My craftsman lawn tractor forward and reverse isn't working correctly

SOURCE: mounting snow blade to lawn tractor

It attaches the the front of the tractor. Similar to a plow to a truck. If you don't have the brackets, you will need those, or make your own. You can see a picture of the brackets if you go to sears.com. Click on the PartsDirect link at the top, and enter the blade model number.

SOURCE: craftsman 19.5 lawn tractor w/briggs & stratton keeps flooding

This could be a number or items from no spark to a faulty carburetor, a plugged up air filter, valves out of adjustment, poor gas, faulty spark plug.

First, see if your getting spark, how about taking the wire off a plug(s) and holding it about 1/8" or so away from the plug with some masking tape while you crank the engine. You should be able to see the spark jumping the gap, it helps if it is not too light outside. If you attempt to do this with your hands, you will get a spark jolt, it hurts, so use the tape and remember, the engine could start so proceed with caution.
If you have no spark there, then you ignition or magneto is faulty. This would be unlikely in the broader scope of things. You will likely get spark. Make sure the plug is clean, take it out and inspect. If it is covered in gunk well clean it. It will smell like raw gas but you already know that. Change the plug if in doubt.

Remove and clean and replace the air filter.

If you have spark, and a clean filter it is likely a carburetor problem, Depending on the carb, it could be the choke is faulty or, as per the below.

Depending on what model you have there is a float assembly in the carburetor that stops the fuel from flooding the carb and air intake. The gas tank is higher then the carb right, so if you dont have a mechanism for stopping the fuel from leaking out the hole that goes into the engine, it will all leak out right, as into the fresh air intake because its easier than going into the engine. So, there is a miniature float assembly, sort of like your bathroom toilet float to stop the water. Well there is a small wedge type needle that seats into a hole and it is attached to a float. As the gas rises in the bowl, it pushes up the float, sealing the gas into a chamber, as you use more gas, the float lowers and more gas goes in. So ,there is dirt jammed into the float bowl sealing needle, just a little, thats all it takes. So, shut off the gas somehow, hopefully you have a valve, or squeeze the rubber line, then undo the float chamber, its one nut on the bottom. Clean carefully. The needle, little spring and float assembly are delicate. Also, the needle could be worn from engine vibration, so it may need a new needle. It would help if you described the engine and carb though.

I posted that as a solution to another problem, but yours may also be the valves need adjusting. Depending on the amount of hours, say over 200, then the valves timing will likely be off a bit. Check the clearances with a feeler gauge, it is not as difficult as it seems. Check your Owners manual for the clearance at top dead center. TDC is when you take the plug out and watch the piston arrive at the top of the cylinder through the spark plug hole when you are turning the engine over (do this by hand, battery off. Make the adjustments with the valve cover off. Follow the instructions.

Hope some of this helps.

mickey813

• 472 Answers
• Posted on Oct 15, 2009

SOURCE: Troy bilt lawn tractor that will not go in forward-just grinds

sounds like the trnns has some thing lose in it you will need to get to the shop

SOURCE: Loss of drive in a Craftsman Lawn tractor

I also have a Craftsman tractor with the same problem. Sears repairman said it needed a new transmission and it would cost $1,400 to install. A new one is about $1,000. Anyway, if you remove the battery and the battery tray under the seat it will expose the transmission fill hole (hex). I opened the top and it looked empty. I had a bottle of 90 weight gear oil in my shop and filled the transmission to the top. I have not had any problems with it since. $4.00 bottle of oil verses a new tractor is worth a try.

SOURCE: adjusting brake on Craftsman LT 1000 lawn tractor manual

underneath by the right side tire turn in the adjustment nuts on the brake rod. if brake is bad the disk will have to be replaced see a manual.