MTD 700 Series Professional Shop Manual page 44

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700 Series Lawn Tractor
4. Check the drive belts.
• In normal use, drive belts typically last for years
without problems.
• If the belt fails prematurely, identify and correct
the cause of the belt failure before returning the
tractor to service.
4a. Look up the part number for the belts, and
confirm that the correct OEM belts are on the
tractor.
4b. Check the belt routing. See Figure 5.5.
4c. Check the brake/clutch linkage and belt ten-
sioning pulleys.
4d. Check for foreign objects jammed against the
belt.
4e. Check for missing or out-of-place belt guides.
See the belt replacement section of this chapter.
4f. Check the engine crankshaft and transaxle input pulleys; Confirm that the sheaves are not spread-out,
causing a loose belt fit.
5. Check the drive control linkage. See Figure 5.6.
5a. The drive pedal bracket assembly has stops
for the released position and fully depressed
position. The pedal bracket should have
enough travel for the full range of motion.
5b. Some relatively simple things that may go
wrong with the pedal linkage:
• The drive pedal itself being loose on the
bracket.
• Worn plastic bushings between the drive pedal
shaft and the concentric brake cross-shaft.
6. Transaxle mounting:
6a. The primary symptoms of a transaxle that is
loose in the frame are that it will lose drive or
throw-off the upper drive belt in reverse.
6b. Check the transmission mounting points on
the frame and torque bracket. See Figure 5.7.
6c. If there is no drive in either direction, check
the gear selector adjustment. Refer to the
selector adjustment section later in the chap-
ter.
38
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Double idler
Belt outside of guide
Look for debris
Figure 5.5
Stop for released position
Stop for depressed position
Figure 5.6
Transmission Mounting Bolts
Figure 5.7
Belt inside of guides
Drive pedal bracket