! Do you have any mowers for sale? I live in CT

[@Kylebythecreek]

Send me an email. I’ll let you know what I have

[@iceberg2221]

if you would use a sufficient tool to remove them bearings you wouldn't get a stuck screwdriver or ruin the mating surfaces. Also heat up the housing not the bearing

[@Kylebythecreek]

Thank you. I appreciate the tip

[@armyvet4081]

I found a way to modify the front ends to remove tool less

[@DangerousDaedric]

Bearings are to cold😂

[@SecondChanceMowers710]

Lot of dedication for such a crappy mower even new..I won't even resell those mowers.great video

[@Kylebythecreek]

I agree! Haha. But for some reason I just kept working on it for the sake of the video

[@SecondChanceMowers710]

@@Kylebythecreek and good call on belts all those fnr mowers get oem belts it's the only way.

[@philliphall5198]

It’s surprising what people will pay for this mower now days, I’ve even had to install short blocks because customers wanted it done He had me replace everything on it 😊and paid cash

[@bobbydee1187]

Safety under the seat””

[@gottatinker3363]

why go thru all the trouble of fighting with the hubs (trying not to snap a bolt), when you could just knock the shaft out the bottom and remove the bearings??.......seems like a big waste of time to remove a hub that doesn't need to be for service, especially since those side bolts are prone to breaking off......(air hammer can work wonders and save time)

[@Kylebythecreek]

The boots didn’t give me too much trouble. Just some heat and penetrating oil- none of them broke. Plus I wanted to paint the deck, so I wanted them removed

[@darrelldubree9658]

steal :)

[@henryknight7876]

WD-40 will fix bearing

[@philliphall5198]

Not

[@darrelldubree9658]

lol, dropping stuff :) wait till you get a bit older :) i just throw it all on the ground and just pickup as i need it , Lol :)

[@killerballpython7114]

500

[@rickygibson3754]

knows nothing about trouble shooting

[@Kylebythecreek]

KZbin is a great place to learn. I've certainly learned a lot once I started filming my work. Do you have any pointers?

[@johnamaro486]

Just subscribed love the long videos you do a fantastic job restoring those mowers very professional I wish people that I pay would do the job like you do. 🫡 will watch entire video after work.

[@Kylebythecreek]

I’m glad you are enjoying the channel!